I actually LOVE this song, but I'm a percussionist and we get to use a lot of our fun toys!! We get upbeats all the time. We're happy to share the "wealth" with the other sections. 😁
Brilliant! A Grammy! As a tuba player (off and on for 50 years) I can relate to some of the indignities forced upon us in "war horse" band parts. So steeped in my misery I never gave thought to the fact there was somebody in the band that had it worse than us. My apologies, and great accolades to your creative protest. Bravissima!
@@susanoliver2077 Lol yeah I love silverado, tho the rips up to double Bb aren't really in the cards for my rusty state of playing ever since I switched to euph as my primary. Sometimes I play the horn part on euph as range practice tho lol
An old classical french horn pro told me that playing french horn with the symphony is usually 99% boredom or anxiety waiting for your part, and then 1% Terror when you actually have to play...
I feel ya, sister!! HATE Sleigh Ride, and everything Sousa ever wrote!! I've been threatening for at least ten years to change Sousa's Wikipedia entry to state that a horn player had an affair with Sousa's wife, as that can be the ONLY explanation for why he HATES French horns SO badly!! My head got light just watching this and my lungs started burning; residual effects of decades of playing offbeats in Sleigh Ride and Sousa pieces...
Thank you for the healing. It has been over 40 years since I touched a French Horn in 9th grade and I remember this song as if it was yesterday. I can release the pain now. Whew! 🙏
Trombone parts in German polkas, marches, and waltzes are about the same. This was really, really good! I have all kinds of sympathy for you and all fellow horn players. Whatever happened to just good old four part harmony with counter melodies added in. Keep it interesting! Up-beats are for percussionists! Keep on keeping on!!!!
Oh yeah😅 I‘ve seen similar jokes as the one with the sheet music, where „listen to the clarinets“, „bring beer for the band“ and „contemplate your choice of instrument“ is written above the breaks. But as a german clarinetist I hate (besides hating German traditional music) all the fast chromatic or slightly not chromatic or wtf is this fast stuff in sixteenth runs😢
That was absolutely delightful. I've being playing horn for 55 years (well, on and off) and our local community band is playing both Sleigh Ride and Stars & Stripes for a concert next week. As Dr. Smith used to say on Lost in Space: "Oh, the pain!"
You. Are. My. Hero. We’ve all been there, and you did something about it. Something brilliant!!! Bravo! A vastly superior arrangement & beautifully performed. Thank you on behalf of horn players everywhere. 🥰
I recall a news article back in the 1970's (I was in high school then) saying that horn players, more than any other brass players, were prone to periods of heart arrhythmias, it was a mystery as to why. Horn players know why!
Totally awesome!! As a fellow horn player, I can relate and understand about your misery. BUT I was hoping you would have forced a section of flute and clarinet players to play the upbeats and understand why the horn section never has a smile at Christmas time. Thanks for sharing this!! Well done and bravo.
This is an amazing video. Thank you for shedding light on this travesty that is unfortunately all too prevalent each December for us horn players. Your contribution is helping bring awareness, and burning the music at the end gave me a spark of hope for the future.
The French horn is not a trumpet. It’s the composer/arranger’s responsibility to know the limitations of an instrument. I have a degree in music composition and this is a big part of composition/arranging. Personally, I’m impressed that anyone can even play the French horn. To me it’s like a super power. Great playing and arrangement BTW.
Absolutely wonderful!!! I’ve had 47 Christmases of this thing - but not this year!!! Retirement is wonderful. Well done on all of it; you’re a great player.
I love this song, but chorally it's one where altos get in on all the fun wordy rhythms & get to lean into some jazzy bits, so it's unusually good for us 😆 Having sung a lot of alto & played a lot of second violin parts, I respect & vibe with this message! Never realized y'all horns had it quite that bad lol I think you win 😂 Very well-written parody & well-played/produced video! Props!
This is such a delight! Props to you for putting up with the offbeats so you could accompany yourself😂 and the lyrics are so well done and hilarious. 10/10!!!!
