Sleigh Ride

Sleigh Ride is one of our favorite Christmas jingles.  During the past few years, our children have played Sleigh Ride in countless different arrangements at both school and community concerts.  During 2006, they played it at least three different occasions.  Click the links below to see a video rendition of an arrangement recently performed by the "Community Band of Brevard" as conducted by Tom Cobble:

Sleigh Ride (42MB...be patient with buffering!)

Leroy Anderson wrote Sleigh Ride in 1948 as a purely instrumental piece.  Its bright, hoof beat rhythm and imitation of a horse's whinny have helped make it a popular piece for symphonic band and a traditional favorite of the Christmas Season.  Mitchell Parish added words in 1950, and it became a best seller.  It's been performed many different ways, including the "Twisted Tune" version called Flu Ride arranged for the Bob Rivers show on KZOK.

Leroy Anderson was an American composer, arranger and conductor.  He graduated from Harvard and served on the faculty of Radcliffe College.  He also directed the Harvard University Band.  He also worked with the Boston Pops Orchestra under Arthur Fiedler starting in 1935.

As a composer, he specialized in light music for the standard orchestra.  His renowned works achieved appeal through infectious melodies and rhythms.  The novel orchestral effects of The Syncopated Clock and The Typewriter are two favorites (click to sample in Window Media format).

Note: recordings are for educational purposes only and may not be copied.

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