While Sleigh Ride is usually associated with Leroy Anderson, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his own version in February 1791. Mozart loved dancing; as he wrote to his friend Michael Puchberg in 1782, “I would be very glad if my music could be the means of making people dance." This wish came true as the Imperial Chamber Composer for Emperor Joseph II in Vienna. Mozart wrote ten sets of court dances, all but one composed for the balls held in the Imperial Palace. Die Schilttenfahrt, or “Sleigh Ride,” is part of the penultimate set Mozart composed before his death. The rise and fall of the tuned sleigh bells and the peaceful horn solo create the feeling of a tranquil winter day. 

—Jennifer More, ©2024