The Best Instrumental Christmas Recordings

I know, I know, not ANOTHER blog on Christmas music! But all-instrumental recordings are an animal all their own, and one that I barely touched on in my other Christmas music blogs. I've already mentioned the Boston Pops' recording(s) of Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, but there are plenty more fantastic instrumentals from many different genres that are wonderful listens on a snowy evening in December. Here are a few of my favorite instrumental Christmas recordings.

Carol of the Bells: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Not exactly for traditionalists, but if you appreciate really well-done, technically skilled "head-banging" music licks, this is the version for you. It opens with an electronic but relatively traditional arrangement, then vamps into screaming electric guitars wailing into the stratosphere. It's not for all tastes, but it's great if you need some really upbeat, energetic music to break you out of a holiday funk.

Carol of the Birds: Mannheim Steamroller

Mannheim Steamroller fascinates me, with their wildly-varied orchestrations, from authentic Renaissance instruments to synthesizers and wailing electric guitars. And as much as I enjoy their funky, modern takes on Christmas songs, it's often the Renaissance arrangements I go back to again and again. "Carol of the Birds" is a rarely-heard carol, but one that I love, and their instrumentation in this recording creates a lovely sense of being outside, listening to the birds.

The Nutcracker Ballet: The Kirov Orchestra

There are literally hundreds of recordings of all or part of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" to choose from (see this article for an excellent comparison of some favorites), but I'm particularly fond of both the Kirov Ballet's video performance and the Kirov Orchestra's recording under the baton of Valery Gergiev. The rhythms are unbelievably crisp, the intonation is perfect, and the tempos are barely human. Just gorgeous, and you can picture the entire ballet in your mind while listening.

Christmas Time Is Here: Vince Guaraldi Trio

When you think of Charlie Brown, you think of the music of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. And when you think of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," you think of "Christmas Time Is Here." As much as we all love the version in the special where all the kids sing, the instrumental version by the Trio is as smooth and mellow and relaxing as a mug of eggnog by the fire.

Santa Baby: Herb Alpert

Eartha Kitt may have recorded the ultimate vocal version of "Santa Baby," but Herb Alpert (sans the Tijuana Brass) released the ultimate instrumental version just this year on his album, "The Christmas Wish". From the opening plunks of the electric bass, joined first by bongos then by Alpert's jazzy trumpet, and finally backed by a full jazz orchestra, this version will have you grooving merrily around your Christmas tree from beginning to end.

Winter Wonderland: Harry Connick, Jr.

Connick has released several versions of "Winter Wonderland" with vocals (including a delightful duet with his daughter Kate), but this solo piano version from the soundtrack of "When Harry Met Sally" is bluesy and jazzy and rockin' and has a merry ol' time goofing around with the melody. It feels like having a really talented friend noodling around on your piano while you wrap presents by the fireplace.

A Christmas Festival: The Boston Pops

This brilliant medley of Christmas favorites arranged by Leroy Anderson is a staple of high school and college bands and professional orchestras alike. (It's even the overture to the Christmas show my family performs in every year.) If you listen carefully, you'll hear Joy to the World, Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Good King Wenceslas, Hark the Herald Angels, The First Noel, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful arranged in styles from a delicate music box to a military march.

Ding Dong Merrily On High: The Canadian Brass

Being a French horn player, I'm naturally a sucker for brass quintets, especially at Christmas. This album is one of my favorites, and this song is one of my favorites from the album. I love that it starts with bells, the segues into the quintet, eventually adding an orchestra and a pipe organ.

O Holy Night: National Philharmonic Orchestra

The National Philharmonic accompanied Luciano Pavarotti in a much more well-known vocal version of this piece, but their orchestral arrangement is equally awe-inspiring. If you've never listened to this piece as an instrumental, give it a chance. You may be surprised at how moving it is, even without lyrics.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: The Empire Brass

Another brass quintet arrangement that adds other instrumentation - in this case, a dulcimer and finger cymbals - to a well-known carol, this recording takes a simple and haunting melody and lets it shine with antiphonal echoes and descants rather than harmonies. The melodies chase each other and wind together, much like the path of the Three Kings of old winding through the desert, with a glorious resolve on the final chord.

Jingle Bells: The Count Basie Orchestra

You think that "Jingle Bells" is a boring Christmas song? You've got another think coming after you listen to Basie's swinging arrangement featuring soaring trumpet solos, lively drum breaks, and just general coolness throughout. Need another dose of Christmas Basie? Check out "Good Swing Wenceslas". It doesn't get any cooler than that.

