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Award-winning British composer Thomas Hewitt Jones, who has an unashamed love for Christmas and Christmas music, has released a selection of new music for the festive season – from carols for choirs to a dramatic retelling of the Christmas Story, featuring Stephen Fry. Plus a few “Christmas crackers” to entertain and delight…..

Onward We Go

A tuneful, warm and nostalgic tribute to the Christmas story, scored for the children’s touchingly young voices with piano, electric bass and instrumentalists. Words by Gordon Giles, Canon of Rochester Cathedral. Performed by the children’s choir of St Stephen’s Church, Dulwich, directed by Caroline Lenton-Ward. Sheet music available from Stainer & Bell.

The Christmas Story, narrated by Stephen Fry

A dramatic orchestral retelling of the Christmas Story, as told by the Gospel of Luke, narrated by acclaimed actor, broadcaster, comedian, presenter, writer and national treasure Stephen Fry, with the Scottish Session Orchestra and Choristers of St Martin-in-the-Fields, directed by Andrew Earis. Score published by Stainer & Bell.

The Christmas Story will be broadcast on ClassicFM at 6.45pm on Christmas Eve.

The Funny Snowman

From the composer who brought us TikTok sensation ‘Funny Song’, comes another catchy, toe-tapping tune. ‘The Funny Snowman’ has a wonderfully nostalgic vibe, with vocals reminiscent of Frank Sinatra, a “tap dance” section worthy of Morecombe and Wise, and memorable, singalong lyrics which are sure to bring Christmas cheer and merriment. Words by Gordon Giles, Canon of Rochester Cathedral, sung by Freddie Benedict.

Christmas Delivery

Thomas Hewitt Jones says, ‘I am traditionally a last-minute present buyer and wrapper, and the couple of days before Christmas in my family have often been appropriately fraught. I wanted to write an unashamedly light-hearted orchestral encore in the same vein as the orchestral pops of composers such as Leroy Anderson – depicting the mad Christmas rush leading up to the 25th each December. If you listen carefully, you can hear Santa in his sleigh in the sky above, dashing through snowy skies, as the warmth of Christmas is evident to the end.‘

Played by the Scottish Session Orchestra

Camel Carol

The three Magi defer to their trusty steeds in Thomas Hewitt Jones’s hilarious Camel Carol – a perfect offering for choirs this Christmas. Scored for SATB voices and organ, Camel Carol is a light-hearted yet theologically serious take on the visit of the Three Wise Men with their precious gifts, from a trio of grumpy yet not unperspicacious dromedaries. Words by Gordon Giles, Canon of Rochester Cathedral. Sheet music available from Stainer & Bell.

A Child’s Christmas

A collection of orchestral music for Christmas by British composers, curated by Philip Lane, ‘the doyen of light music’ (Gramophone), expertly played by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Works by Victor Hely-Hutchinson, Gordon Thornett, Adam Saunders, Thomas Hewitt Jones, Roy Moore, Bryan Kelly, John Lanchbery, and Philip Lane. Performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by Barry Wordsworth & Gavin Sutherland and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Julian Bigg

Released by Heritage Records and available on CD and via streaming.

And finally…..

Crazy Frog Does Funny Song

Funny Song has become a viral sensation with over 14 billion streams on TikTok (it also appears in the new ABRSM Grade 2 cello syllabus!). In its latest incarnation, Crazy Frog, who spawned a worldwide hit single in 2003, and numerous spin offs, does Funny Song. The video has enjoyed almost 6 million views to date since it was launched a couple of weeks ago.

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Classic FM, the UK’s most popular classical music station, is releasing a new, free podcast aimed at introducing children to classical music in a fun and accessible way. The 10-episode series is narrated by the bestselling children’s author and TV personality David Walliams.

Launching on Monday 4th February, each episode will take listeners on a weird and wonderful journey into the world of classical music. As well as discovering what some of the greatest composers such as Mozart and Beethoven were really like, Walliams travels inside a piano, investigates the strangest instruments on the planet, and meets the mavericks and divas who took the classical music world by storm. Having sold more than 25 million children’s books, Walliams’ sense of humour, fun and enthusiasm make him the perfect host of the podcast.

Aimed at children aged 7 to 12 years old, as well as their families, David Walliams’ Marvellous Musical Podcast has been created by Classic FM to demonstrate that classical music is as relevant to young people as it is to adults. Currently 680,000 under-25-year-olds tune in to Classic FM each week and in November last year, the station launched the third series of its popular programme dedicated entirely to video game music.

David Walliams said: “I’m incredibly happy to be working with Classic FM on a brand new venture, bringing the fascinating stories and the works of iconic composers to life, through fun and insightful storytelling. It’s wonderful to be able to bring a whole genre of music to a new generation of children, whilst getting the rest of the family listening and enjoying at the same time.”

Classic FM’s managing editor Sam Jackson said: “At Classic FM, we have always passionately believed that classical music is for all – young, old, and everyone in between. That’s why we’re excited to launch David Walliams’ Marvellous Musical Podcast. As a father of four young children myself, I think it’s the perfect way to introduce the next generation to classical music – not to mention adults, too. It’s fun, it’s entertaining, it’s cheeky and we know it will attract many new listeners to enjoy what we at Classic FM proudly declare to be the world’s greatest music.”

The launch of the podcast coincides with the new podcasts feature in the Global Player app. The Global Player is Global’s entertainment hub, which allows listeners worldwide to enjoy all Global’s radio brands, Heart, Capital, Smooth, Classic FM, Radio X, LBC, Capital XTRA and Gold, all in one place. A catalogue of 1,500 premium podcasts from a wide variety of publishers including the BBC will be available curated by the audio industry experts at Global. The new section features premium podcasts across a range of categories including Business, Technology and Sport, suggesting new podcasts for listeners based on their interests.

David Walliams’ Marvellous Musical Podcast is available to download from the Global Player and other major podcast platforms from Monday 4th February. Listen to the trailer and subscribe to the podcast now to hear the first episode as soon as it’s released.

(Source: press release)