Sleigh Ride Watch

It isn't Christmas until I hear Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride," and the season came a little later this year than it usually does. I heard the piece for the first time this year only last week. It was the Carpenters' cover — who knew there was such a thing? — with a treacly background chorus. Yucky, but it counted. I was in the car, driving home from my new job in Norristown, where I work the evening shift. It was after 11 p.m., dark and cold.

I have heard it only once again since then. This time, I was on Route 76, on my way to work. It was the real thing — the original, classic orchestral version with the jazz inflections and the horse neighing at the end. It made me very happy, and anything that can make me happy while I'm driving on Route 76 qualifies as a Christmas miracle.

I had one other holiday treat on the hideous commute yesterday: Beginning at 2 p.m., WRTI broadcast an hour-long program of Anderson's Christmas music, hosted by his son, Kurt, and featuring interviews with the composer (Anderson died in 1975). The playlist included the "Christmas festival," a concert overture, and the suites of carols. It also included Sleigh Ride, but I was parked and in the office before we got to that.

Some interesting parallels between Anderson and Elliot Carter: They were born the same year (1908). They attended Harvard at the same time, though there is no indication they knew each other (Anderson was Class of 1929, Carter Class of 1930). They lived for years within a few miles of each other (Anderson in Woodbury, Conn., Carter in Waccabuc, N.Y.). And each was an accomplished linguist: Carter spoke French and Italian fluently, while Anderson, whose parents were Swedish, was an expert in Scandinavian languages. (During WWII, he was posted in Iceland, where he wrote an Icelandic grammar for US military personnel.) The only real difference is, Anderson has a website. Carter does not.

Sleigh Ride Watch II

Heard the ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ding-dong-ding version of Sleigh Ride again last week, this time on WRDV, Hatboro — which, incidentally, plays terrific big-band music during the day — and I did hear the announcer name the group. It was the Ronettes, which I think was lurking somewhere in my subconscious. The number appears on an album called "A Christmas Gift for You," released in 1963 and produced by Phil Spector, about whom the less said the better.

"Sleigh Ride" watch - I

As I've said in the past, it isn't Christmastime until I've heard Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride," preferably over the loudspeakers at a mall.This year, I am happy to report that I found it even before the season officially began, on the night before Thanksgiving. While driving home from work the night before Thanksgiving, I came across it on an oldies station that switches to Xmas music every year. It put me in a good mood after a long, grueling and pointless day, and it probably saved from Black Friday shoppers from being pepper-sprayed.

I've since heard it a second time, on the same station, with lyrics, sung in the familiar rock version by a girl group I can't name. You know the one, with the girls singing "ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ding-dong-ding" in the background. Not my favorite arrangement, but it counts.

Here is a nice performance with John Williams conducting the Boston Pops:



I am also happy to announce that WGBH Boston will broadcast "A Leroy Anderson Christmas" at 6 p.m. Dec. 3 and noon Dec. 4. Leonard Slatkin will conduct, but you can't have everything.