Nine Cinema Choral Pieces for Christmas
The Cinema has Produce some Wonderful Choral Pieces
by Ray Rojas
Updated November 26, 2020 due to broken YouTube links.
Updated December 29, 2020 for broken YouTube links.
Updated November 24, 2021.
Updated Nov. 26, 2022 for formatting and broken YouTube links.
The big screen has produced many Christmas or winter-themed choral pieces of note in its history. Here are some notables below. I've seen some choirs perform them, but some are still waiting for that special choir to bring them out again.
I saw "Mickey's Christmas Carol" when I was younger, but upon seeing as an adult, I saw the opening song "Oh What a Merry Christmas Day" as a fantastic song for choirs, but sadly it remained underused. However, recently it's been pulled out from the repertory. Here is a version sung by the United States Air Force Academy Band:
"The Christmas Wine" by John Barry was included in the soundtrack for A Lion in Winter (1968) based on the play by James Goldman. I first heard it performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus in their Cinema Choral Classics recording:
Below is a live version by the Chamber Choir of Los Andes University, Bogotá, Colombia:
Edward Scissorhands is not a Christmas movie, but the fact that "The Ice Dance" brings up memories of winter, it makes a great fit for choirs. Lyrics, not really sophisticated. Written by Danny Elfman, below another track from Cinema Choral Classics by City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus:
John Williams gave us several great choruses from his soundtracks for the Home Alone franchise. By far the most popular is "Somewhere in My Memory" which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1990 (for the original Home Alone [1990]).
The lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse. The song runs as a theme throughout the films. Below is the Twilite Orchestra 21st Century Orchestra & Chorus performing it:
Don't know who Leslie Bricusse is? Think "Goldfinger," "You Only Live Twice," and "Christmas at Hogwart" (Harry Potter).
Recently, in the annual televised Christmas concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Alfie Boe, a medley arranged by Michael Davis included "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays," "I'll be Home for Christmas," and "Somewhere in My Memory" sung with Alfie Boe. It was followed by a performance from the musical "Les Miserables" of "Bring Him Home" (Claude -Michel Schonberg) by Alfie Boe. You can find it on "Home for the Holidays," The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orquestra at Temple Square featuring Alfie Boe" (2013).
However, "Somewhere in My Memory" is not the only tune to come out of the Home Alone franchise.
"My Christmas Tree" which the McCallister children perform in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) is actually performed by the Fox Albert Choir (although another recording refers to the choir as the "Home Alone Children's Choir").
This is actually not a John Williams composition, but one of Jack Feldman and Alen Menken.
A Spanish-language version is in the ending credits of Lost in New York sung by Ana Belen. Below is Belen singing it:
Another John Williams / Leslie Briscusse collaborations was "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas." Although short and simple, in it's full orchestration, it sounds very powerful. It is used in the ending credits to Lost in New York:
Watch the Boston Pops perform it under the composer's baton:
Here's John Williams himself with the Boston Pops:
In 2004, the much-beloved children's book by
Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express, was brought to film. The soundtrack was done by Alan Silvestri. It contained the chorus "The Spirit of the Season." So popular is "The Spirit of the Season," even Disney uses it at their theme parks around the holidays.
A cover of the song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Sissel was nominated for 2 Grammys, Best Classical Crossover Album and Best Engineered Album - Classical:
"The Bells of Christmas" is a song out of The Santa Clause (1994). This is not to be confused with the many Christmas "bell themed" medleys out there.
I've actually never see a choir perform this, live or on video. This may because, the beginning part is solo, then solo with children's choir, and then with orchestra and full choir.
However, I think it would make a good opening piece to any concert or a return from intermission. Maybe an arrangement without orchestra is needed. Written and composed by Loreena McKennitt listen closely and you can here Star Wars at the end:
A longer version with chorus but less orchestration is by David Arckenstone and Charlee Brook, but without that grand ending, it's somewhat less exciting although the solo harp is pretty:
Mostly heard in jazz circles, The City of Prague Philharmonic and the Crouch End Festival sing a version for adult choir here:
The film's soundtrack has versions with just piano, one with children's choir, and children's choir hummed:
Check out this performance at the concert "Voces para la Paz" (Músicos Solidarios) 2013 in Madrid. With the opening poetry, the performance with adult choir is amazing:
Rombi's piece gives the message of peace, one much needed in our present day and years of war. The English version, "Dreaming of a Home" brings that home longing often seen in Christmas songs, especially those in America.
We probably went beyond nine, but this piece grew as we started writing. This goes to show how film has many choral Christmas jewels.
