BACKSTORY: Sleigh Ride
Leroy Anderson (1908–1975) was an American composer and conductor celebrated as one of the absolute masters of light orchestral music. John Williams famously described him as "one of the great American masters of light orchestral music," and during the mid-20th century, Anderson's witty, impeccably crafted miniatures made him one of the most frequently performed composers in the United States.
Sleigh Ride was Conceived During a Brutal Summer Heat Wave
The idea for the piece was born in July 1946 in Woodbury, Connecticut. Leroy Anderson, his wife, and their young daughter were staying in a rustic, uninsulated cottage. During a severe heat wave and drought, Anderson spent his days sweating and digging trenches in the yard trying to find old pipes connected to a spring.
Mentally seeking relief from the scorching temperatures, he began dreaming of a crisp, wintry scene from the past and started sketching out musical themes. Ironically, the famous middle section of the song (the melody that builds up to the "giddy-yap" refrain) was the very first part he wrote while trying to cool off.
Finished in Brooklyn
Because the Connecticut cottage lacked heating and insulation, the family moved to an apartment in Brooklyn, New York, that autumn. Anderson tinkered with the melody for over a year, eventually deciding that his initial theme wasn’t strong enough to open the piece. He finally worked out a snappy main introduction, a main theme, and a coda, completing the full orchestral score on February 10, 1948.
Not a Christmas Song
Anderson did not set out to write a holiday carol. His intention was simply to capture the lively, scenic atmosphere of the entire winter season, much like classical composers had done with past orchestral suites.
When the Boston Pops Orchestra, led by Arthur Fiedler, premiered the piece on May 4, 1948, it was purely an instrumental light-orchestra hit. It wasn't until 1950—two years after the song was written—that lyricist Mitchell Parish was commissioned to add words ("Just hear those sleigh bells ring-a-ling..."). Notably, neither the music nor Parish's lyrics mention Christmas or any specific holiday at all. The Andrews Sisters recorded the first vocal version later that year.
Ingenious Sound Effects
Anderson was a master of orchestrating clever novelty effects into his light concert pieces (such as using a ticking clock or typewriter in other works). For "Sleigh Ride," he utilized standard orchestral instruments to mimic the outdoors:
The Horse's Whinny: Produced by a trumpet player bending a high note.
The Whip-Cracks: Originally achieved with a literal slap-stick (or whip percussion instrument) to cue the horse, which has become a staple requirement for symphony percussion sections.
Despite its summer origins, the piece became an instant seasonal favorite and has since grown into one of the most widely performed and recorded pieces of winter music in history.
You can hear Sleigh Ride at our Holiday Pops Concert
Join us for this and other holiday favorites and classics on December 12 at 3 PM at Moorings Presbyterian Church.
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