Tchaikovsky was so successful with linking the Celeste to his ‘Christmassy’ ballet, that the Harry Potter movie scores feel like Christmas to me (and many others) - with John Williams’ iconic “Hedwig’s theme” featuring the Celeste. (And the movie franchise often reappears in holiday season TV schedules.)
I love this Holiday Edition episode from your wonderful channel. I consider that Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker is the most Christmassy classical music piece ever. Also, who would have guessed that "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing" was originally a song Mendelssohn originally wrote about Gutenberg? :)
The "carriage ride" music clip you show to was NOT written by Leopold Mozart. It's actually Wolfgang Mozart's German Dance K. 605, #3. However, Leopold did write a "Musical Sleigh Ride" divertimento.
Your videos are seriously great, I love them! I'm glad there's a channel like this that is dedicated to exploring topics about classical music. Please don't stop ❤!
I'm so fed up with all the usual Christmassy stuff, regardless of how great the music is. Today, Christmas day, I've been listening to Bartok. His Romanian Christmas carols. And his Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta - as a palette cleanser 🙂
Cheers for this! Both interesting and informative! Although, @ 3:06 Leroy Anderson "Sleigh Ride" with lyrics by Mitchell Parish, might be stretching it a bit thin -or laying it on too thick- to call that one "Classical" (in my humble opinion)... Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé's 1964 rendition was a contemporary "Classic", not that I'd use the term "lift-music" -loved it and still do- (a tad uncharitable of you, old man). However, "Sleigh Ride" with music and lyrics by Sergei Prokofiev is pulled by "a horse of a different colour". Though a Troika, and thus based on a type of Russian folk dance, this wouldn't be the first time the like has been both the inspiration, if not the out-and-out basis, of the motif used in works of Classical music... so it's a 'Yes' from me on that one, though again "Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé: No 4 Troika Theme", (aka in English: 'Sergei Prokofiev's "Sleigh Ride"') is an entirely different song with merely the same title as the Anderson & Parish collaboration... But then, you know that... and more, and far better than I!😉 Ta again for this! Duly "Liked" and "Subscribed" now, with the "Notification" Bell on, and looking forward to your next! Hope you had a happy Christmas, and in 2025 all the best when it comes!
I love the Mozart sleigh ride; it combines the warmth of Christmas with the cold of winter so beautifully. But it wasn't written by Leopold, it was written by Wolfgang, and is part of K605. Then again, when it comes to Christmas, hard to beat Tchaikovsky, although I think the Waltz of the Snowflakes is more Christmassy than the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Bach's 14 canons (on the first eight notes of Goldbach variation bass), where the inversion is nearly identical to "we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year" (in the middle part)
In the soviet Russian state EVERYONE was a prisoner-slave, including the notable composers such as Prokofiev. Soviet slavery produced tense and sombre music, and little else.
Mahler's forth is another piece of music that sounds a lot like Christmas to me
That is the most relaxed and cheerful of all his symphonies. I have to agree with you. I have performed it, and found it a delightful experience.
@notmyworld44 glad to hear it, it really is the most light-hearted of his symphonies, very lyrical and beautiful too
i was gonna come here to say that! it literally is Christmas in a symphony
I agree 👍👍💯💯
Tchaikovsky was so successful with linking the Celeste to his ‘Christmassy’ ballet, that the Harry Potter movie scores feel like Christmas to me (and many others) - with John Williams’ iconic “Hedwig’s theme” featuring the Celeste. (And the movie franchise often reappears in holiday season TV schedules.)
I love this Holiday Edition episode from your wonderful channel. I consider that Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker is the most Christmassy classical music piece ever. Also, who would have guessed that "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing" was originally a song Mendelssohn originally wrote about Gutenberg? :)
Idk why but Dvorak violin concerto 3rd mvt always reminds me of Christmas
Shostakovich 15th prelude and fugue literally begins with "we wish you a merry Christmas"
Bach wrote the Christmas oratorio 34 years after his death...
Always had a fond liking for Rimsky-Korsakov's CHRISTMAS EVE Suite. Nice video, thanks for posting.