Contemporary Carols

Last week, I blogged about the most iconic recordings of Christmas carols. My criteria then were that each song had to have multiple covers by other artists, and each artist had to be the one that most people thought of when they thought of that particular Christmas song. So I really only considered recordings that have been out for quite some time - as you can see from my list, the majority of the songs were recorded prior to 1970. But of course, there are some wonderful recordings from more contemporary artists and groups. So today's blog is a list of some of my favorite Christmas recordings from more recent years - let's limit it to recordings released in the last 20 years or so. Some of them are newer recordings of the same classics as my previous blog, but some are newer songs - but ones that I think should become classics down the road.

These are some of my favorite contemporary Christmas recordings, in no particular order.

Baby, It's Cold Outside: Michael Buble and Idina Menzel

This song has gotten a bad rap as the "date rape" song, and while I don't see it that way in its original context and time period, I appreciate that Buble and Menzel rewrote the lyrics to make it flirty instead of creepy. I also love the sweet video with two adorable tweens dancing and lip-synching, It gives it the cozy charm intended by the original composer, and Buble and Menzel have just the right voices and styles to keep it feeling retro but still fresh and contemporary.

Where Are You, Christmas?: Faith Hill

Originally recorded by a very young Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who in Jim Carrey's version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Mariah Carey recorded a pop version which was never released due to legal complications. Hill then released her recording, along with a video interspersing footage from the movie with Hill singing. Hill's version is poignant and emotional without (quite) being overwrought, and it shows off her spectacular and powerful voice.

The Man with the Bag: Jessie J

I've always loved this song, whether it's the original Kay Starr recording, the Brian Setzer Orchestra version, or anything in between. Jessie J's rich voice and laid-back delivery capture the saucy spirit of the original while still bringing a fresh voice to the song. And it doesn't hurt that she's backed by an absolutely rocking big band.

Holly Jolly Christmas: Harry Connick, Jr.

Picking just one Harry Connick, Jr. Christmas tune wasn't easy - I love (almost) all of his jazzy takes on Christmas classics, as well as some lesser-known holiday tunes. But his recording of "Holly Jolly Christmas,"a song made famous by Burl Ives' performance in the Rankin-Bass special, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," is one of my favorites, partly because it features his fabulous orchestra cutting loose for long stretches, with Connick's silky-smooth vocals playing around with the melody just enough to make it fun without losing the tune entirely. It's completely different from Ives' recording, yet equally delightful.

The Little Drummer Boy: Pentatonix

I'm not always a fan of combining beat-boxing with classic Christmas music, but for obvious reasons, it seems to work for this particular song. I love that each vocalist has his or her own style, yet they blend together so beautifully. The clear voices and perfect harmonies of this recording makes it one of my favorite Pentatonix holiday pieces.

Winter Wonderland: Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett

Weirdest pairing ever, right? But Gaga is nothing if not a musical chameleon, and she sells this song with her rich, belty jazz vocals, and Bennett's voice belies his age. The two sound like they're having the time of their lives, with a surprisingly good blend of both sound and style. And I love Gaga's delighted, "Tony! It's snowin'!" at the end.

O Holy Night: NSYNC

This lovely a cappella arrangement is a little jazzy without straying too far from the original, and it is proof positive that these guys can sing. I adore this piece in its classical, operatic setting, but this recording proves it can be equally beautiful and moving when performed in a completely different style.

Jingle Bells: Diana Krall

By now I'm sure you're sensing that my favorite new recordings stray just far enough but not too far from the originals, and Krall's "Jingle Bells" is no exception. She sings the first couple of verses pretty straight, playing just a hair with the rhythms but generally sticking to the melody. But then she and the band let loose and jazz out - vocals, orchestra, and keyboard. So much fun!

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear: Josh Groban

Groban's rich voice is perfect for this lovely, gentle carol, and I love the way this recording builds from simple piano accompaniment and a single voice, to adding a second voice on harmony and a few strings, and finally soaring to a full orchestra and full chorale accompaniment in a gospel style.

O Little Town of Bethlehem: Sarah McLachlan

The guitar accompaniment allows McLachlan's gorgeous vocals to shine. I love the way she completely rewrites the melody within the original chord structure so it still feels as familiar as the original. Her distinctive almost-yodel as she pops between her head voice and chest voice works beautifully in this arrangement.