The holidays in New York are always a magical time, thanks to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, store windows, and the music of the Philharmonic. While this season is different than any we remember, it’s our pleasure to present you with Holidays with the NY Phil, a box set of video and audio offerings.
It begins today with Handel’s Messiah, Presented by Gary W. Parr, in two different giftwraps: a sing-along video of the Hallelujah chorus (above), and an audio broadcast of the three-part oratorio recorded when Helmuth Rilling conducted the Phil in 2009 featuring Annette Dasch, Daniel Taylor, James Taylor, and Shenyang as the soloists and the Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart.
There are also three audio broadcasts from the distant and more recent past — Baroque and Classical Beauties; Bernstein and Danny Kaye; and Hansel and Gretel, The Nutcracker, and More — plus a festive Spotify playlist and more.
It is all leading up to the return of an annual favorite, Holiday Brass, which is marking its 25th anniversary with a free concert broadcast on December 18 at noon EST on Facebook and YouTube, and available on demand through January 4, 2021. It’s a fun-filled fest of the sounds of the season, recorded outdoors this year at Montclair State University. Tune in to be regaled by the New York Philharmonic Brass and Percussion and former Philharmonic Principal Trumpet Philip Smith as conductor / host / trumpet.
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Habari Gani!
