Russian Christmas Music By Alfred Reed

[Discollama16]

We almost played this my freshmen year, but the day of our Christmas Concert my band teacher pulled it because it was sounding good. I was sad:(

[bittyannet]

One of the most beautiful songs I've ever played.

[piano88tuneup]

First heard this with Illinois All-State Band in '70's with Reed conducting. I directed it twice with my HS Band in the 70's also. Have played it several times in later years. One of the best band pieces of 20th century. piano88tuner

[mslialane]

My school is working on this right now ^_^ GO FRENCH HORNS!!!! :D

[ggroh207]

This has one of my favorite endings in a concert band song. I played this with UTK's symphonic band and I still get goosebumps everytime I hear the ending segment.

[Felixphaeton]

@ggroh207 Quite a powerful ending, indeed. :)

[arvizuashley]

Gah I miss playing this song. Definitely an awesome piece to play =]

[Trumpetplayer29]

Can't stop listening...

[Trumpetplayer29]

Fully diggin the Euphonium from 1:19-1:25. Gorgeous sound!

[wisconsingurl008]

@dliciousemo737 I know right?!? but it was really fun to play.

[vishally773]

my school might march this show next year...

[CharisseNicole]

10:15 to 12:30 = <3

[samsterthehamste1000]

Go english horn solo! This is such a great piece! My symphonic band is playing this next school year : D

[TheShaitan65]

This one of the best performances of this piece I have ever heard.......

[ophs1980]

This piece is performed very often and unfortunately most of time badly. This is the best I have ever heard. Many thanks to the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. Bravo!

[shakemyseansean]

yeS!!!! found it..i had the gong!

[Jonahman10]

Christmas Caroling must be epic in Russia!

[bobbibieber]

Played a shorter version of this in winter concert on flute. Loved it!

[bssnplayer]

And of course, the end sounds like Mahler.

[andrematti83]

118+Tuba(Instead of Bass)=One Super Happy Tuba Player

[NostrilSalami]

@andrematti83 Yes, I can attest to this because I played this piece on tuba in highs school. It was probably the most fun I ever had at a Christmas concert.

[yomama1261]

This is amazing!!! I just love that whole domino effect thing

[PathfinderSwiftPen]

Wow. The local high school symphonic band played this for their concert and performed fantastically despite the two/three weeks they had to learn it.

The song tells a story (or at least fragments of one). As I sat through the concert, I wrote down exactly what came to mind, and I found an outline of a story about secret societies and the like.

Epic.

[csifan18]

When I was in high school, we would ALWAYS play this piece and "Sleigh Ride" EVERY single year for the Christmas Concert.

[csifan18]

@csifan18 Except whenever we play this, we always skip 3:58-10:10, and start at 10:10 to the end

[spongeking8675309]

@csifan18 Ha a little bit of happiness before the epicosity

[NostrilSalami]

@csifan18 Sleigh Ride has a beefy bass line in it as well. Super fun to play.

[Raxadin]

4:00 is when I come into Moscow riding my bear. In Russia, we celebrate Christmas with epic music.

[strboxer12]

man i absolutely love this piece

[BlueEye1Guy2Be]

We marched to this. Really.

[mrdeni11]

I played this just yesterday and it was so awesome! except it wan adapted version for middle school

[thespyofthegroup]

i played the abridged in this song and im in middle school

[TheCrazyperson11]

played this when i was in 7th grade for my Winter concert. :3

my gosh it sounded amazing :D

[FredWHornbeck]

The Point Loma High School (San Diego, CA) Concert Band, conducted by James Sepulvado, performed this in their Winter Concert on December 13, 2011. INCREDIBLE!

[chupacabra444]

Just played this last week for my winter concert, and I must say the string bass cues on Tuba are so much fun.

[DTNSU]

5 people still think Russia is Communist...

