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Belle Chen: My Christmas Top Five

With so many fantastic festive recordings and re-imaginations to choose from, I’ve picked five recordings that tell a bit of my personal story and my journey as a pianist-composer. These range from classical canon to new repertoire, with something a little quirky, perhaps unexpected; hoping this playlist puts a smile on your face!

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5 Tracks • 20:58

1. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker op. 71: Miniature Overture

Recording: Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle, 2010 (Warner Classics)


Although not a carol, this is one of the first tunes I’ve come to associate with Christmas, being a work that was often heard during the Christmas period in Taiwan. I’ve always loved the story of The Nutcracker, there’s something about toy characters coming to life on Christmas Eve that

sparks my imagination. The joy and anticipation is perfectly captured in this Berliner Philharmoniker recording. The light yet building urgency of the strings in the Miniature Overture paints a wonderful image of people readying themselves for Christmas, thus forming a suitable opening for this playlist.


2. Leontovych: Carol of the Bells - Belle Chen remake

Recording: Prepared for Christmas, 2023 (Eito Music)


There have been so many fantastic remakes and arrangements of ‘Carol of the Bells,’ for orchestra, choir, chamber ensembles, piano… I thought hard about how I can possibly contribute to the wealth of recordings already out there, so I decided to to create a spin that’ll hopefully

immediately recognisable… with use of prepared piano. This remake comes after an extended period of composing specifically for immersive audio. In this tune, I wanted to create a feeling of being in a festive piazza, where bells are ringing all around the listener. This was done with prepared piano; the timbres created by metal screws, putty, and mallets can be heard. All the parts combine to create a mysterious yet festive atmosphere, with a slightly chaotic energy.


3. Sakamoto: Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

Recording: Trio KlaVIS, 2015 (Orlando Records)


This is a beautiful tune that has been covered extensively over last decade (often during Christmas time). There’s an immediate feeling of sweetness and nostalgia that comes from hearing this piece; which has truly developed a life of its own beyond the original film. This beautiful arrangement by Trio KlaVis creates a lovely ambient texture through its instrumentation, while staying true to the original work.

For me, Ryuichi Sakamoto was such an incredible artist whose output span across so many different genres and mediums. Often there is a pressure for artists to fit neatly in a box, a genre, an angle, and I feel that Sakamoto is a north star for those of us who don’t fit quite so neatly.


4. James: Australian Christmas Carols: The Three Drovers

Recording: William G. James, John Wheeler, Yvonne Kenny, David Stanhope, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, 1999 (ABC Classic)


My first true understanding of the cultural meaning of Christmas was when I was in Australia. For us, Christmas happens in Summer, so naturally the scenery and the atmosphere differ greatly from the imagery painted by traditional European carols. This 1948 Australian Christmas carol (composed by William G. James with text by John Wheeler) effortlessly marries the feeling of festivity with the Australian landscape and way of life. Here we hear a lush performance by the legendary Yvonne Kenny with David Stanhope and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.


5. Gillespie/Coots: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Live

Recording: Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette, 2018 (ECM Records)


There’s always something distinctively magical about Keith Jarrett’s live performances and I was so glad when I first found this live recording of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by this iconic trio. The famous melody is heard early in the track, before we are taken on a ride with the solos. Flying virtuosic lines that soar amidst tension and release provided by re-harmonisation and a very cool groove. Every now and then the original melody is quoted in a quirky way, it keeps us on our toes! The energy is high and it’s hard not to bob along to this performance.