What Christmas gift do you buy for the culture-lover in your life who seems to have everything? Buying a thoughtful present that is appreciated and will be used – and not immediately regifted come the New Year – is the holy grail.
Bachtrack is here to help! Luckily our staff is made up of people who not only know a lot about the classical music, opera and dance world – but are all living it. I asked each of them what was on their cultural Christmas list this year, and here are the results. Maybe some of these ideas can help you buy for your family and friends, or perhaps inspire your own list.
Handmade viola-shaped chopping board from Smoky Mountain Bow Knife
Ever since I saw this at a friend’s house, I have dreamt of having one just like it! It is the ideal accessory for pre-concert aperitifs for music lovers... or post-rehearsal drinks for musicians who need to let off steam. And who hasn’t dreamt of cutting up the viola of the person sitting next to them, after a hard day’s work? (Yes, for my part, I think it is a viola, god knows why...). Tristan Labouret, French Editor and Principal Viola
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($ US site, ships worldwide)
Make Your Own Music Box kit
I’m not sure I would have the patience for this, but I love the idea, and that’s what Christmas is about, isn’t it? A personalised music box is such a nostalgic thing. Music boxes were very common when I was a child and every one, no matter how simple, would have a different melody. It seems that nowadays most of the music boxes I come across share the same few melodies. So in the hope of being patient enough and bringing out some basic composing skills, I’d like my own music box with as many melodies as possible! Katia de Miguel, Spanish Editor
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(€ Spanish Amazon site, ships worldwide)
Mozartkugel Musical Box, or a model mechanical celesta
Salzburg is a wonderful place to visit, and my Christmas present choice for the music lover in your life combines two of its finest exports: Mozart and Mozartkugeln, the spherical chocolate and marzipan confections named after him. The Mozartkugel Musical Box is made from waxed beechwood shaped like the chocolate and plays Cherubino’s aria “Voi che sapete” from The Marriage of Figaro.
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(€ Greek site, ships worldwide)
Staying with the Mozartian theme, in The Magic Flute, Papageno is given a set of magic bells to play should he find himself in danger. This was originally played on a keyed glockenspiel but a celesta is usually employed these days. For those who enjoy jigsaw puzzles and assembling things, why not buy them this model “mechanical celesta”? It is much more a keyed glockenspiel, really, and comes in hundreds of tiny parts (no glue required) to keep them occupied for hours. Mark Pullinger, Editor
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(€ German site, ships worldwide)
Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah by Charles King, or a singer’s music folder
If you want to understand how the literature, music, history and economics of an era intertwine, then Charles King’s Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah is a book you should read. It’s rare that an author has the courage to cover so many subjects in a relatively short work and to make it read like a novel, but if you are prepared to follow King down the rabbit holes he selects, this is a grand read.
The title doesn’t get across the scope of the book, which has appeal for music lovers, history nuts and anyone else curious. King gives a good sense of the contradictions of the time, when liberal thinkers frequented coffee-houses with speculators making vast profits from slavery, when Thomas Arne wrote Rule Britannia and Jonathan Swift published Gulliver’s Travels.
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(£ UK site, ships worldwide)
A really good black folder is a great present for any choral singer. It should have room for several bound scores or lots of one-page songs, and a strap you can slip your hand through at the back, so you can hold it safely with one hand for two hours without getting cramp. This would be a truly deluxe gift for me! Alison Karlin, Director
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(€ German company, ships worldwide)
Music Stand Light
The most useful item on my Christmas list this year is a clip-on light for music stands. I play the violin in an amateur orchestra, and the venue where we perform has pretty terrible lighting on the stage. I’m squinting at the page during every concert, cursing my lack of stand light. Mind you, it’s a good excuse for not quite getting all the notes right… Jo Johnson, Head of Marketing
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(£ UK site, ships worldwide)
Singing lessons, a Come and Sing day, or cinema vouchers
Give a singing lesson! Whether you’re going to join a choir or band, have a singalong with friends or sing a lullaby to your kids, I've found there’s nothing more life-giving than the joy of using your voice with confidence. Unsurprisingly, there’s a specialist website to find someone – online as well as in person.
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(£ UK site, in-person teachers in UK, US, Germany, Ukraine; online worldwide)
Or for experienced singers, a ticket for a “Come and Sing” event is the most fantastic way to learn a piece of music inside out. Obviously, the choice will depend on where you live, but here’s a great-looking example in Birmingham: I can personally attest that Simon Halsey does these things phenomenally.
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(£ UK only, check your local sites for others)
Or for opera diehards who don’t sing: how about cinema vouchers, or a Netflix subscription so they can watch Maria, the new biopic of Maria Callas with Angelina Jolie? David Karlin, Director
Maria is on Netflix from 11th December
In UK & Irish cinemas from 10th January 2025
In German cinemas from 6th February 2025