Honorable Mentions:
I did not include these because they originally did not include choruses, or are less well known.
"Walking in the Air" is originally sung by a treble in the 1982 animated version of "The Snow Man" based on the 1978 picture book by Raymond Briggs.
Composed by Howard Blake, in the animation, it is performed by the Sinfonia of London. Blake composed the music and lyrics of the song, performed by a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty.
Aled Jones, who is often incorrectly credited with singing the song in the animated film, would cover the song three years later in a single, which reach #5 in the charts in the UK.
I've heard it perform by women in Celtic Woman (specifically Chloe Agnew) and by a treble in with the Boston Pops.
Here is the Crouch End Festival Chorus singing a arrangement for choir:
In 2009's A Christmas Carol, by Disney, was "God Bless Us Everyone." Though Andrea Bochelli is mostly featured, you can hear the chorus backing him up. It is composed by Alan Silvestri.
And least we forget the 1984 film:
It was written by Nick Bicât (music) and Tony Bicât (lyrics):
John Williams and Leslie Bricusse returned to Christmas in their song "Christmas at Hogwart" in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (Sorcerers Stone in the U.S.). Here's a group performing it at Universal Orlando:
Last is from the soundtrack Santa Claus: The Movie. Not heard of it? Yea, not a very good movie, but it has a wonderful soundtrack (by Henry Mancini!). It also includes Aled Jones singing "Every Christmas Eve" which I think can be easily arranged for choir:
They are sung on the soundtrack by the Ambrosian Children's Choir.
Now we did not include the host of Christmas songs, especially American Christmas songs that came out of film, mostly because they were originally written for soloists. However, through the years, many good arrangements for choir have been made. Just to mention, these would include:
"Happy Holiday" - Holiday Inn
"White Christmas" - Holiday Inn and White Christmas
"Silver Bells" - The Lemon Drop Kid
"Have Your Self a Merry Little Christmas" - Meet Me in St. Louis
Don't ask us to go beyond 1960, but there are some good songs here in there from 1960 to the present day.
Do you know of some we missed, let us know!
The big screen has produced many Christmas or winter-themed choral pieces of note in its history. Here are some notables below. I've seen some choirs perform them, but some are still waiting for that special choir to bring them out again.
I saw "Mickey's Christmas Carol" when I was younger, but upon seeing as an adult, I saw the opening song "Oh What a Merry Christmas Day" as a fantastic song for choirs, but sadly it remained underused. However, recently it's been pulled out from the repertory. Here is a version sung by the United States Air Force Academy Band:
"The Christmas Wine" by John Barry was included in the soundtrack for A Lion in Winter (1968) based on the play by James Goldman. I first heard it performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus in their Cinema Choral Classics recording:
Below is a live version by the Chamber Choir of Los Andes University, Bogotá, Colombia:
Edward Scissorhands is not a Christmas movie, but the fact that "The Ice Dance" brings up memories of winter, it makes a great fit for choirs. Lyrics, not really sophisticated. Written by Danny Elfman, below another track from Cinema Choral Classics by City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus:
John Williams gave us several great choruses from his soundtracks for the Home Alone franchise. By far the most popular is "Somewhere in My Memory" which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1990 (for the original Home Alone [1990]).
The lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse. The song runs as a theme throughout the films. Below is the Twilite Orchestra 21st Century Orchestra & Chorus performing it:
Don't know who Leslie Bricusse is? Think "Goldfinger," "You Only Live Twice," and "Christmas at Hogwart" (Harry Potter).
Recently, in the annual televised Christmas concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Alfie Boe, a medley arranged by Michael Davis included "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays," "I'll be Home for Christmas," and "Somewhere in My Memory" sung with Alfie Boe. It was followed by a performance from the musical "Les Miserables" of "Bring Him Home" (Claude -Michel Schonberg) by Alfie Boe. You can find it on "Home for the Holidays," The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orquestra at Temple Square featuring Alfie Boe" (2013).
However, "Somewhere in My Memory" is not the only tune to come out of the Home Alone franchise.
"My Christmas Tree" which the McCallister children perform in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) is actually performed by the Fox Albert Choir (although another recording refers to the choir as the "Home Alone Children's Choir").
This is actually not a John Williams composition, but one of Jack Feldman and Alen Menken.