[HopeCountryQueen]

I'm originally a clarinet player and my freshman year of high school I got thrown on second part for this song, we played to opening half for the winter concert so the audiance could see what our rehearsal's were like, the next day at rehearsal I walk in and my director tells me I'm playing the trombone part for this song, since we have no trombone players, because it's my second best instrument....I must say I miss my clarinet part but the trombone part kicks some as.

[HavingFun3208]

We are playing this at my high school christmas concert friday :)

[crazChick666]

We Played this my freshman year of high school.The full thing. I loved it! I'd love to play it again.. but I'm no longer in high school lol

[iTALiANH00kA]

We played this last year in our Winter Holiday Concert and my Bass Clarinet part was flipping amazing!

[JacobMReid]

The Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra is awesome.

[cewcheer]

my band is playing this on tuesday for our school!!

[musicX13Xfreak]

@cewcheer same here!

[XxrhythmandbeatxX]

@cewcheer So is mine! A very watered down version though :(

[jpech95]

@cewcheer Same, except we are using a shorter version because we are a smaller band and don't have an oboe nor an english horn so we can't do some of the solos or parts. Nevertheless, it's a good song.

[giraffeobsession5]

too slow during big/grand parts

[EllieRose1122]

English Horn <3 My band is playing this piece and I am playing those solos <3 I am so excited !

[JMJudtMusiks]

Norfolk (Nebraska) Senior High band is playing this for our Christmas concert. I'm playing Cornet 3 part on trumpet. I like the song, but I don't like that there seems to be more resting than playing for me....

[tirubixninja314]

you can't hear any of the euphonium part, even though it has really cool parts near the end

[FishTetris]

I love the flute/clarinet overlap at 6:31. I'm always fascinated when two separately introduced themes come together c:

[LizaLoveful]

Perry High School Symphonic Band in Perry, GA played this tonight- December 6th, and BLEW THE AUDIENCE AWAY. I sat in shock at how good they were for all 15 minutes. And now, I'll listen to it again. WELL DONE!

[AlwaysTheSameAgain]

Oh God, the memories. I play horn, and as a freshman last year, I didn't really think I belonged in as high a quality band as we were. I was considering quitting until this popped up in our folders one fateful day. Now I associate it in my mind with the months of October through December, and I've never thought about quitting band since. Great piece, just mind-blowing.

[swatslayer5]

concertbandland, keep the great music coming!

[swatslayer5]

This piece has so many cues for the tuba. In my band, anytime the bass clarinets play those descending notes before an english horn solo, I end up playing along.

[BobritaMarlita]

I don't remember this piece being so long! Hahah! I guess I just enjoyed it so much! We played this almost every year in high school.

[SummersMusicMan]

My school is going to be performing this piece for our Christmas concert. Stay tuned on my channel and I'll post the video of us performing it!

[Thisdude12]

Just gotta love the 4th trombone part. The low low Ds are so great

[swatslayer5]

@Thisdude12 I sit next to my band's only bass trombone, and he's got the part. So good! I am the lead tuba, by the way.

[dliciousemo737]

i play third trombone HARDEST TROMBONE PART EVER -____-

[pianowhiz93]

Is it just me or do certain aspects of this song seem to bear similarity to 1812 Overture?

[FourYearSam]

we're not even playing this for our holiday concert. it's for our winter concert that we play in february. TRUMPETS <3

[AllMuttGirl]

Playing this in symphony!! We didn't have a lot of time to work on it so we had to cut like half of it, but it's one of my FAVORITE songs I've ever played. The horn part rocks!! FIRST HORNS FTW!! :D

[TheRenegadeChampion]

@AllMuttGirl no it's all about the third horns, i play some spots where you don't

[AllMuttGirl]

@TheRenegadeChampion I have some solos you don't have...except we don't play most of them because we had to cut it :P

[TheRenegadeChampion]

@AllMuttGirl so with cuts, third horn wins

[AllMuttGirl]

@TheRenegadeChampion ...nah, first horns win anyways >:D

[praker400]

@TheRenegadeChampion horns lose, English Horn is victorious.

