Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops play a medley of “Here We Come A-Caroling/O Tannenbaum/I Saw Three Ships” from a 1972 performance with choir.

The Pops have surely been able to attract charismatic conductors, haven’t they? From Fiedler (fifty years!) to John Williams (fourteen years) to Keith Lockhart (1995 to present), they’ve been led by dynamic music directors able to keep the orchestra a big part of not only Boston but the country as a whole.