Hely-Hutchinson’s Christmas Symphony is, in a word, charming. It manages to be thoroughly Christmasy through and through, and while somewhat musically less sophisticated than the typical symphony, it is on the other hand a great deal more substantial than a mere medley of carols. It never jars the ear with anything that is less than seasonally appropriate, and I suppose that you could say I’m damning with faint praise with such an observation, but I really do like the piece. It’s only that it pales (a little) set beside the Patric Stanford symphony. Now Stanford’s work came along in the late 70s, a full 50 years after Hely-Hutchinson’s, and you would expect it to be a little more…modern, sophisticated, substantial. And it is. And better still, it manages to be all these things without giving up any of the holiday spirit. Shoot and score. Honestly, I can’t figure out why both of these symphonies aren’t played at holiday pops concerts year in and year out. The term “symphony” maybe used loosely here, but that can’t detract from their listenability.