[jerp30]

bassoonns.

ftw

[sparkysquishy]

-.- I wish that when my class played it it sounded this good.

[TheRenegadeChampion]

@sparkysquishy give it time

[SunKissedSummerx]

I play this for highschool band every year. Its my FAVORITE christmas song to play out of all of them and probably favorite song out of all. GO FLUTES!

[DEMAcracy]

measure 219. nuff said. those who played this piece will understand ;)

[sparkysquishy]

@DEMAcracy amen

[LexiLemons]

@DEMAcracy My fave is at 166!!

[TheRenegadeChampion]

@DEMAcracy i agree but there are spots i favor over 219

[swatslayer5]

@DEMAcracy YES!

[BlackRanger2009]

@DEMAcracy: I understand completely. :) I played this piece my sophomore year in college.

[KaylaKeifer]

Played this two years ago as a clarinet in high school<3 I am just begging my director to let us play one of these amazing pieces again for this [senior] yearrr. Dx

man oh mann. That oboe solo made me get chills. EVERY time.

[TheRenegadeChampion]

@KaylaKeifer yeah, it's an english horn solo, but you're right, it does have that effect

[jfmalloy777]

Good memories from middle school. French horns FTW!!!!

[JoeShmoe102]

im playing this right now =) 2nd trombones ftw?!?

[truemusician1]

Played this in high school ^_^

[anniers7]

I haven't played this piece in 25 years. Thanks for bringing back a lot of great memories.

[TheRenegadeChampion]

best part 3:27-4:50

[TheRenegadeChampion]

playing this in school symphony, awesome

[Rawr3221]

Playing this in our highest band that im in! Bass clarinet ftw

[nutnashell06]

@Rawr3221 I played this in high school at an honor's band clinic under Col Arnold Gabriel, the man was a genius, and this song was amazing. ps...I was a bass clarinet as well :)

[Tyster360]

In Soviet Russia, song play you!

[NSidemarcher]

THE SANTA CLARA VANGUARD blew our faces with this in 1987 DCI show.

Find it on Audio and or Video Disc for a TRUE marching spectacular!!!!

[MakeMusicYourVoice]

We're playing the string and full orchestra version of this :) It's very fun to play; Great piece!

[miloticfan3]

we are playing this for our holiday concert GO BASS CLARINETS!!!!!

[sajintmm]

High School band is so much fun

[kickrideski]

Lol im in middle school, and we r playing this, i will hopefuly be able to post ours (im a French Horn 1 playa) and i LOVE this piece, but the only thing about the recordings on youtube are that they r sooo slow ill write if i post it :)

[betterdrummerjoe]

@kickrideski Slow = Good. Especially with a lot of the quiet parts, the conductor adds a lot of effect by drawing them out.

[ShulzGB]

dat french horn part...me gusta

[addictedtometal69]

Am I the only one who thinks Reed's transitions are awkward as hell in this piece?

[thesweet6776]

Better then rockin around the christmas tree

and the trombone solo kicks major but

[thesweet6776]

Better then rockin around the christmas tree

[itsasparkle]

French horn part is AWESOME

[TheRenegadeChampion]

@itsasparkle the best

[scosgurl]

I freaking looooooooove this piece. I did it all 4 years of high school, a couple of times in college, and this year, I'm doing it in my university's wind ensemble AND in the community band! I'm so excited :)

[name887]

xylaphone has eight measures this entire song, so I get to just sit back and take in the Russian :)

[FishTetris]

Probably my favorite song to play in our lineup this year ♥

Low clarinet is so much more fun than high...

[bunnyrabbit1424]

I am 2nd trumper and it is hard at measure 70 to play e's then go to c sharp but it is fun

[praker400]

I'm the English Horn solo.... Yikes. Its easy to play but hard to make it sound perfect like this.

