Said
to be one of the two most played Christmas holiday pieces for orchestra or
band, the other being "Sleigh Ride", this concert overture was written
in 1950 and composed using traditional Christmas carols as a base.According to Leroy Anderson he
wrote the piece so that it would last approximately 8 minutes and could be
recorded on both sides of a single release.He abridged it as he thought conductors may not like it
to last this long and also it would cost less to produce and therefore to
buy.Often excerpted, the
full-length version was originally recorded by the Boston Pops orchestra
under the direction of Arthur Fiedler.Christmas Carols that appear in the overture are:
(i)Joy to the World
(ii)Deck the Halls
(iii)The First Noel
(iv)God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
(v)Good King Wenceslas
(vi)Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
(vii)Jingle Bells
(viii)O Come All Ye Faithful
"The First Noel" is only included on the longer original version.
Black Dyke Mills Band recordings
Chandos 4541 (CD: A Christmas Fantasy)
Huddersfield Choral Society
Boston Pops recordings
Philips 416 287 - 2 (CD:We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Conductor - John
Williams
DG 419 414-2 (CD: White Christmas)
Conductor - Arthur
Fiedler
RCA 09026-61685-2 (CD: Pops Christmas Party)
Conductor - Arthur
Fiedler
Sony SK 48232 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor - John
Williams
Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra recordings
Naxos 8.990005 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor - Richard Hayman
Rochester Pops Orchestra
Koch CHD 1531 (CD: Joy to the WorldCarols for Orchestra and Chorus)
St Louis Philharmonic Orchestra recordings
Sonari records - 7 55724 00272 3 (CD: Christmas with
the Philharmonic)
