There are plenty of “big pieces” to choose from with some sort of ‘seasonal’ theme – especially if the theme is winter rather than specifically Christmas.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tchaikovsky’s later symphonies are the “popular” ones but his first is also really nice and is subtitled “Winter Daydreams”.<\/p>\n
I played this (nearly fifty years ago \ud83d\ude31) and had an interesting lesson in the physics of music making. We were playing in a school hall and the horn section were sitting with our backs to the stage. In the middle of the 1st movement there is a passage where the horns start playing in unison – then move to seconds – then thirds and so on.<\/p>\n
The effect of the other players’ sound waves bouncing back off the stage and hitting the bell of my horn when we were playing the seconds was quite strange and set the instrument vibrating. Its the only time I have ever felt that happen – it has to be said that I haven’t often played up against a wall!!<\/p>\n
Anyway – if you don’t already know it – its a great symphony – well worth a listen (and, as always, Tchaikovsky’s horn parts are good to play)<\/p>\n