Playlist: The Best Classical Christmas Albums of 2022

Christmas is the most musical time of the year, and each December, we look forward to sharing a new assortment of festive holiday albums. Here are some of the inspiring recordings we’ve received for 2022. Let them accompany your celebrations this Christmas and for years to come. [Jump to full playlist]

A Baroque Christmas at Sono Luminus

Felipe Dominguez

Chilean-American organist and musicologist Felipe Dominguez performs music for the Christmas season by a wide range of composers, from giants of the period to the rarely performed, as well as traditional gems in Baroque arrangements. [Link]

Christmas Carols at King’s

Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

Founded in the 15th century, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge is undoubtedly one of the world’s best-known choral groups. The magical sound of Christmas is celebrated in an album of favorite carols sung by the choir combined with rich instrumental settings by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. [Link]

A Christmas Night: Classical and Traditional Favorites

Various Artists

With selections ranging from Praetorius to Britten, plus all-time favorites by Bach and Handel, this collection brings together some of the most beautiful and justly famous musical settings of the Nativity story. These highlights from recordings in Harmonia Mundi’s voluminous catalog are an ideal sampling of Christmas magic across the centuries. [Link; not available on Spotify or Apple Music]

Claudio Monteverdi: Christmas Vespers

La Cetra, Andrea Marcon

This stunning recording is a reconstruction of the Christmas Vespers as they may have been heard in St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice during the early 17th century. Andrea Marcon has assembled resplendent music of Claudio Monteverdi and others that was performed for a large audience of aristocrats and visitors from across Europe. [Link]

The First Nowell

Edison Singers

The Christmas carol has its origins in the Middle Ages, but it has since embraced a wide variety of musical backgrounds. Some of the most famous and beautiful examples are heard here alongside energizing contemporary carols to present a tapestry of the genre across the centuries. [Link]

In Winter's House

Tenebrae

Tenebrae’s fourth Christmas recording features an inspiring range of festive music, including Benjamin Britten’s famous Ceremony of Carols for upper voices and harp. The album takes its name from a wonderfully atmospheric piece by Joanna Marsh, commissioned for Tenebrae’s tenors and basses in 2019. [Link]

Into the Light

Cantus

The vocal ensemble Cantus is widely known for its warmth, blend, and innovative programming of music ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st century. Into the Light reflects Cantus’ commitment to diversity of repertoire with works spanning five languages by a broad range of composers and arrangers. [Link]

A Pembroke Christmas

Pembroke College Choirs, Cambridge

Anna Lapwood and the Choirs of Pembroke College, Cambridge present their first Christmas recording featuring a variety of festive repertoire from traditional carols to works by contemporary composers. The album premieres three new works by the Pembroke Girls’ Choir, including an arrangement of the familiar carol Gaudete. [Link]

Veni: Songs of Christmas, Volume 2

Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, Grete Pedersen

The songs on this album encompass many nuances and moods — from joy and jubilant celebration to deep melancholy and longing. They move between folk tunes, English carols, and traditional Christmas songs from different times and parts of the world. The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir is joined by folk musicians, including fiddler and composer Gjermund Larsen. [Link]