This is such a lovely song that it comes in versions by multiple composers, two in particular. The first and better known comes to us from Gustav Holst, the German-English composer; the second from English composer Harold Darke (1888-1976). It’s the second version that was voted best Christmas carol of all time in a poll…
It was a crisp, frosty Tuesday night in December 1983 and - in sole charge of light percussion - I was central to the school orchestra s rollicking rendition of Leroy Anderson s Sleigh Ride
There isn’t just one, so I’m suggesting a bunch here. The first two come from the English Group Polyphony, with two albums called O magnum misterium (note the middle English spelling) and A Christmas Present from Polyphony. You would never know what a wasteland much of 20th century composing was from listening to these albums.…