Classical-music gifts

Sacred Music
’Tis the season for hymns, carols, oratorios and other musical tributes to the Holy Spirit; equip your favorite music nerd with this hefty yet elegant 30-CD box set from Harmonia Mundi, a label with a knack for recording top singers, ensembles and choirs. amazon.com, $90
EXPERIENCE IT! Sacred Music in a Sacred Space specializes in religious works from the Renaissance to the modern day, played in the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, one of the city’s most handsome sanctuaries. 980 Park Ave at 84th St (212-288-2520, smssconcerts.org). Next concert Sun 22 at 4pm; $15--$50.

Keeping Score book and DVD
Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony take you deep inside Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, Ives’s Holidays Symphony and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 with a mix of illuminating narrative and playing that oozes vitality. amazon.com, $24 each
EXPERIENCE IT! No symphonic group covers more musical territory than the American Symphony Orchestra, whose illuminating concerts at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall are also among the more affordable events the city has to offer. 10 Lincoln Center Plaza at 63rd St (212-875-5030, americansymphony.org). Next concert Jan 29 at 3pm. $25.

Deluxe CD packages
Limited-edition versions of the latest albums by superstars Cecilia Bartoli and Leif Ove Andsnes offer plenty of extra value. Both come packaged in sturdy hardcover books: Bartoli’s Sacrificium is crammed with fascinating trivia and a disc of extra music, while Andsnes’s Pictures Reframed includes lavish artwork by Robin Rhode and a bonus DVD. arkivmusic.com; $22.99 (Bartoli), $47 (Andsnes)

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