Shorter days and colder nights offer a good reason to cozy up with WNED Classical, Buffalo Toronto Public Media's Classical music station. With new specials and returning favorites WNED Classical has a great selection of holiday-themed programming that is sure to bring cheer this season.
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November
Thursday, November 23 at 10am
Stratton's Sidebar | Thanksgiving 1971
Thursday, November 23 at 6pm
Giving Thanks
Giving Thanks shares music and stories that reflect the meaning of gratitude.
This year Giving Thanks sounds the way Thanksgiving feels: inviting, warm, and festive. No clichés about pilgrims and pumpkin pies. Instead, it’s a contemporary, thoughtful celebration of spirit of the holiday. Special guest Ada Limon is the new Poet Laureate of the US (and host of APM’s The Slowdown). She joins our Thanksgiving table to read her poems and talk about how poetry amplifies gratitude. We’ll also revisit other US Poets Laureate who have been guests on Giving Thanks, including Billy Collins, Rita Dove, and Ted Kooser).
Whether you're up early in the kitchen, on the road to a family gathering, or relaxing after the feast, Giving Thanks provides the perfect atmosphere for Thanksgiving: the warmth of great music, and truly memorable words.
December
Friday, December 1 at 10pm
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker - Complete Ballet, a classical music Album by the National Philharmonic Orchestra / Richard Bonynge.
Sunday, December 3 at 7pm
Watching for the Star | A Polish Christmas Eve
Father Czeslaw Krysa, Rector of the St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church and Sophie Hodorowicz Knab, author of the book, Polish Customs, Traditions & Folklore, are back to tell us about the music, events and celebrations in the Polish Community that surround the Holiday Season with a special emphasis on the most important of all Polish family traditions, Wigilia or Christmas Eve.
Monday, December 4 at 6pm
Welcome Christmas
Welcome Christmas is a perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups, conducted by Philip Brunelle. An hour of traditional carols and new discoveries.
Friday, December 8 at 6pm
Candles Burning Brightly
A one-hour celebration of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights with an exploration of Chanukah foods and traditional activities … and plenty of music.
Saturday, December 9 at 6pm
Hollywood Holidays
Extended selections from the film scores of beloved Christmas-themed movies. Returning to Dimitri Tiomkin’s original score for It’s A Wonderful Life, as recorded in 1946, and Richard Addinsell's intense score for A Christmas Carol, arguably the best version of Charles Dickens’ story.
Tuesday, December 12 at 1pm
Bob Berkman’s Suburban Hanukkah
WNED Alumnus Bob Berkman offers reflections, stories, and the music of Hanukkah.
Saturday, December 16 at 9am-1pm
Beethoven's Birthday Bash
Today is Ludwig Van Beethoven's 253rd birthday! Beethoven continues to be one of the most admired and influential composers in Western music. Join us in celebrating this classical giant with 4 hours of non-stop Beethoven beginning at 9am.
Saturday, December 16 at 5pm
Watching for the Star | A Polish Christmas Eve
Father Czeslaw Krysa, Rector of the St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church and Sophie Hodorowicz Knab, author of the book, Polish Customs, Traditions & Folklore, are back to tell us about the music, events and celebrations in the Polish Community that surround the Holiday Season with a special emphasis on the most important of all Polish family traditions, Wigilia or Christmas Eve.
Saturday, December 16 at 7pm
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 29 “Hammerklavier” in B-flat
Glenn Gould, piano
Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 (known as the Große Sonate für das Hammerklavier, or more simply as the Hammerklavier) is a piano sonata that is widely viewed as one of the most important works of the composer's third period and among the greatest piano sonatas of all time.
Sunday, December 17 at 8am
Beethoven Mass in C
London Symphony Chorus,
London Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Sir Colin Davis
Commissioned by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II to celebrate his wife’s name-day in 1807, Beethoven’s early Mass in C contains some of the composer’s most sublime music for voices. Although his original treatment of the text distressed the Prince at its premiere, the Mass is now regarded as one of Beethoven’s most moving works.
Sunday, December 17 at 2pm
Handel’s Messiah Presented by the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus
Immerse yourself in Western New York's Holiday Tradition in a whole new way! Experience the magnificent beauty of Handel's masterpiece, brought to life by the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Music Director Dr. Adam Luebke. Prepare to be moved by the powerful voices and dynamic baroque orchestration as they perform in the historic Our Lady of Victory Basilica and Shrine, selections include "For Unto Us A Child is Born," "Let All the Angels of God," and the resplendent "Hallelujah Chorus." Filmed and recorded November 26, 2023, Buffalo, NY.
