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Soundcheck

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
  • christmas music

    Fifty Greatest Christmas Carols

    BBC Music Magazine recently polled choirmasters and choral experts on the greatest Christmas carols ever. We find out what songs made the Top 50. (It’s not “Silent Night.”) Plus: cellist Yo-Yo Ma talks about his star-studded holiday album.

Last Carol Standing

“In The Bleak Midwinter” is the world’s best Christmas carol, according to a poll of leading choirmasters and choral experts from the UK and US. The song came out top in a poll conducted by a BBC Music magazine poll, placing above well-known carols “Silent Night,” “Ding Dong Merrily on High” and “Once in Royal David's City.” Oliver Condy, editor of BBC Music joins us to share the results.

BBC Music magazine site

Yo Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma's new CD “Songs of Joy and Peace” centers around "Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)," on which the cellist and various friends improvise every few tracks. Between these markers there’s fiddler Natalie MacMaster performing "Tobique Reel," Diana Krall in "You Couldn’t be Cuter," Paquito D'Rivera doing "The Christmas Song," and Dave Brubeck in "Joy to the World," among others.

"Songs of Joy and Peace" on Amazon.com

The Ill Effects of Urban Noise

Soundcheck

Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.