I've never played french horn before, and I'm sure this video was hard to make, but I just want to say that you killed it! 😁 You're really talented and good at what you do! ❤️
LOVE THIS! As a community band horn player, I have played this more than enough times. (and Sousa too) We got a break this year though! Very few afterbeats this time around, even a few melody segments!
AS a former horn player, i agree!!. The coolest piece i ever got the chance to play was a Star Wars medly where the Horn parts played in the movie were still with the horns on the score and we had strong enough players to keep the director from handing it over to the trombones.
Love the “all horn” Sleigh Ride ensemble🥰…and seeing all your hair styles! Up in back. Up on top. Down in back. Down in front. Half-n-half. Very cute.🤗
Very funny! I really love Sleigh Ride, but there's nothing wrong with recording an upbeat loop and using that rather than subjecting poor horn players to the drudgery. You could also go Dixieland Jazz on the tune and have various instruments improvising on the theme and all coming together at the end for a rousing finish. Liked and subscribed!
My non apologies to all the French Horn players, but Sousa marches and Sleigh Ride are some of the only time that us Euphs do get cool counter melodies and fun parts, so often we are treated as another trombone part (and this is not even mentioning our almost entire lack from orchestral music), we will not let you take this from us. Sincerely, All of the Euphonium Players Ever
^ this But no don't just give horns or euphs upbeats, give everyone upbeats at some point, and give everyone a fun part as well. That's my philosophy in all of my arrangements, and it's served me well so far lol
I love this!! Well done!! You are so right! I've always said that I don't need a score to play Sousa...I just find a note in the chord and play offbeats. When the harmony changes, I change. Sometimes I'll play the root of the chord, sometimes the 3rc; it just depends on what I feel like that day!😅 Your commentary and alternative lyrics are hilarious and you have the talent to back it up! Thank you for making my day!!
Made my day. As a previous player of the French horn many years ago, I can totally understand the upbeat dismay. Although, ever since those days, I never fail to smile when I hear a marching band go by, with all the oomps coming at you, and all you hear when they pass is the pahs from the French horns. It's a beautiful sounding instrument, and you play it well, but I don't believe it was designed for a marching band. 🙂
I played second trombone in a Marine Corps field band. Off beats on middle notes interspersed with runs and the occasional bombastic melodies were bread and butter.
As a horn player I have never felt more seen I have played this piece for about 10-11 years now Every. Single. Year. But hey, it's not a concert without the one painful piece of straight upbeats
BEAUTIFUL Triple!!!!! Nicely done - the rest quarter sheet music was OUTSTANDING example of the normal horn players daily agenda!! :):):):):) super!!!!
As someone who just played in the horn section (for the first time since 1967) in a band concert which included this piece, after years of playing trumpet, all I can say about this video is "Well played."
I haven't played a Sousa march on a horn or any other instrument in 5+ years, and yet, the horrors came rushing back to me in an instant. Great lyrics and performance here. I would perform this arrangement completely unironically around the holidays. You did a fantastic job with it. Thanks for the laughs, and Merry Christmas to you!
Such a lovely performance! Thank you! I have played Sleigh Ride at Christmas for 60 years and still do, despite some arthritis. We must sometimes suffer for our art. 😉
FANTASTIC!!!! I posted my other post before it was done and it just gets better and better. I don't know how you didn't just crack up making it! WELL DONE!!
Thank you. THANK YOU. I played horns in high school concert bands and I dreaded this song EVERY year. Everything about this song is fun and happy EXCEPT horns: Percussion get to play the "whip" sound, trumpet get to have the horse sound (one year we even had a Tuba alum get to do the "elephant" sound but never us horns grrr), literally every other instruments get to play the downbeats. But not us, only us gotta play the upbeat. So this video really speaks to my soul.
Hahah love the overlay text commentary. Hard agree. As a woodwind player, when I first saw the french horn parts, I'm like uhhhhh wow that looks boring lol. Amazing arrangement, performance, and humor. Halfway through I realized that it's actually a sing-along and not just commentary. Great work!