Monday, December 18 at 6pm
All Is Bright
Lynne Warfel hosts an hour of gorgeous, contemplative choral music that tells the traditional Christmas story with songs about angels, the star and the manger scene. . Featured artists include Cambridge Singers, Cantus, and Chanticleer.
Sunday, December 17 at 10pm
A Christmas Vesper Service from St Mark’s in Venice 1611
Monteverdi: Christmas Vespers 1611
La Cetra (Basle)/ Marc Minkowski
Wednesday, December 20 at 1pm
Watching for the Star | A Polish Christmas Eve
Father Czeslaw Krysa, Rector of the St. Casimir Roman Catholic Church and Sophie Hodorowicz Knab, author of the book, Polish Customs, Traditions & Folklore, are back to tell us about the music, events and celebrations in the Polish Community that surround the Holiday Season with a special emphasis on the most important of all Polish family traditions, Wigilia or Christmas Eve.
Thursday, December 21 at 10pm
J.S. Bach’s Christmas
Monteverdi: Christmas Vespers 1611
J.S. Bach: The Christmas Oratorio Parts 1 – 3
Saturday, December 23 at 1pm
The Metropolitan Opera |Wagner's Tannhäuser
Following his heroic performance as Siegfried in the Met’s 2019 Ring cycle, dashing Austrian tenor Andreas Schager returns as the knight Tannhäuser in Wagner’s ravishing opera of love, lust, and redemption. Soprano Elza van den Heever is the pure and virtuous princess Elisabeth, alongside mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as the tempting goddess of love, Venus. Maestro Donald Runnicles takes the podium for Otto Schenk’s classic production, which also features baritone Christian Gerhaher in his Met debut as Tannhäuser’s companion knight Wolfram and bass Georg Zeppenfeld as Landgraf Hermann.
Saturday, December 23 at 8pm
The New York Philharmonic |George Friedrich Handel: Messiah
The NY Phil is joined by the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus, a stunning cast of soloists, and Baroque specialist Fabio Biondi as he conducts this holiday favorite — the Messiah of all Messiahs. Handel’s writing for the human voice reaches dizzying heights of expression, buoyed by iconic melodies from the Orchestra.
Saturday, December 23 at 10pm
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra |Holiday music conducted by George Solti and Fritz Reiner
Eighth music director Sir Georg Solti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and a stellar cast of soloists in the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah. Next, the CSO Brass performs music by Gabrieli, and sixth music director Fritz Reiner closes this holiday celebration with selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet.
Sunday, December 24
Holiday Music All Day
We’ll feature all Christmas music on Christmas Eve, from the great Classics to your Pops favorites.
Sunday, December 24 at 10am
The Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols
Join us for this live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England. This annual celebration will be broadcast live from the Proms in England.
Monday, December 25
Holiday Music All Day
We’ll feature all Christmas music on Christmas Day, from the great Classics to your Pops favorites.
Monday, December 25 at 10am
The Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols
Join us for this repeat of the world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England. This annual celebration is broadcast live from the Proms in England.
Tuesday, December 26 at 10pm
Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ
The London Symphony/ Colin Davis
Thursday, December 28 at 10pm
Margaret Bonds: The Ballad of the Brown King
The Desoff Choir & Orchestra/ M Merriweather
A cantata composed by Margaret Bonds. It was written in honor of the African king, Balthazar. The cantata is made up of nine movements with parts for soprano, tenor, baritone and choir. The composition includes "a combination of European, Jazz and Calypso music. Performed by The Desoff Choir and conducted by Malcolm J. Merriweather.
Sunday, December 31 at 7am
J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio Parts 4-6
New Year’s Eve
Sunday, December 31 at 8pm
The Strauss Brothers “May I have this Dance?”
Incl: The ballet Cinderella by J Strauss Jr
Sunday, December 31 at 10pm
The Battle of the Baritones for the title: The World’s Greatest Singer of Songs
The Finals: Frank Sinatra vs Dietrich Fischer Dieskau
January
Monday, January 1, 2024 at 10am
New Year's Day From Vienna 2024
The ever popular annual New Year’s Day Concert will be performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker. The 2024 Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert takes place on January 1, 2024, under the baton of guest conductor Christian Thielemann in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. PBS favorite Hugh Bonneville returns to host.