Classical Works: Concerto Grosso in G minor ("Christmas Concerto"), Op. 6/8
Review
Although one cannot be sure,
Arcangelo Corelli 's famous Christmas Concerto -- the Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8 ("Fatto per la notte di Natale," as the inscription actually reads) -- may well have been composed a full quarter century before it first appeared in print, posthumously, in 1714; there is a record of Corelli having, in 1690, performed a Christmas Concerto for the enjoyment of his then-new patron, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. The Christmas Concerto is easily Corelli's best-known piece of music, though isolated movements from the sonatas have, through other composers' adaptations, achieved vast individual fame. It is at heart an example of the sonata da chiesa, expanded from the usual four movements to five and incorporating into the last movement a rolling, 12/8 meter Pastorale ad libitum. Like the rest of the Op. 6 concerti, it is scored for a concertante group consisting of two violins and a cello and a larger tutti ensemble.
The normal slow-fast-slow-fast organization of the sonata da chiesa underlies everything that happens in the Christmas Concerto; but Corelli at several key points makes a concerted effort to turn that textbook organization on its head. Six measures of fiery Vivace preface the opening Grave movement, and the third movement (Adagio) has a central Allegro episode in which the first solo violin and first tutti violins suddenly break out with a rapid, ruffled sixteenth note oscillation (complex first movement structures that incorporate many changes of tempo are not at all unusual throughout Op. 6, indeed, the opening movement of Op. 6, No. 1 has no fewer than seven tempo indications in it!).
The second movement is in the usual binary form, and is built around Corelli's favorite kind of staggered, imitative suspensions. The fourth movement, Vivace, which would normally be the finale, is very short, so as to make room for the sizeable fifth movement, the body of which is an Allegro, but the true heart of which is that most famous of all Corelli music: the lovely, serene Pastorale (Largo).
~ All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
Corelli: Concerti Grossi 2003 Baroque Classics Culinary Classics 1999 Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Albinoni: Adagio in G/Corelli: Concerto Grosso in G Classics for Brunch 2006 Classical Requests 1998 Corelli: Chritmas Concerto/Sonatas after Concerti Grossi OP.VI 1991 Classical Christmas (Box Set) Simphonies Des Noëls 1993 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, Vol. 2 1996 Christmas Concerti 1998 Corelli: 6 Concerti Grossi The NBC Broadcast Concerts, December 1950 2003 Baroque Masterpieces for the Festive Season Baroque Concertos Bach: Brandenburg Concertos, Nos.1-6, etc. 1997 In Classical Mood: The Spirit of Christmas 1998 The Christmas Album 2003 Albinoni: Adagio for Organ and Strings; Pachelbel: Canon and Gigue 1993 Baroque Music Concerti Grossi 1997 Panorama: Festive Baroque 2000 Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op. VI Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 Baroque Christmas Music 1999 Corelli: Concerti Grossi 7 - 12, Op. 6 Live from Aston Magna Festival, 1990 1990 Corelli: Concerti grossi [Hybrid SACD] 2004 Albinoni: Adagio; Pachelbel: Canon Christmas 2000 Holidays 1990 Soothing Classics with Relaxing Ocean Surf 2004 Baroque Treasuries (Box Set) 1990 Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op6 Corelli: Six Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 2005 Christmas Adagio: Karajan 1996 The Classical Child's Christmas 1997 Baroque Treasuries, Vol. 6-10 (Box Set) Sanctus: Baroque Music For The Nativity 1996 Pachelbel Canon and All the Best Baroque Favorites 2002 Weihnachts - Konzerte Christmas Concerto 2000 Mother