I first played Anderson's "A Christmas Festival' in H.S. in 1965. I've been in one community band, orchestra or another ever since. Including rehearsals I've probably played it 500 times. 'Silent Niiiiight' ' Hooooooly Niiiight' so, I feel your pain.... Your vid made me laugh more than I should have! Thanks!
This is AMAAAAAAAAZING. I’m 51 and just played the *@&#$ thing AGAIN last week. (BTW, your tone is gorgeous, and your composition/lyrics are hysterical. Thank you!)
I played French horn in high school band, and yes, lots of upbeats. But some lovely songs played for concerts featured french horn solos that were just dreamy! Keep blowing your horn!
As a high school French Horn player whose school does this song every year for our Christmas concert, this video makes me feel a little less alone in my agony and suffering.
You’re absolutely correct. As horn/viola player, I’ve seen how composers have basically given us the short end of the stick. Idk if it’s a kick to the side for alto instruments, but we’re always relegated to playing the upbeat
So so true! I actually did quit horn in school band and switched instruments because of offbeats. Came back to horn after decades, but yes, pieces like Sleigh Ride remind me why I originally quit. Great arrangement and great playing! Well done!
As a trumpet player, I have some measure of sympathy for you. I started out on a mellophone so the parts rolled around in the back of my head! Sousa was kinda rough on all the brass but it made ya tough!!!! BRAVO to you!!!!!
Brilliant! (And as a clarinet player, we have a different pain- that of the orchestral transcript. Playing both the violin parts AND the clarinet parts on one instrument... where do we BREATHE?????)
Welcome to playing music that was originally written for an orchestra! 🤣🤣🤣 It’s the same deal with one of the ensembles in which I play. I feel your pain.
I started playing the French Horn in 1972 and played for 14 years. While yes, there are some truly abysmal pieces written for the French horn, there are also some incredible works. Focus on the great works and keep yourself away from anything pointy-sharp around the holiday season. 😄
My brother started playing French Horn at 12 and I hated to listen to him practice - he sounded like something was dying. Unfortunately, he died at 15, so he never got much better. Daughters played violins...sounded like cats dying when they first started. You are a wonderful, talented artist with a French horn and make it sound like the lovely instrument it is.
OMG-I haven’t played the horn during holiday concerts for several decades now but I still can remember it like it was yesterday and I feel your pain!! At the same time, I have to admit that there was also something I loved about the holiday music (despite mostly awful horn parts).
French Horn was my first choice, I had braces. Ended up with a violin and couple years later I found the Theatre Organ. Beautiful arrangement. I look forward to more arrangements with the French Horn playing the melody.
Ah yes. The viola. The late great pianist and comedian Victor Borge started with viola. And he liked explaining the difference between it and a violin. "The viola burns longer."
This is great! Much love from a fellow horn player! I hated this part in school and now hearing all the other parts on youtube i'm super jealous. This is a much better version and I think bands should do a horn ensemble instead.
Somewhere on youtube, there's a video where a composer shows how to get the effect of constant upbeats, but combining parts so that everybody gets a more playable (and interesting) rhythm. It can be done!
As an amateur composer and arranger, I never liked giving just one instruments upbeats, it just seemed painful. Now I know to definitely move it around between instruments!
Ah! This is how bass players feel about Pachelbel Canon. Eight notes over and over and over until you die…😂 Fun video! My son (a percussionist) is playing it tomorrow. I’m going to offer condolences to the horn players!
This is always been my FAVORITE Christmas song to play, and it's now just my favorite non-religious Christmas song in general!! Then again, I got to play this as a flute, and I think flutes have one of the most fun parts to play in this song! So, even though you're not a fan of the song, I REALLY enjoyed this cover!! You're so talented!
In high school I made buttons of Sousa’s face in a red circle with a slash through it for the horn section. The bane. The BANE! And there was a painting of the guy on the band room wall directly across from the horn section, mocking us. Presumably because our band director wrote his masters thesis about him. There were some spitballs stuck to the painting. I was not responsible for them, but they gave me a tiny sense of vicarious revenge.
