Christmas Program
This year, I have worked up my own set of arrangements for a new set of holiday music for my cello solo performances, and I am drawing on a number of influences. When I was growing up, I sang in a church choir almost every Sunday. Also, during the holidays we watched a lot of great old movies with Bing Crosby and Gene Autry. I have had the good fortune to see Mr. Mel Torme in concert. And I have played cello and bass in symphonies, pops orchestras, quartets and rock and roll bands as well as my solo work. Although some of these songs may eventually come out so that other songs or requests can be included, here is the current list:
March from the Nutcracker Suite Peter Ilich Tschaikowsky
Happy Holiday Irving Berlin 1941
O Come, Little Children Danish Carol
Greensleeves (What Child Is This) English, before 1642
Frosty the Snow Man Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins, 1950
We Three Kings of Orient Are John H. Hopkins; traditional
Up On the House-Top Traditional
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas Traditional
O Little Town Of Bethlehem Lewis Henry Redner, 1831-1908
Bring a Torch Jeannette, Isabella French Carol, 17th Century
The First Nowell Traditional English Carol
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Richard Storrs Willis, 1819-1900
Angels We Have Heard On High French Carol
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town J. Fred Coots, 1934
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Jule Styne 1945
I Saw Three Ships Traditional
Jingle-Bell Rock Joe Beal & Jim Boothe, 1957
Angels from the Realms of Glory Henry Smart, 1813-79
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelsson-Bartholdy 1809-47
Silver Bells Livingston & Evans
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) Cantus Diversi, 1751
I’ll Be Home for Christmas Kim Gannon, Walter Kent & Buck Ram, 1943
(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays Al Stillman & Robert Allen
Here Comes Santa Claus Gene Autry & Oakley Haldeman, 1947
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane, 1944
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don’t Be Late) Ross Bagdasarian 1958
Blue Christmas Billy Hayes & Jay Johnson, 1948
Hava Nagila Moshe Nathanson & Abraham Z. Idelsohn
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) Mel Torme & Robert Wells, 1946
White Christmas Irving Berlin, 1940
O Holy Night Adolphe Adam
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum) Traditional
Deck the Halls Welsh Traditional
Away In a Manger 19th Cent. American
Do You Hear What I Hear? Noel Regney & Gloria Shayne
Joy to the World George Friedrich Handel
Silent Night Franz Xaver Gruber
Jingle Bells Pierpont
We Wish You a Merry Christmas Traditional
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Tommie Connor, 1952
There Is No Christmas Like A Home Christmas C. Sigman & M. J. Addy, 1950
Here We Come A-Wassailing Old English
Good King Wenceslas Traditional
The Coventry Carol Traditional
God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen Traditional
The Twelve Days of Christmas Traditional
Winter Wonderland Felix Bernard & Dick Smith
O Come, O Come Emmanuel Thomas Helmore
Waltz of the Flowers Peter Ilich Tschaikowsky
Christmas in Killarney J. Redmond, J. Cavanaugh & F. Weldon, 1950
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth Don Gardner, 1946
Mister Santa (Version of Mr. Sandman) Pat Ballard, 1954
I have recently added Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy, Sleigh Ride, The Little Drummer Boy, Feliz Navadad, and Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer to this program. I am in the process of locating "It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" so I can make a cello solo arrangement of that for myself also. I am constantly on the lookout for more music to work up, both for the holidays, and for the rest of the year.
Estimated live play time: approx. 2 hours total (est).
