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Hi- Christmas is right around the corner, and after about 20 years of being stubborn and not wanting to play it, I've given in... people love to hear Christmas carols (at least the people in my family do!) and I of course enjoy playing music that is appreciated. Any suggestions for beautiful, advanced Christmas music? Thanks.

Welcome to the forum, Caroline! George Winston's "Carol of the Bells" is absolutely beautiful. It's in his sheet music collection. (So is "Walking in the Air" from "The Snowman", but the transcription leaves out the middle part that Winston plays on the album, and it's not particularly advanced, though people sure do love it. )

I also love David Nevue's "God rest ye merry gentlemen." You can hear it on his website:

http://www.davidnevue.com/freedownloads.htm

Listen to the whole thing... it gets a lot more rhythmically challenging later on and is a heck of a lot of fun to play. The sheet music is only $3.95.

Good reminder... I need to start thinking about Christmas music.

I'm not really "advanced," more late intermediate, but here are some of my favorites:

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Great Piano Christmas Hits

Advanced Piano Solos Complete - Christmas Edition

It\'s Christmas

Selections From A Dave Brubeck Christmas

Jingle Jazz

Any standard hymnal will have loads of Christmas carols with gorgeous four-part harmonies. I love playing them, and they are familiar to everyone, so others love hearing them.

Hmm I have a few like Let it Snow, Silent Night, Rocking round the Christmas Tree and such. If you want them I can scan them to you. ^^

Thanks all! I will look into those selections!

The Carpenters', Merry Christmas Darling;
the jazzy piece, Driving Home for Christmas;
the old Christmas carol, Carolling the Bells.

I would lke to add my personal collection to the list. You can hear samples @www.pinaopassions.com. Hope you like them.
rada

Not actually advanced, but many really nice intermediate level arrangements of Christmas Carols that I'm currently working my way thru can be found in "The Big Book of Christmas Carols" available from sheetmusicplus.com.

Regards (and let me be the 1st: Merry Christmas!), JF

Hi there! I just wanted to thank you for posting the reference to David Nevue's xmas music. I just purchased a package of his sheet music, printed them and played them today. I can't wait to play them for my friends around xmas time. Really appreciate it!!

Glad you liked it! But I gotta warn you... his arrangements are addictive. I particularly like "Overcome" and "Watching the Clock."

Hi Caroline,

You might want to check out Mike Garson's " A Jazzy Christmas" Hopefully, it's still being sold. It came with recordings of Mike playing the music. It's great stuff with beautiful harmonic arrangements including the Vince Guarandi tune " Christmas Time Is Here" arranged by Mike. Also Silent Night, Silver Bells, Hark! The Harold Angles Sing... There are a total of 12 songs in the collection.
Mike Garson collaborated with Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, and Stanley Clark and more. He studied with Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans and more. He also spent a year touring with David Bowie.
It's a real pleasure learning and playing his arrangements.
I hope you check this one out. You'll like it.

Neil
Seattle
Mason and Hamlin BB, 92467

^ I was also going to recommend George Winston's Carol of the Bells. The song is so pure.

Oh wait you can also play the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky.