Composer of the Week - A Georgian Christmas
Donald Macleod visits the home of Jane Austen with historian Amanda Vickery to discover some of the seasonal customs and Christmas music of late-Georgian Britain.
Music featured:
Thomas Clark: While Shepherds Watched
William Matthews: How beauteous are their feet
Anon: The Holly and the Ivy
Viotti: Violin Concerto No 13 in A Major
Handel: Messiah
Cimarosa: L'Olimpiade: Sinfonia
Thomas Wilson: Wellington's Triumph
Thomas Straight: Trip to Vauxhall, Sailor Laddie
Weber (orch Berlioz): Aufforderung zum Tanz
Trad (arr. Townsend): Arise and Hail the Joyful Day
Trad.: Awake, and join the cheerful choir
Attrib. Wade (arr. Vincent Novello): O come, all ye faithful
Arr. Thomas Butts: Hark! how all the welkin rings
Attwood: O God, Who by the Leading of a Star
Mendelssohn: The Evening Bell
Jarman: There were shepherds abiding
John Wainwright: Christians, awake, salute the happy morn
Pleyel: Symphony No.12 in E flat
Kalmar Wesley: Rondo on God Rest You Merry Gentlemen
Trad: The First Nowell
Anon: Remember The Poor
John Hill: The people that walked in darkness
Richard Charke: Harlequin Restor'd
John Frederick Lampe: The Dragon of Wantley, Overture
Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Audio Wales & West
For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for A Georgian Christmas: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026800
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z
Published on Friday, 26th December 2025.
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