Such sentimental versions of the familiar story remind us that carolling, like the pub sing-along, has always been a way of bringing groups of ordinary people together around a musical accompaniment, to enjoy each other's company and celebrate a festive occasion.

BBC: A Point of View: The joy of Christmas carols

Clergy from the four main Christian denominations in Northern Ireland said prayers, while a military marching band provided a solemn musical accompaniment.

BBC: The Queen at the Cenotaph

That would certainly be more tranquil than this farrago, which allows no sequence, however fleeting or slight, to pass without a crunching musical accompaniment.

NEWYORKER: This Means War

Traditionally sung by a Manaschi without musical accompaniment, epic performances takes place at social gatherings, community celebrations, ceremonies such as weddings and funerals and dedicated concerts.

UNESCO: Culture

It is performed, usually sitting, to the musical accompaniment of a duduk during weddings, birthdays, christenings and major national cultural events.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES

This silent animations were brought to life with musical accompaniment from multi-instrumentalist Kieron Maguire who provided a semi-improvised score using guitar and viola.

BBC: Jersey - Cardboard cartoons and improv

Characterized by the accompaniment of the ''saz, '' a stringed musical instrument, the classical repertoire includes 200 songs, 150 literary-musical compositions known as ''dastans, '' nearly 2, 000 poems in different traditional poetic forms and numerous stories.

UNESCO: Culture

The traditional style involves a large circle of dancers, sometimes with onlookers who sing an accompaniment without musical instrumentation.

UNESCO: Culture