90.5 WERG presents our 17th-annual broadcast of
A Golden Christmas
Christmas Eve 2021
Mid. One Silent Night
Distinguished newscaster, the late Walter Cronkite, was the special guest for the Choir's 2002 Christmas Concert. A highlight of the program was his narration of "Silent Night, Holy Night," the story of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Preserved for all time in this recording, we present it here on A Golden Christmas.
12:30 Songs and Stories of Christmas
We all know the songs and carols...but where did they come from?
1am O, Holy Night
Christmas is a time of year to gather, to set cares aside and bask in the warmth and cheer of family and friends. It is a time to enjoy the lights and sounds of this enchanting season and to remember the light that came and continues to come from that holy night when Christ was born.
Special guest Sandi Patty joins the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
1:30 The Last Noel
From the WERG archives: the story of a very special Christmas, as told by former Gannon College professor, Dr. John Rouch. During the seventies, Dr. Rouch hosted a series on WERG called "The Storyteller," narrating tales spun-out of his real-life experiences. Originally broadcast over WERG on Dec 18, 1973. With grateful appreciation to Skip Niebauer of American Artist Studio in Erie for this digital restoration.
2am Christmas Carols Then and Now
Join internationally-renowned recording artist Natalie Cole in “Carols Then and Now”, with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, as they celebrate the enchanting music of Christmas.
2:30 A Dickens Christmas
Featuring narration by John Rhys-Davies (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).
3am Handel’s Messiah!
4am Christmas Day in the Morning
The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square present a Music & the Spoken Word special, featuring Richard Thomas (The Waltons). Music and readings includes: “Christmas Day in the Morning”, “The Christmas Story”, “Angels from the Realms of Glory”, and more.
4:30 The Messiah Story
With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. Guest artist Martin Jarvis narrates, with the accompaniment of the Metropolitan Opera. Soloists: Tamara Mumford, Erin Morley, Tyler Simpson, and Ben Bliss. Conducted by Mack Wilburg.
5am A Symphonic Christmas with 90.5 WERG
6am Christmas Tunes with Deb on 90.5 WERG
Christmas music, both traditional and new. Deb mixes-in the likes of Mannheim Steamroller, Jack Johnson, Pentatonix, and Wolf Alice with traditional favorites from Aretha Franklin, Bobby Helms, Vince Guaraldi, and Nat King Cole. It's a great way to welcome-in Christmas Eve!
9am Dani’s Christmas Favorites
One of our graduates, Dani was a DJ on 90.5 WERG and loves Christmas music. She compiled the music for this program, which she scripted and produced, for an edition of Radio Roulette in December 2019. We preserved the recordings and now present an encore presentation of it here.
Noon The Bells of Christmas
With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.
Organist: Andrew Unsworth. Conducted by Mack Wilburg. Hosted by Lloyd Newall, a former anchor for CNN and WSEE Television in Erie, PA.
12:30 Home for the Holidays
English tenor Alfie Boe joins The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for this masterful Christmas special. Boe sings songs of the season: “Hark! The Herald Angles Sing,” “Angels, From the Realms of Glory,” and more.
1pm Christmas Carols Around the World
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performs seasonal classics from around the world, including “Ding, Dong! Merrily on High,” the French carol “Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance Flowing,” “Trepak” from “The Nutcracker,” “O Green and Shimmering Tree,” the Nigerian carol “Betelehemu,” and “Silent Night.”
1:30 Christmas Organ Pipes
Organist Rick Elliott of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, with his fun, crazy original arrangements of seven favorite Christmas carols.
2pm The Spirit of Giving
Jane Seymour and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir present a Christmas special of Music & the Spoken Word, "The Spirit of Giving," featuring the Orchestra at Temple Square and Bells on Temple Square.
2:30 The Last Noel
From the WERG archives: the story of a very special Christmas, as told by former Gannon College professor, Dr. John Rouch. During the seventies, Dr. Rouch hosted a series on WERG called "The Storyteller," narrating tales spun-out of his real-life experiences. Originally broadcast over WERG on Dec 18, 1973. With grateful appreciation to Skip Niebauer of American Artist Studio in Erie for this digital restoration.
3pm Christmas Tunes with Chet on 90.5 WERG
Christmas music, both traditional and new. Chet mixes-in the likes of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Coldplay, Train, and The Lumineers with traditional favorites from Bing Crosby, John Denver, Johnny Mathis, and David Bowie.
6pm The Hott 80's Christmas Party
Join Bob around the tree for three hours of Christmas and Holiday favorites. Grab a mug of hot chocolate and settle-in!
9pm A Symphonic Christmas with 90.5 WERG
10pm Ring Christmas Bells
The sounds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, with special guest performances by Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Herrmann (Gilmore Girls; Nixon).
10:30 Christmas Day in the Morning
The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square present a Music & the Spoken Word special, featuring Richard Thomas (The Waltons). Music and readings includes: “Christmas Day in the Morning”, “The Christmas Story”, “Angels from the Realms of Glory”, and more.
11pm O, Holy Night
Christmas is a time of year to gather, to set cares aside and bask in the warmth and cheer of family and friends. It is a time to enjoy the lights and sounds of this enchanting season and to remember the light that came and continues to come from that holy night when Christ was born.
Special guest Sandi Patty joins the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
11:30 One Silent Night
Distinguished newscaster, the late Walter Cronkite, was the special guest for the Choir's 2002 Christmas Concert. A highlight of the program was his narration of "Silent Night, Holy Night," the story of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Preserved for all time in this recording, we present it here on A Golden Christmas.
Midnight Mass
Live from St. Peter Cathedral in Erie, PA on JET-24 and 90.5 WERG. Celebrant: Bishop Lawrence Persico.