Goose & More 1999 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 1997 Christmas Concertos Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op6 Beethoven: Symphony No. 8; Corelli: Concerto Grosso No. 8; Handel: Concerto Grosso in B minor Christmas Concertos 1991 A Baroque Festival Arcangelo Corelli: Concerto grossi 1994 Corelli: Concerto Grosso in Gm; Tartini: Concerto for cello in D 1999 Corelli, Vivaldi and Galuppi 1999 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6/7-12 1990 Stratos 1995 The Art of Guido Cantelli, Vol. 1 The Ultimate Recorder Collection 1999 Queens of the Night: Bassoon Classics 1992 Baroque Encores The 2007 Diary 2006 Corelli: Concerti grossi Op. 6 Baroque Festival 1993 Vivace! Baroque Classics 1991 History of Baroque Music 1999 Pachelbel's Canon with Ocean Surf 1999 Voyage en Italie Classical Christmas (Box Set) 2001 Baroque Concertos 1995 Arcangelo Corelli: Sonatas & Orchestral Works, Baroque, Volume 16 1996 Classical Top 1000 Corelli: Concerti Grossi; Trumpet Sonata Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op6; Vivaldi: Concertos Op8 A Classical Christmas 1996 Karajan: The Christmas Concert The Glory of the Baroque 1995 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 Stokowski Conducts Vivaldi/Bach/Corelli/Mozart 1991 Handel, Albinoni, Gluck and others 1996 Classical Christmas Favorites 1995 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 1995 Baroque d'Or, Vol.1 Celestial Christmas 3 The Unpublished Celibidache In Naples Les Lumières de Noël (Christmas Lights) (Box Set) Festliche Tafelmusik 1998 The Baroque Collection, CD 11 A Baroque Celebration 2000 Red Priest's Vivaldi's Four Seasons 2003 Christmas Music 2000 Corelli, Albinoni, Scarlatti, Manfredini, Locatelli A Classical Christmas 1995 Noël! Noël! Noël! 1989 Albinoni: Adagio; Pachelbel: Canon & Gigue 1986 Arcangelo Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Volume II 1996 Christmas Classics A Roman Christmas 1999 Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op. 6, Nos. 7-12 1991 For Christmas: Beautiful Concertos for the Holidays 2003 Vivaldi: Gloria in D; Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op6 1993 The Baroque Experience Concertos de Natal Corelli: Christmas Concerto A. Scarlatti: Cantata per la Notte di Natale 1996 Bella Italia: The Golden Age of Italian Baroque Music 1998 Bruno Walter Conducts the London Symphony Orchestra 1994 A Baroque Christmas Corelli: Concerti Grossi Op6 1995 Iona Brown: The Collection 1998 Stars singen und spielen zur Weihnachtszeit Erich Kleiber Conducts 1947-48 NBC Concerts Italian Christmas Music 1993 A Classical Christmas 1998 Weihnachtskonzert 1996 Baroque Masterworks 1996 Vivaldi The Four Seasons 1989 Albinoni: Adagio; Pachelbel: Cannon & Gigue 1992 Christmas Box 2006 The Four Seasons (Collectors Edition) [Box Set] 2002 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op.6 1989 Pachelbel's Canon / Mozart's Music for the Night 1999 Le Concerto The Four Seasons and Other Baroque Treasures [Box Set] 2001 The Magnificent Baroque, Vol. 1-4 1996 Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 1994 Corelli: Concerti grossi, Op. 6 2002 Baroque Masterpieces 1995 Concertos De Noël Christmas Concertos Baroque Collection [Box Set] Per la Notte di Natale: Concertos and Cantatas for Christmas 1998 Arcangelo Corelli: Opera VI Concerti Grossi: Concerti 7/12 Christmas Concertos Les Lumières du Baroque: Une Encyclopédie Musicale (Box Set) Corelli: Concertos, Vol. 2 1990 Corelli: Concerti Grossi (incl. Concerto fatto per la notte di Natale) Serenade 1996
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
