We just found two songs by classical pianist Chloe Flower that may address those seasonal problems with so many Christmas songs! They’re everywhere, and they’re TOO SLOW.
The dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy but with a bit of a bounce and a back-beat and just over 2 minutes long. This is probably not danceable by real ballerinas.
Chloe Flower
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a – II. Danses caractéristiques: Dance of the Sugar-plum Fairy (arr. Chloe Flower for piano and orchestra) (Chloe Flower, piano; Czech Studio Orchestra; Robert Ziegler, cond.)
The traditional God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, for Spanish guitar, piano, and orchestra, also have a cheerier feel. The addition of Questlove’s electronics adds a completely different aspect!
Traditional: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (arr. Chloe Flower for guitar, piano and orchestra) (Chloe Flower, piano; John Parricelli, guitar; Questlove, electronics; Czech Studio Orchestra; Robert Ziegler, cond.)
Ms. Flower calls her style ‘Popsical’, which mixes classical with pop and hip-hop.
Some other seasonal favourites in new guises might be interesting, too.
The big orchestra work Boléro, but in a version for chamber ensemble? The Russian Style-Quartet is Maria Kishlukhina on small domra and violin, Daria Gitelson on alto domra, Alexander Belyaev on balalaika, and Venedikt Penunov. The balalaika is the biggest you’ve ever seen – the double-bass model! And at only 6 minutes instead of 15, you get the essence without the repetition.
Style-Quartet
Maurice Ravel: Boléro (arr. A. Belyaev, D. Gitelson, V. Peunov and S. Suvorkin for chamber ensemble) (Style-Quartet)
Or perhaps, Silent Night in a Bachian orchestral style?
Franz Xaver Gruber: Stille Nacht (Silent Night) (arr. P. Breiner for orchestra) (Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Košice; Peter Breiner, cond.)
Or Irving Berlin’s White Christmas with Air on a G String?
Irving Berlin: White Christmas (arr. P. Breiner for orchestra) (Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia; Peter Breiner, cond.)
Or Jingle Bells for piccolo trumpet, oboe and orchestra?
James Lord Pierpont: Jingle Bells (arr. M. Legrand for oboe, trumpet and orchestra) (Maurice André, trumpet; Beatrice André, trumpet; Nicolas André, trumpet; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Michel Legrand, cond.)
It may just be what you want for a new outlook on songs that are getting a bit…um…familiar.
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