[xAllThingsMustPassx]

playing this song in our school's wind ensemble :D Jeez, the tenor saxophone part is so awkward at around 4:20. xD

[merch2millions]

@xAllThingsMustPassx haha i know, I'm playing it too, continually playing those two notes in tempo feels wrong

[Cl4ir397]

thsnkd for this awesome recording

[browniesareg]

I played the timpani like a boss on this song lol

[Twilightlover317]

gonna be playing this!!!! this year!! so excited!

[johntracy72]

Fell in love with this piece 23 years ago when we played this at our school's Christmas concert. Sounds good any time of year.

[Buckfutter1000]

my highschool wind ensemble is playing this. such a touching piece. French horn part is awesome! Thank you Alfred Reed!!

[zazudragon85]

@skatertubbs so are we, funny how that works....our trombonist is pretty awesome

[skwaag5233]

*listening* wow this song is badass *looks at scroll bar. still has 10 minutes to go* *face melts with awe*

[NubrillFancy]

We're playing this in band for our Christmas concert. I am in high school... and yes, we're playing the original piece! I love it.

[skatertubbs]

We're playing this in advanced orchestra

[name887]

We're playing this in my high school band.

[mooimawhale]

@name887 So are we haha. I love the English Horn solo.

[praker400]

@mooimawhale Its haaaaard

[Thetubaeddie]

i love the end my marching show is based off of this whole entire piece

[09smitel]

We played this in concert band when I was still in High School.

[coachpete35]

Played the bass trombone part in college concert band. Fantastic work.

[Hopefulyquagy]

Inaudible stopped Horn makes me die a little inside =(

[Imnoonewhoareyou]

I love this song...you know a song is good when it's got English Horn :D

[Cliph2592]

In Soviet Russia.... :P



[tartarjynx]

fav part is from 6:48 to 8:23

[Rabshadow]

Omg. I've been looking for the full version of this song for AGES. And it's not an amateur video of a high school band. No audience noise. :)

[sayuhedead]

@Rabshadow sounds like Tokyo Kosei to me

[sayuhedead]

@sayuhedead inb4thejokes..i didn't read the description before commenting lol

[jpgerick]

I've heard this recording so many times...it's great. It's even on my mp3 player. But 14:07 just makes me a little sad. Every time.

[bobomber]

@jpgerick I skipped up to 14:00 and listened...hey this doesn't sound sad...this sounds jubilant...then all of a sudden, ew trumpet fail! :(

[km11877]

@jpgerick Omg :( That is sad, my high school is playing this piece and I really hope that doesn't happen because thats a great way to ruin a moment!

[CharmsJr94]

Played this for our big holiday concert holiday year. I don't think the audience really knew how to respond after it lol We always jokingly called "Russian Death Music"

[JerrytheYTPer]

I was supposed to play this for my freshman year winter concert, but the trumpets bombed in this piece. So our director cut it. Our only french horn that year was miffed because that was the only piece he had a solo on!

[BeanSand]

While this is beautiful, I have a much greater nostalgia for The Hounds of Spring.

[alreadytakenthe3rd]

The bass instruments are so rich!

[MusicDream16]

Love this song, and I adore Tokyo Kosei!

[Adagioz1]

Alfred Reed has composed some of the most beautiful music this earth has seen.

<3

[BroadwayFlutist]

I remember playing piccolo1/flute 3 for this piece. This is by far the best band piece to have ever lived. Alfred Reed composes so many beautiful compositions that I will forever enjoy. Even though I don't play these intruments, my favorite parts are the horn and ENGLISH HORN part(s). :)

[omololoflot]

This is why Russians are more badass than everyone else. This is what their Christmas music sounds like.

[cdstingj]

@omololoflot Your comment made me laugh so hard...awesome comment for an awesome piece.

[yaddawj]

@omololoflot Except that Russians didn't write this. And it was only named thusly because it's premier was in December.

But yes, Russians are more badass than everyone else, in general.

[nutnashell06]

@yaddawj the song was written in memory of the time period in Russia where instrumental music was not allowed, hence the "singing" nature of the music.

[bandbigred]

@omololoflot this was written by an american