That's the original version of A Christmas Festival! Most orchestras and bands perform a truncated version that is usually a little over 6.5 minutes long. The Boston Pops, for one would always perform this original version every Christmas (at least until after John Williams left the orchestra sometime in the mid 1990s).
@@dukeofrodtown1705 That is absolutely correct. The original (as here) has 353 measures. The abbreviated one has 260 measures (it omits several sections, which is lame IMHO).
@@KrystofDreamJourney I completely agree with you. The original (this) wouldn't be complete without the brass chorale during 'The First Noel', or first flute, first clarinet, and English horn echoing each other during the extended 'Good King Wenceslas'. And, more divisi in the strings with the original A Christmas Festival gives this piece that aesthetic value we come to expect from holiday pieces for full orchestra, which is a beautiful aspect of this!
@@dukeofrodtown1705 Completely agree. I performed both "versions" with several orchestras, and the abbreviated one is NOT the same once you hear a full version. You are like : "But why shorten it ???"
Yeah it’s weird because he only removed The First Noel. The transitions from Hark the Herald Angel Sings to the First Noel, and from First Noel to Silent Night are far more satisfying than the more forced sounding one in the truncated version, between Hark the Herald Angel and Silent Night.
