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White Christmas (arr Moss)

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Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin (arr. John Moss)


Subtitle: From the Motion Picture Irving Berlin's 'Holiday Inn'


General Info

Year: 1940 / 1998
Duration: c. 4:30
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $55.00   |   Score Only (print) - $7.50


Instrumentation

Full Score
Vocal Solo
Solo E-flat Alto Saxophone (optional)
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

  • Bells
  • Chimes
  • Drum Set
  • Sleigh Bells
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Temple Blocks
  • Triangle
  • Wind Chimes


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

White Christmas is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. Other versions of the song, along with Bing Crosby's, have sold over 150 million copies.

Accounts vary as to when and where Berlin wrote the song. One story is that he wrote it in 1940, in warm La Quinta, California, while staying at the La Quinta Hotel, a frequent Hollywood retreat also favored by writer-director-producer Frank Capra, although the Arizona Biltmore also claims the song was written there. He often stayed up all night writing -- he told his secretary, "Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I've ever written -- heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody's ever written!"

In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the "NPR 100", which sought to compile the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century. Crosby's version of the song also holds the distinction of being ranked #2 on the "Songs of the Century" list, behind only Judy Garland's Over the Rainbow, as voted by members of the RIAA. In 2002, the original 1942 version was one of 50 historically significant recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. In 2004, it finished at #5 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.

- Program Note from Wikipedia


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Rhode Island (Providence) Wind Ensemble (Robert Franzblau, conductor) - 11 December 2022
  • Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia (Eric Lee, conductor; Scarlet Gouk, alto saxophone) - 25 December 2021
  • Sidney (B.C.) Concert Band (Bruce Ham, conductor; Nicola Hestnes, vocalist) – 9 December 2019
  • Encore Concert Band (Mokena, Ill.) (Bill Schluetter, conductor) – 30 November 2019
  • Tualatin (Ore.) Valley Community Band (Kevin Soon, conductor) – 2 December 2018
  • Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Randy Schwalbe, conductor) – 10 December 2017
  • Northwood High School (Irvine, Calif.) Wind Ensemble – December 2010


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Berlin, I.; Moss, J. (1998). White Christmas : From the Motion Picture Irving Berlin's 'Holiday Inn' [score]. Irving Berlin Music: [United States].
  • White Christmas (song), Wikipedia Accessed 24 December 2015
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