Composed in 1970 by José Feliciano, “Feliz Navidad” is one of the top 25 most played and recorded Christmas songs. The lyrics are straightforward, “Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad” (“Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness”), but the rhythm and melody are catchy, making the song just as popular during the holiday season now as it was almost 45 years ago.
“Long, Long Ago” Theme and Variation
Thomas Haynes Bayley (1797–1839)
Written in 1833 by English poet and composer Thomas Haynes Bayly, “Long, Long Ago” (initially titled “The Long Ago”) was a massive hit, eventually becoming one of the most popular songs in the United States. The song tells of the singer’s lost, and newly returned, love and his wistful remembrances of their time together. It’s also known as the basis for the 1942 Glen Miller song, “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)”.
Pieces for one and two violins 24. Rondeau
Marin Marais (1656–1728), dedicated to Jean-Baptiste Lully
Marin Marais was a student of the famous Jean-Baptiste Lully, who was the court composer for Louis XIV, the Sun King. Lully is considered one of the great masters of the Baroque period and his influence as a composer of ballets drastically altered the popular dances of the day, from more stately and slow to lively, upbeat gavottes, menuets, and more. Along with his instrumental work and operas, he also collaborated with Molière to create comedy ballets, which combined comedic theater with dance and music. While Lully is often credited with this piece, it was actually composed by Marais, who dedicated the collection of pieces from which it is taken to his teacher.
Humoresques for Piano, Op. 101 Poco lento e grazioso Antonín Dvořák (1841–1901)
Composed by Dvořák during the summer of 1894 as the seventh movement of a cycle of humoresques, this piece is considered, along with Für Elise, to be one of the most famous small piano works ever written. This humoresque is also known as the setting for a series of humorous verses encouraging passengers on trains to exercise restraint, “Passengers will please refrain/From flushing toilets while the train/is standing in the station”.
Additional Performances
Theme from “Für Elise”
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808 V. Gavotte II (ou la Musette)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
VI Menuets for Clavier (WoO 10) No. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Concertino in D Major, Op. 15 Allegro moderato Siciliano larghetto Allegro assai
Ferdinand Küchler (1867–1937)
Kate Kulzick, Violin 