A CLASSICAL X-MAS: MASS APPEAL?

This past Thanksgiving, I went with a change-of-pace post -- classical music for the masses. So, here it is another holiday, and I'm going to follow that up in an even more literal way. Classical masses.

Most of these happen to be masses for the dead, which I suppose may seem inappropriate for the day. But, to flip a phrase, death does not take a holiday. DEAN MARTIN, JAMES BROWN, and Charlie Chaplin all died on December 25. So did JonBenet Ramsey. Then again, BARBARA MANDRELL, DIDO, and Humphrey Bogart were all born on December 25. So was Karl Rove. And, in 1887, Conrad Hilton -- hotelier extraordinaire (and great-grandfather of Paris). This music is dedicated to all of them -- the living and the dead. And to Karl Rove -- who we truly, truly wish were dead.

At the very least, I hope these selections will make for excellent background music as you unwrap your presents and try to prevent yourself from drunkenly punching relatives you may or may not love or respect. Deus succurro vos. Deus succurro nos totus.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791) [REQUIEM]
[MP3] "Introitus"
[MP3] "Dies Irae"
[MP3] "Rex Tremendae"
[MP3] "Confutatis"
[MP3] "Lacrymosa"

GUISEPPE FORTUNINO FRANCESCO VERDI (1813-1901) [REQUIEM]
[MP3] "Dies Irae"
[MP3] "Lacrymosa"

GABRIEL URBAIN FAURE (1845-1924) [REQUIEM]
[MP3] "Agnus Dei"

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) [MISSA SOLEMNIS]
[MP3] "Kyrie"

MOZART [MASS IN C MINOR]
[MP3] "Kyrie"

JOHN MILFORD RUTTER (1945- ) [REQUIEM]
[MP3] "Pie Jesu"