Christmas Carols for Piano / Keyboard: Easy Beginners Arrangements for One or Two Hands

Synopsis

All of the arrangements in this book are fairly simple and have been arranged in a way that a fair degree of harmony can be heard even with just two notes, making them satisfying and fun to play. All the essential fingering has been added where necessary, although you will occasionally see two numbers together in brackets - (3-2) etc. - this is used for either a finger change ready for the next note or for the second part of a repeated section. For anyone unable to use both hands, simply play the melody alone with the right hand. There is also a chord line for auto accompaniment or guitar etc. NOW IN COLOUR The peices featured are listed below: ● Ding Dong Merrily on High ● O Little Town of Bethlehem ● We Wish You a Merry Christmas ● O Come, All Ye Faithful ● Away in a Manger ● Jingle Bells ● Joy to The World ● O Christmas Tree ● We Three Kings of Orient Are ● God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen ● Good King Wenceslas ● Once in Royal David's City ● While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night ● Angels from the Realms of Glory ● Silent Night ● Hark the Herald Angel Sings ● The Holy and the Ivy ● The First Noel ● Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ● Little Donkey ● In the Bleak Mid-Winter ● Jolly Old St. Nicholas ● It Came Upon a Midnight Clear ● I Saw Three Ships

Summary

Chapter 1: Basic Christmas Carols

* Jingle Bells: A simple 1-hand arrangement in the key of C major. The right hand plays the melody while the left hand provides a basic accompaniment.
* We Wish You a Merry Christmas: A 2-hand arrangement in the key of G major. The right hand plays the melody while the left hand plays a simple bass line and chords.
* Silent Night: A 1-hand arrangement in the key of D minor. The melody is played with the right hand, and the left hand provides a sparse accompaniment with sustained notes.

Chapter 2: Intermediate Christmas Carols

* Deck the Halls: A 2-hand arrangement in the key of F major. The right hand plays a decorated version of the melody while the left hand provides a more complex accompaniment with countermelodies and syncopated rhythms.
* The First Noel: A 1-hand arrangement in the key of C major. The melody is played by the right hand, and the left hand plays a fuller accompaniment with alternating chords and arpeggios.
* O Come, All Ye Faithful: A 2-hand arrangement in the key of G major. This arrangement features a richer harmonic texture with harmonies in both hands and a flowing accompaniment in the left hand.

Chapter 3: Advanced Christmas Carols

* God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen: A 1-hand arrangement in the key of F major. This arrangement is more challenging than the previous ones, with a more intricate melody and a richer accompaniment.
* Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: A 2-hand arrangement in the key of C major. This arrangement features a soaring melody in the right hand and a full accompaniment in the left hand with Alberti bass and chordal passages.
* O Holy Night: A 2-hand arrangement in the key of E minor. This arrangement is a more lyrical interpretation of the traditional hymn, with expressive harmonies and a flowing melodic line.

Chapter 4: Christmas Medley

* A multi-hand arrangement that combines several Christmas carols, such as "Jingle Bells," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," and "Silent Night." This arrangement is perfect for a festive performance or as a holiday party staple.

Example:

Jingle Bells (1-hand arrangement)

* Right hand: C5, C5, G5, G5
* Left hand: C4, C4, G4, G4

This simple arrangement captures the essence of the melody with minimal notes and a basic accompaniment. It is a suitable introduction to piano for beginners with little prior knowledge.