A Spanish-language version is in the ending credits of Lost in New York sung by Ana Belen. Below is Belen singing it:
Another John Williams / Leslie Briscusse collaborations was "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas." Although short and simple, in it's full orchestration, it sounds very powerful. It is used in the ending credits to Lost in New York:
Watch the Boston Pops perform it under the composer's baton:
Often forgotten in the melee of "Somewhere in my Memory" and "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas" is "Christmas Star" from Lost in New York. It has a slightly depressing tone and set a a sad part of the film:
Here's John Williams himself with the Boston Pops:
In 2004, the much-beloved children's book by
Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express, was brought to film. The soundtrack was done by Alan Silvestri. It contained the chorus "The Spirit of the Season." So popular is "The Spirit of the Season," even Disney uses it at their theme parks around the holidays.
A cover of the song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Sissel was nominated for 2 Grammys, Best Classical Crossover Album and Best Engineered Album - Classical:
"The Bells of Christmas" is a song out of The Santa Clause (1994). This is not to be confused with the many Christmas "bell themed" medleys out there.
I've actually never see a choir perform this, live or on video. This may because, the beginning part is solo, then solo with children's choir, and then with orchestra and full choir.
However, I think it would make a good opening piece to any concert or a return from intermission. Maybe an arrangement without orchestra is needed. Written and composed by Loreena McKennitt listen closely and you can here Star Wars at the end:
A longer version with chorus but less orchestration is by David Arckenstone and Charlee Brook, but without that grand ending, it's somewhat less exciting although the solo harp is pretty:
"A Charlie Brown Christmas," as a special first aired in 1965. It has the children cast sing "Christmas Time is Here." Below it is sung by the cast with the Vince Guaraldi Trio backing. It's a nice jazz choir piece good for any season:
Mostly heard in jazz circles, The City of Prague Philharmonic and the Crouch End Festival sing a version for adult choir here:
Our final chorus is the theme from Joyeux Noel (2005), a World War I film about the Christmas Truce of 1914. The film was released in 2005, but the movie's theme, "Hymne de fraternisés" by Philippe Rombi gained more popularity as the centennial of the start of World War I approached in 2014.
The film's soundtrack has versions with just piano, one with children's choir, and children's choir hummed:
Check out this performance at the concert "Voces para la Paz" (Músicos Solidarios) 2013 in Madrid. With the opening poetry, the performance with adult choir is amazing:
Rombi's piece gives the message of peace, one much needed in our present day and years of war. The English version, "Dreaming of a Home" brings that home longing often seen in Christmas songs, especially those in America.
We probably went beyond nine, but this piece grew as we started writing. This goes to show how film has many choral Christmas jewels.
Honorable Mentions:
I did not include these because they originally did not include choruses, or are less well known.
"Walking in the Air" is originally sung by a treble in the 1982 animated version of "The Snow Man" based on the 1978 picture book by Raymond Briggs.
This would fall out of the "less well known" category as it actually topped as hit in the UK, although a cover of the original.
Composed by Howard Blake, in the animation, it is performed by the Sinfonia of London. Blake composed the music and lyrics of the song, performed by a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty.
Aled Jones, who is often incorrectly credited with singing the song in the animated film, would cover the song three years later in a single, which reach #5 in the charts in the UK.
I've heard it perform by women in Celtic Woman (specifically Chloe Agnew) and by a treble in with the Boston Pops.
Here is the Crouch End Festival Chorus singing a arrangement for choir:
In 2009's A Christmas Carol, by Disney, was "God Bless Us Everyone." Though Andrea Bochelli is mostly featured, you can hear the chorus backing him up. It is composed by Alan Silvestri.
And least we forget the 1984 film:
It was written by Nick Bicât (music) and Tony Bicât (lyrics):
John Williams and Leslie Bricusse returned to Christmas in their song "Christmas at Hogwart" in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (Sorcerers Stone in the U.S.). Here's a group performing it at Universal Orlando:
Last is from the soundtrack Santa Claus: The Movie. Not heard of it? Yea, not a very good movie, but it has a wonderful soundtrack (by Henry Mancini!). It also includes Aled Jones singing "Every Christmas Eve" which I think can be easily arranged for choir:
Two songs actually sung by choirs are "Making Toys" and "It's Christmas Again." The lyrics of these songs were written by Leslie Bricusse, yes the "Somewhere in my Memory" Bricusse!
Now we did not include the host of Christmas songs, especially American Christmas songs that came out of film, mostly because they were originally written for soloists. However, through the years, many good arrangements for choir have been made. Just to mention, these would include:
"Happy Holiday" - Holiday Inn
"White Christmas" - Holiday Inn and White Christmas
"Silver Bells" - The Lemon Drop Kid
"Have Your Self a Merry Little Christmas" - Meet Me in St. Louis
Don't ask us to go beyond 1960, but there are some good songs here in there from 1960 to the present day.
Do you know of some we missed, let us know!
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