Here’s an orchestral work that isn’t played constantly every Christmas season but could easily fit in any holiday concert program. Victor Hely-Hutchinson wrote “A Carol Symphony” in 1927, which was about the mid-point of his life. It hit all the right notes of his London audience at the time, but since then other compositions have crowded it off of our traditional Christmas playlists.
I hadn’t heard of it until today. Have you?
I have it on a wonderful Naxos cd, along with four other symphonic arrangements of a number of Christmas Carols. The City of Prague Philharmonic is in rare form. As to its neglect, I think concert goers and orchestras have been drawn to miniatures, short works of three or four minutes for Christmas concerts. One example would be the great composer LeRoy Anderson. All who click your link, I’m confident will be blessed. Glad you finally discovered it. And of course warmest Christmas to you Phil.
Thanks, Paul