Major Themes: Our favorite holiday recordings

In this holiday edition of Major Themes — a feature in which classical music experts recommend a must-hear recording based on a theme — we asked staff members at Classical MPR and American Public Media to pick a favorite holiday album. Here are their top picks.

Imani Winds: This Christmas With Imani Winds (eOne)

It's easy for holiday music to get old quickly, but the Imani Winds' This Christmas is one you'll love to go back to over and over again. The way these players blend their colorful sounds with holiday favorites is like no other holiday album, and, like Rudolph, their rendition of Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" will go down in history. — Garrett McQueen, host/producer of Music Through the Night; host/producer of Trilloquy

LISTEN — Imani Winds: This Christmas

True Concord: Christmas With True Concord: Carols in the American Voice (Reference Recordings)

They sure named the choir right. If you've never heard of them, and you celebrate Christmas, treat yourself. Christmas With True Concord: Carols in the American Voice spotlights an ensemble with a remarkable blend across all its voices. True concord indeed. Most of the 17 tracks are world-premiere recordings, a mix of melodies you'll recognize in new arrangements, and a handful of newer pieces — all lovingly done. The emotional centerpiece of the CD is "Silent Night." Yes, a chestnut, but Stephen Paulus set it with such heartbreaking tenderness. For his fans, it is a bittersweet reminder of what we lost with his early passing. Put this CD on while wrapping presents, or clamp good headphones on and revel in holiday choral singing about as exquisite as you could imagine. Sung by that choir with the perfect name. — Brian Newhouse, host and managing director

LISTEN — True Concord: Silent Night

The OK Factor: Have Yourself an OK Christmas (The OK Factor)

Cellist Olivia Dierchs and violinist Karla Colahan are the OK Factor. They've been performing together since they were undergrads at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. That's where they formed an ensemble called Strangs. Creating arrangements for that hip-hop string group gave them a new way to use all the ear-training they were learning as music majors. Since then, they've been writing, performing and recording original compositions and coming up with creative things to do with more popular tunes. In the case of this recording, those tunes come from Christmas melodies that they grew up with. Their goal is to showcase each of their instruments, making their music as much of a partnership as possible. You'll hear that in the arrangements they've created. Festive, for example, is the first Christmas piece they arranged back in their college days. If there's a tune on this recording that truly captures the OK Factor sound, it's that one. O Come Isabella is another favorite. And be sure to check out their collaboration with percussionist Jenny Klukken on Emmanuel. This is the recording I listen to when I'm doing my holiday baking, wrapping gifts, or when I'm just trying to remember what it is I love about the Christmas season. — Julie Amacher, program director, host/producer and manager

LISTEN — The OK Factor: Festive

The Chieftans: The Bells of Dublin (Sony)

Living in Ireland for a long time allowed me to learn about Irish music and musicians. The Chieftains are a wonderfully collaborative group, and this recording brings together a really eclectic mix of vocalists, including Kate and Anna McGarrigle, the Belfast choir Renaissance, Nanci Griffith (in the wonderful "Wexford Carol") and Ricki Lee Jones, an unlikely choice for "O Holy Night." As she approaches the high note, you wonder if she'll be able to hit it at all, and, as if by magic, she sails through. With a mix of classical, traditional and folk music, this recording has it all. — Andrea Blain, host/producer of Music Through the Night

LISTEN — The Cheiftains: The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve

U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants (conducted by Col. Lowell Graham): Joy to the World (Klavier)

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Alfred Reed's iconic concert-band work Russian Christmas Music, commissioned and premiered in 1944 to promote Soviet-American relations. Col. Lowell Graham and his musical forces deliver one of the best recorded performances of the 15-minute piece, perfectly capturing the alternating playfulness and beauty of the Russian source material as they build to a grand climax in the "Cathedral Chorus" finale. Russian Christmas Music is the North Star of a dandy holiday collection that includes the Singing Sergeants adding vocal fortification to familiar classics such as "Joy to the World" and "Let There Be Peace on Earth," as well as delightful arrangements by British orchestrator Peter Knight, who also added holiday cheer to the Carpenters' A Christmas Portrait. This collection is a true gift for band geeks. — Randy Salas, senior digital producer

LISTEN — U.S. Air Force Band: Russian Christmas Music

The Holiday Stream at YourClassical

Christmas is a strangely nostalgic experience for me. While I have many favorite recordings of just about everything, I also love being surprised by the new arrangements of old standards. It prevents my own boredom with the music and reminds me why I really like this time of the year. — Brad Althoff, managing producer

Lorie Line: The 30th Year Anniversary: Celebrating Christmas (Lorie Line)

I started taking piano lessons at 5, and my piano teacher encouraged my practicing habits by letting me play popular tunes along with the classical ones. Every year for the holiday season, we would go to assisted living centers to play festive music for the residents. That's when I was first introduced to Lorie Line, as my teacher would pull out her books of sheet music and parse out melodies for all of her students. I became obsessed with listening to her Christmas arrangements, and had the absolute joy of seeing her in concert as an 8-year-old. She recently released a 30th-anniversary album, featuring new arrangements of Christmas classics. I usually rock out to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," but Line's arrangement for piano has me dancing around just the same, while "Irish Carol" makes me want to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate by the fire. I'm a big fan of piano music for the holidays, and this album doesn't disappoint. — Brooke Knoll, assistant digital producer

LISTEN — Lorie Line: Irish Carol

Bing Crosby With the London Symphony Orchestra: Bing at Christmas (Decca)

One morning in 1940, Irving Berlin — then America's most popular songwriter — ran into his office with a tune in his head. Unable to read or notate music, Berlin dictated the piece to his musical secretary before proclaiming, "Not only is it the best song I ever wrote, it's the best song anybody ever wrote." The tune — a sentimental, secular holiday piece called "White Christmas" — was first performed live by Bing Crosby on a radio broadcast shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It became a massive hit with troops abroad and families back home, ushered in the modern Christmas music industry, and earned the Guinness record for bestselling single worldwide. Now, with a newly reorchestrated version featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, we can hear "the best song anybody ever wrote" as it's never been heard before, along with a dozen other holiday hits and a special Crosby duet with David Bowie. — James Napoli, digital producer

LISTEN — Bing Crosby: White Christmas

Harvey Reid: The Heart of the Minstrel on Christmas Day (Woodpecker)

At my house, no Christmas is complete without digging out my copy of Harvey Reid's The Heart of the Minstrel on Christmas Day. It features simple, folky Christmas classics, well-played on guitar and autoharp — nothing fancy, just homespun Christmas music. — Jeff Esworthy, host

LISTEN — Harvey Reid: Silent Night