It's been almost four years now since someone posted a request on the Yule Log Message Board for help identifying the orchestra playing "White Christmas" on an old cassette tape. Even "Christmas Music Guru" Chip Arcuri was stumped and to this day no one has been able to identify it.
You can listen to the track here: "White Christmas Mystery Orchestra" on SoundCloud
Anyone recognize it?
A contributor going by the handle "Fielding Mellish" nailed it within hours of my posting my query over at FaLaLaLaLa.com.
It reminds me of the soundtrack to the movie White Christmas, was it the studio orchestra?
Hi Mistletoe!
It looks like both of the links in my original message are now broken. FaLaLaLaLa.com moved its website a long while back, and the link to the youtube video of the song has been deleted.
The answer to the mystery is that the recording was by The Ron Goodwin Orchestra.
https://www.discogs.com/Ron-Goodwin-...elease/2606347
But there is still at least one surviving youtube video of the song that still plays:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NF1GuAFl3k
Your feeling that the arrangement sounded like it was from the soundtrack of the movie White Christmas, resonated with me. Here's what I posted on the Yule Log Message Board five years ago when I joined the search to solve this mystery:
You can find that entire message thread here:Quote:
Date Posted：12/07/2015 05:33:08
Golly, what a terrific arrangement of White Christmas!
"I sure hope you can solve the mystery. I'd love to have that in my collection. It's what I call "Cinematic Christmas Music," i.e. arrangements of Christmas songs that song like they could be playing on the soundtrack of an old-fashioned movie while the opening credits roll by."
http://theyulelog.aimoo.com/topic/My...s-32443-1047-1
I just looked googled Ron Goodwin and found this on Wikipedia: "Ronald Alfred Goodwin (17 February 1925 – 8 January 2003) was an English composer and conductor known for his film music." That might explain why we both thought his arrangement of White Christmas sounded like the soundtrack of a movie.
And his life ended like the ending of a Christmas movie too: "In December 2002, Goodwin completed his 32nd consecutive year of Christmas concerts in packed venues across the South of England. However, he had suffered from asthma for many years and the condition had worsened with age. On 7 January 2003, having completed conducting a series of Christmas concerts with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, he returned home and died in his sleep at Blacknest Cottage, Brimpton Common, Berkshire, on 8 January 2003, aged 77."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Goodwin
Thanks for all that information, Will!
I'm surprised no one's selling any MP3's of his music. I'm considering buying the record...
Hi again, Mistletoe!
You can listen to nearly all the tracks on the LP on youtube. Try this link:
Christmas Wonderland by Ron Goodwin
But none of the other tracks on the album have the same "cinematic feel" that the "White Christmas" track does.
As far as I can tell, the only track missing from that youtube playlist is the medley:
A Medley Of Carols
O Come All Ye Faithful
Away In A Manger
Good King Wenceslas
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
The Holly And The Ivy
The First Noël
Which disappoints me, since four of my all time favorite carols are included in that medley. But then, that does give me something to search for this coming Christmas season, doesn't it?
Over on falalalala.com yesterday I posted a request for help finding that "Medley of Carols," and almost instantaneously The King of Jingaling responded with this link:
A Medley Of Carols by Ron Goodwin
(Yesterday, I overlooked one other missing track on that youtube compilation: "Sleigh Ride." Maybe the King of Jingaling will be able to dig that one up for me too).
You're so helpful, Will- thanks! :christmastree: