Leroy Anderson

Sleigh Ride

Leroy Anderson(Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1908 - Woodbury, Connecticut, 1975) was the son of Swedish immigrants. He studied music and foreign languages at the famous Harvard University before starting a brilliant musical career. He was a great church organ player, a fine conductor a great composer and mostly the successful arranger for the famous Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Arthur Fiedler. He turned into one of the very big champions of the musical 'novelty' with hits such as Belle of the Ball, Sandpaper Ballet, The Syncopated Clock and The Typewriter. In 1948 Anderson wrote Sleigh Ride which depicts a trip with a sleigh in a snow covered winter landscape. You can hear the sound of hoofs, sleigh bells, the clapping of the whip and horse neighing, typical novelty attributes. This work was released on the first Anderson long-playing record.