“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!“, also known as simply “Let It Snow“, is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945 in Hollywood, California, during a heatwave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions. The song was first recorded that fall by Vaughn Monroe, was released just after Thanksgiving, and became a hit by Christmas.
Despite the lyrics making no mention of any holiday, the song has come to be regarded as a Christmas song worldwide due to its winter theme, and is often played on radio stations during the Christmas and holiday season, and having often been covered by various artists on Christmas-themed albums.
In this lesson we are taking a different path as we explore together how we can create different harmonic progressions to fit this simple melody.
As usual, we study the chords, scales, the form, and I composed a bebop etude available in concert, E-flat and B-flat.
Listen to the playlist and let me know in the comments which is your favorite version!
Video lessons:
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5 comments on “Let It Snow”
I’ve got one interpretation with flute (Karen Stachel).
I heard of this tune for the first time in the seventies by Sinatra, but this is not my preferred version, although Sinatra was a great artist, with great arrangements.
I largely prefer the version by “The Amazing Keystone Big Band. Swing is ever present from the very beginning to the end and the arrangement is tasteful. I like too the alto chorus. I was surprised to hear the vocal by pianist Pablo Campos, a friend from Pays Basque.
I appreciate the version by Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band too. The chorus by Arturo Sandoval is a good surprise; this musician is somewhat forgotten here.
The vocal group is amazing too: swing ever present, arrangements. Every thing is perfect here.
I love the Keystone version as well! One of my favorite current big bands!
Practicing on the tenor:
Playing the etude on the soprano: