Famous (and Infamous) Holiday Tunes With Abundant Flute Magic
It is the time of year where you hear holiday music everywhere you go all day long. But have you ever stopped to think how much flute is in all the different recordings you are hearing? While any instrument can play arrangements of any holiday tune, it can be surprising how many pieces were originally written or recorded with flute features. Are you ready to hear some holiday tunes with abundant flute magic? Here is a top ten list of some of the most famous (or possibly infamous 😂) holiday pieces that have important flute (and piccolo) parts.
10. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas 🦛
You can find some piccolo in “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”, which is by John Rox and performed by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey in 1953. While not a huge role, it does have a few flashy runs and participates in some call and response with the singer. And I just love this Christmas tune so much that it had to make the list as long as it had some flute/piccolo in it 😁.
9. Home Alone 🏠
The soundtrack to the movie, “Home Alone”, was composed by the famous John Williams in 1990. In typical John Williams-fashion, there are plenty of fast runs on flute and piccolo as well as long melodic lines.
8. Polar Express 🚆
Another movie with both flashy and pretty tunes is “Polar Express” with the soundtrack composed by Alan Silvestri in 2004. This soundtrack is unique in that it not only uses flute and piccolo but also recorder (ex. 2:00 into the recording).
7. Toyland 🧸🪀
The song, “Toyland”, comes from an operetta called “Babes in Toyland” by Victor Herbert written in 1903, but has since been made into movies and other modern adaptations. The version here was made by Perry Como in 1968 and really features the flute. It starts with a flute solo and has a lot of flute interspersed throughout the whole tune.
If you like this version, you should still check out the original operetta which contains a fair amount of flute in itself!
6. Christmasland/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 🎄
Lots of slightly jazzy versions of Christmas songs contain flute (as evidenced by the previous song). To give another example (or two), many recordings by Tony Bennett (1926-2023) feature flute such as “Christmasland” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.
5. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! ❄️
Following the pattern, another great example is “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Dean Martin, especially the original version that he recorded in 1959 which interestingly doesn’t just feature flute but piccolos!
4. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town 🎅
Piccolo is actually more popular in holiday music than you might think, equal to flute! Another example is “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town”, by Fred Astaire who narrated and sung for the 1970 film of the same name. It features lots of piccolo acrobatics!
3. Frosty the Snowman ☃️and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 🦌
So I am cheating a little again with this next one and putting in two different songs, because they come from two classic movies, “Frosty the Snowman” made in 1969 and sung by Jimmy Durante and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” made in 1964 and sung by Burl Ives. They both contain lots of fast, happy flute and piccolo flourishes!
2. Sleigh Ride 🛷
Now this is where the music starts to become a little bit more infamous among flute players. Anyone who has ever played flute in band for long enough has likely had to play the wind band version of Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” composed in 1948. It is quite a fun piece but filled with some gnarly trills!
1. The Nutcracker 💂🐭🩰
It probably comes as no surprise to many flute enthusiasts that number 1 is “The Nutcracker” composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892. His famous ballet is just filled with many amazing (and infamously difficult) flute lines. The one featuring flute the most, however, has to be “Danse des Mirlitons” or “Dance of the Reed (or Toy) Flutes (or Pipes)”, which is for a flute trio.
But so many other parts of this work have just superb flute melodies. Another great example is the “Danse Chinoise” or “Chinese Dance” which has a really flashy flute solo. If you have not listened to the rest of “The Nutcracker”, I highly encourage you to do so! Or better yet, watch the ballet!
Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” which contains some of the most famous and memorable selections from the ballet. The “Danse Chinoise” starts at 11:50.
Easier Holiday Music
While all of the aforementioned pieces have some pretty incredible flute parts, they for the most part are not easy. If you are looking for some simpler or more beginner friendly music, check out the free “Holiday Flute Tunes” sheet music featuring music for Christmas, Hannukah, New Year’s and winter. They come in both mixed keys and band-friendly (aka flat) keys.
And don’t forget to deck your flute out for the holidays! Download and print the free “Winter Holidays Flute Rings” to make your flute look super festive!
Happy holidays!