Chopins nocturne in g minor op 15 no 3 literally is the inspiration for Christmas is here they sound so similar
Tchaikovsky came to my mind first.
The "carriage ride" music clip you show to was NOT written by Leopold Mozart. It's actually Wolfgang Mozart's German Dance K. 605, #3. However, Leopold did write a "Musical Sleigh Ride" divertimento.
Your videos are seriously great, I love them! I'm glad there's a channel like this that is dedicated to exploring topics about classical music. Please don't stop ❤!
I have to admit this was outstanding.
Well, even a farmer can be outstanding in his field.
@@notmyworld44 outstanding reply to my outstanding comment regarding this outstanding video. Are you always outstanding or it was just christmas luck?
@@notmyworld44 BOO HISS!!! yuk yuk Love it though....
Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote several lovely Christmas works, including his Fantasia on Christmas Carols and his oratorio Hodie.
Half of Tchaikovsky's works. Tchaikovsky's December, and the waltz from his serenade for strings.
I'm so fed up with all the usual Christmassy stuff, regardless of how great the music is. Today, Christmas day, I've been listening to Bartok. His Romanian Christmas carols. And his Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta - as a palette cleanser 🙂
Cheers for this! Both interesting and informative!
Although, @ 3:06 Leroy Anderson "Sleigh Ride" with lyrics by Mitchell Parish, might be stretching it a bit thin -or laying it on too thick- to call that one "Classical" (in my humble opinion)... Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé's 1964 rendition was a contemporary "Classic", not that I'd use the term "lift-music" -loved it and still do- (a tad uncharitable of you, old man).
However, "Sleigh Ride" with music and lyrics by Sergei Prokofiev is pulled by "a horse of a different colour". Though a Troika, and thus based on a type of Russian folk dance, this wouldn't be the first time the like has been both the inspiration, if not the out-and-out basis, of the motif used in works of Classical music... so it's a 'Yes' from me on that one, though again "Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé: No 4 Troika Theme", (aka in English: 'Sergei Prokofiev's "Sleigh Ride"') is an entirely different song with merely the same title as the Anderson & Parish collaboration...
But then, you know that... and more, and far better than I!😉
Ta again for this!
Duly "Liked" and "Subscribed" now, with the "Notification" Bell on, and looking forward to your next!
Hope you had a happy Christmas, and in 2025 all the best when it comes!
The ommision of Ryba's Christmas Mass has hurt every Czech listener. Look it up, and I am sure, you will find it charming.
Christmas is a liturgical holiday...
I love the Mozart sleigh ride; it combines the warmth of Christmas with the cold of winter so beautifully. But it wasn't written by Leopold, it was written by Wolfgang, and is part of K605. Then again, when it comes to Christmas, hard to beat Tchaikovsky, although I think the Waltz of the Snowflakes is more Christmassy than the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
middle section of Chopin’s Scherzo 1
4:16 I would be so embarrassed to be this critic lol omg
Wagner?!
and you did't talk about the Messiah...
Bach's 14 canons (on the first eight notes of Goldbach variation bass), where the inversion is nearly identical to "we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year" (in the middle part)
Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors from 1951.
I don’t know why but Russian immediatly came to mind
Snow.
i misread the title and thought this video was about “why is classical music the most christmassy (music?)”
I think you might know the dating error with one of these....
Bach
I HATE how everyone shits on the corelli Christmas concerto, LISTEN TO THE SECOND MOVEMENT FOR HEVEANS SAKE😭
Hansel and Gretel overture for me
In my opinion moonlight sonata mvt 2 when it’s arranged for orchestra form. That sounds very Christmas sounded music
In the soviet Russian state EVERYONE was a prisoner-slave, including the notable composers such as Prokofiev. Soviet slavery produced tense and sombre music, and little else.
Dinu Lipatti - Bach /Arr. Hess: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Chorale. "Jesus bleibet meine Freude"
I'm here to tell you that you're wrong about Bach and those 2,5 trees are an abomination. Fully on board for Tschaikowsky though!
And, of course, Merry Christmas!
Now the Classic has been replaced by the biggest composed of all - Mariah Carey
Oxen! Not 'oxes'.
1245
It takes a Jew to write a great Christmas song.