Because of the immense popularity of the free downloads during the broadcaster's Beethoven marathon last June, the BBC is considering making only parts of the works available. Beethoven's symphonies were downloaded about 1.4 million times, upsetting people in the record industry, who largely felt that the BBC was creating unfair competition.
The BBC is working with the music industry for this event.
A spokesperson for the BBC said, "Nothing will happen without consultation [of the music companies] and, should it happen, it will be nothing on the scale of Beethoven."
The BBC's Bach Christmas will present the composer's entire surviving oeuvre from December 16 through December 25.