Christmas Music in the Parks

[diegorivera2]

I see a new member has asked regarding the Epcot Christmas loop (please check the alt.binaries sites) and it's unfortunately got me thinking about Christmas music in the parks. Can someone confirm/deny this particular loop differs from the loop played, year-round, outside 'It's a Wonderful Shop' on New York Street? (I know, I've asked this before -- thanks for humoring me.)

And, bon jour, Fran?ois; can you shed light on the DLP Main Street Christmas loop? I have a copy that plays at 1:02:14 and has a 2002 date. Is this the current loop and are you aware of a track listing including artists? Merci!

 

[DavidG]

As for the DLP Christmas loop, yes, it's the current one which has never changed as far as I can tell.

I once made an almost complete loop list based on that same copy that's floating around, and I've managed to hunt down quite a few of its tracks (some are available at The Sound of Magic -- unfortunately alongside a few tracks that are not part of the actual loop).

I'll see if I can find and post the list later on.

 

[diegorivera2]

Thanks!

 

[DavidG]

Here goes... performers listed where known.

1. Joy to the World (performed by Empire Brass)
2. Ihr Kinderlein kommet
3. The First Noel
4. Jingle Bells
5. Oh Come, All Ye Faithful (performed by Empire Brass)
6. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (performed by Canadian Brass)
7. Deck the Halls (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
8. Sleigh Ride (performed by Boston Pops Orchestra)
9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
10. Stille Nacht (Silent Night)
11. Good King Wenceslas
12. Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
13.Silver Bells (performed by Canadian Brass)
14. Three Kings of Orient
15. ?
16. Angels We Have Heard On High (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
17. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (performed by Boston Pops Orchestra)
18. Oh Come, All Ye Faithful (Version 2) performed by Philadelphia Brass
19. A Christmas Festival (Medley)
20. It came Upon A Midnight Clear (Version 1) (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
21. Carol of the Bells (performed by Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
22. Babes in Toyland (performed by Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
23. Carol of the Bells (performed by Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
24. Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
25. O Tannenbaum (performed by Empire Brass)
26. The Wassail Song (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
27. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (performed by Philadelphia Brass)
28. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Version 2)
29. Good King Wenceslas (Version 2)
30. Overture from The Muppet Christmas Carol OST

All the Philadelphia Brass tracks are from an album called "A Festival Of Carols In Brass," the Canadian Brass titles are from the aptly titled "Canadian Brass Christmas." For the others I don't have the album titles handy, but I'm sure a search on amazon.com will bring up some results.

 

[diegorivera2]

Fantastic! I tried to determine what track 15 was but am not sure (at the 25:57 mark) neither the tune nor the lyrics (French) are familiar. Anyone interested in taking a listen?

 

[plutogoodboy]

I don't know the French carol either. And I've always wondered why they play the identical Carol of the Bells tracks so closely together!

 

[diegorivera2]

My guess there is it's a medley and not three separate songs. I'll have to listen closely and see if that's possibly it.

 

[DavidG]

No, they're three seperate tracks allright. Sound of Magic has the exact versions used in the loop.

It's bizarre, but then again, I've come across a lot of (for me) inexplicable decisions made in Disney park BGM loops... Most likely it's an error they never bothered to fix.

Incidentally, "Babes in Toyland" is used in the exact same version for the Casey Jr. / Storybookland area loop.

 

[GrizzlyHall]

Am I the only one who isn't fond of the Epcot Christmas loop? ???

Also, did Frontierland used to have a Christmas loop? Something is telling me it did a few years ago, but it could be my memory playing tricks on me.

 

[tropi]

I assume you're referring to the Lights of Winter loop at Epcot? I admit there are parts which I'm not necessarily fond of, but all in all I think it's pretty good. Of course the problem I have with most Disney music is it simply reminds me of great memories with my daughter, so I'm a little biased towards anything that jogs that sort of memory.

...and as far as those lights of winter, Disney (and Epcot in particular) could do better. But seeing it more than a couple of times triggers that sort of response in most anything. And since it's on my mind, is it my imagination or has Epcot fixed or replaced a number of speakers around the world showcase? Maybe even added a few. Earlier this year things were sounding pretty bad, especially IllumiNations, but now the sound is pretty clear and there seem to be less dead spots.

 

[xfkirsten]

Also, did Frontierland used to have a Christmas loop? Something is telling me it did a few years ago, but it could be my memory playing tricks on me.

They may have... DL's Frontierland does, I know. It wouldn't surprise me if WDW's did as well, but I don't recall.

 

[DavidG]

An addendum to the DLP list; since my French is now somewhat better than when I originally made the list, I was now able to do a quick google search on some of the lyrics of the missing track and found out that the title is "La cloche de Noel"... So, at least as far as titles go, the list is now complete!