Description
Composition: “A Christmas Festival” for Orchestra
Composer: Leroy Anderson
Completed: June 12, 1950 Woodbury, Connecticut
Instrumentation: Symphony Orchestra
Structure: Overture
First Performed: June 12, 1950, Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston, Massachusetts; Arthur Fiedler, conductor;
Publisher: Woodbury Music Company LLC; Available from Alfred Publishing
Arthur Fiedler asked Leroy Anderson to write a special concert piece for a Christmas recording in 1950. Anderson selected eight of the most popular Christmas carols and one Christmas song, “Jingle Bells”. Using the themes, Anderson built a concert overture that was nine minuutes in length (8:48), whose title at the time of the June 12, 1950 recording was “Christmas Festival”. For publication in 1952, Anderson eliminated “The First Noel” and shortened the overture overall to a length of 5:45. Anderson adjusted the title to “A Christmas Festival”.