Classical Music For Contemplation Classics for Relaxation, Disc 2 2002 Christmas Through The Ages 2001 Viva Rinaldo Alessandrini 1997 Celtic Christmas Harp 1999 Christmas Concertos 1994 Christmas Adagios 2001 Classical Christmas (Box Set) For a Day in Your Life (Box Set) 2002 Essential Baroque: 35 Great Masterpieces 2002 Britten, Schnittke, Haydn and others 1998 The Christmas I Love 1997 Baroque Favorites 2003 Discover the Classics 2000 Pachelbel: Greatest Hits (and other Baroque Favorites) 2003 Baroque Masterpieces 2002 Classics for Relaxation 1995 The Best Baroque Album in the World ... Ever! Favorite Baroque Classics Hodie Christus Natus Est 1993 Christmas Adagios 2002 Classic Romance 2 Love Chords 2000 Solid Gold Baroque 1991 Christmas Classics [Box Set] The Best Of The Great Composers, Vol. 1 1997 Baroque Splendour 2006 A Treasury Of Baroque Classics 1997 Classical Christmas 1989 All-Star Christmas Album A to Z of Classical Music 2000 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [Music from the Motion Picture] 2003 Vivaldi, Albinoni, Corelli and others 1998 Night Music 3: Classical Favourites for Relaxing and Dreaming 1991 101 Great Orchestral Classics, Vol. 2 1991 Mad About Baroque 1993 Musik zur Weihnachtszeit 1995 A Celebration of the Season Gateway To Classical Music: Volume 1/Volume 2 1994 Go for Baroque 1999 The Best of Baroque Music 2003 Pure Classical Christmas 2005 Night Music, Vol.1: Classical Favourites for Relaxing and Dreaming 1990 Simply the Best Christmas Album 2001 A Classic Thanksgiving: Songs of Praise 2000 The Most Unforgettable Concertos Ever 1999 Baroque For Dummies Christmas Fanfare 1993 The Best of the Classics, Vols. 6 - 10 1995 Discover the Classics 3: The Concerto 1999 Classic Moods 1995 Best of Baroque 1995 25 Baroque Favorites 1996 The Most Soothing Lullabies in the Universe! 2004 Pachelbel Canon and other Baroque Favorites 1995 The Baroque Collection 1993 Classical Christmas (Box Set) 1999 Baroque Masterpieces 1997 Simply Christmas 2005 50 Romantic Classics 2000 Bach on Wood 1985 Discover Music of the Baroque Era 2005 The Best of Herbert von Karajan 2004 Classical Christmas (Box Set) 2001 Classics for Relaxation [Box Set] 2002 Noël Greatest Hits of Christmas 1995 Christmas Morning Buffet 2003 Christmas Meditation, Vol. 4 1995 Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht 1992 The Baroque Christmas Album 2005 Classics at the Movies 2004 Greatest Hits: Baroque 1994 The #1 Baroque Album 2006 The Ultimate Classical Christmas Album of All Time 2002 Pavane 1998 Serene Spirit: Divine Harmonies for Mind and Soul Adagio II Relax with the Classics, Vol. 2: Adagio 1987 Classic Moods, Vol. 1 1993 Viva! I Solisti Italiani HGTV: Healthy Habits A Classic Christmas: Songs of Praise 2000 Noël: Autour d'une Guitare 2006 Peace on Earth: Favorite Holiday Classics 2004 Christmas Organ Music 1995 An Angel's Noel 1991 World's Most Beautiful Music Collection 1994 50 Weekend Classics 2000 Deutsche Weihnachtslieder The HMV Classics Collection: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter 1994 Pastorali Italiane, Vol. 1: XVII e XVII secolo 2002 The World of Classic 1995 Romantic Baroque 1995 A Classic Italian Festival 1993 The Classic Christmas Album Sunday Morning Classics 1994 Currier & Ives: Symphony for the Season 1999 Classic Dining Collection 2006 Music From "Gardens Of The World With Audrey Hepburn" 1993 Love Chords 1998 15 Christmas Classics: A Yuletide Concert 1998 Romantic Classics 2003 Die schönsten Weihnachtslieder 2001 A Traditional Christmas 2002 Sarabande: Baroque Favourites 2002 Music To Relax 1999 For a Lazy Afternoon 2002 World's Most Beautiful Music Collection (Box Set) 1994 Brass Christmas 1997 Best of Baroque 1993 Relax with the Classics, Vol. 3: Pastorale 1987 100 Relaxing Classic 1999 La révolution du Baroque italien 2005 The Best of Baroque Music 1988 Baroque Collection 1992 Adagio II Classics at the Movies (Box Set) 2004 The Most Relaxing Holiday Classics in the Universe! 2004 Gala Concert 1992 Currier & Ives: Spirit of the Season (Box Set) 2000 Fifty Classical Favorites 2000
