The Styrous® Viewfinder: Pops Goes Christmas

December 17, 2020

Jack Haley articles/mentions

mentions:
Arthur Fiedler ~ Pops Goes Christmas
The Wizard of Oz

Jack Haley - 1930's

photographer unknown

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20,000 vinyl LP 260: Arthur Fiedler ~ Pops Goes Christmas

Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops ~ Pops Goes Christmas

vinyl LP front cover

cover photo by David B. Hecht

photo of album cover by Styrous®

Today is the birthday of Arthur Fiedler who was born in n Boston, Massachusetts, in 1894, to parents who were Austrian Jewish immigrants. His father was a violinist who played in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and his mother was a pianist.

What better tribute to this event at this time of year than his Christmas album? All the songs are standards so nothing to really say about them other than his treatment of them.

Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops ~ Pops Goes Christmas

vinyl LP back cover

back cover photo by David B. Hecht

photo of album back cover by Styrous®

The one stand out on the album is the now traditional song, The Toy Trumpet. The song was written in 1937 by Raymond Scott who was an American composer, band leader, pianist, record producer, and inventor of electronic instruments (link below). The trumpet solo is by Al Hirt who uses a trumpet mute so that it sounds distant, however, the arrangement is jazzy and fast. A very nice treatment of the song.

In the finale of the 1938 film, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson sing and dance to the song and they use the original version by Scott. The musical comedy film was directed by Allan Dwan and in addition, it starred Randolph Scott (no relation to Raymond) and Jack Haley who would portray the Tin Man the following year in the MGM film The Wizard of Oz.

Randolph Scott & Shirley Temple ~ Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson ~ Shirley Temple ~ Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

The original version of The Toy Trumpet was recorded by The Raymond Scott Quintette in New York City on February 20, 1937 (link below). It was much faster, jazzier and stopped for a vamp stroll near the end. It featured Pete Pimiglio on clarinet, Dave Harris on sax, Dave Wade took the trumpet part, Raymond Scott played piano and Johnny Williams was on drums. Williams would later be the father of film score composer and Boston Pops Conductor John Williams. Funny how things come around.

Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops ~ Pops Goes Christmas

vinyl LP back cover detail

detail photo by Styrous®

A Christmas Festival was written by Leroy Anderson, in 1950. It was first performed on June 12, 1950, and recorded by Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops on June 19 of the same year. It is a medley of standard Christmas songs and ends with Joy To the World and a grand organ.

Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops ~ Pops Goes Christmas

vinyl LP back cover details

detail photos by Styrous®

Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops ~ Pops Goes Christmas

vinyl LP record labels, side 1 & 2

photos by Styrous®

Tracklist:

Side 1:

        Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – A Christmas Festival - (8:34)
A1a    Joy To The World
A1b    Deck The Halls
A1c    Good King Wenceslas
A1d    God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
A1e    Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
A1f    The First Nowell
A1g    Silent Night
A1h    Jingle Bells
A1i    O Come, All Ye Faithful

A2    Arthur Fiedler And His Chorus And Orchestra* – The Little Drummer Boy - 2:28
A3    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – What Child Is This? - 5:34
A4    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – The Toy Trumpet, Trumpet – Al Hirt - 2:32
A5    Arthur Fiedler And His Chorus – Carol Of The Bells - 1:10
A6    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – March Of The Toys - 3:46

Side 2:

B1 Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – White Christmas, Violin – Alfred Krips - 2:46

        Arthur Fiedler And His Chorus And Orchestra* – Medley - (5:05)
B2a    Here We Come A-Caroling
B2b    O Christmas Tree
B2c    I Saw Three Ships

B3    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers - 3:52
B4    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – Sleigh Ride - 2:52
B5    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - 2:08
B6    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - 2:35
B7    Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orch.* – Winter Wonderland - 2:54
B8    Arthur Fiedler And His Chorus And Orchestra* – Silent Night - 2:20

Companies, etc.

    Copyright © – RCA Records
    Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis

Credits:

    Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
    Engineer [Recording] – Bernard Keville
    Photography By – David B. Hecht
    Producer – Peter Dellheim

Notes:

℗ © 1972, RCA Records

The label style, with "RCA" above the center hole to the left of Nipper and "Red Seal" on its side to the right of the center hole, indicates a 1976 to late-1980s pressing.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side A label): BRRS-3815
    Matrix / Runout (Side B label): BRRS-3816
    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched): BRRS-3815-7S I A1
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped except "I" and "K" etched): BRRS 3816 36 I A1K
    Rights Society: ASCAP
    Pressing Plant ID (Etched in runouts): I

Arthur Fiedler / Boston Pops* And Arthur Fiedler Chorus* And Orchestra* – Pops Goes Christmas
Label: RCA Red Seal – LSC-3324
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue
Country: US
Original release: 1972
Released: 1976 - 1980
Genre: Pop, Classical
Style: Religious, Choral, Light Music

Viewfinder links:

Leroy Anderson

Arthur Fiedler

Jack Haley

Al Hirt

Bill Robinson

Randolph Scott

Raymond Scott

Shirley Temple

John Williams

Net links:

Boston Pops ~ A Brief History of the Boston Pops