I am not sure how many of you are working on pieces for the holidays, but as I sit still trying to figure out just what it is I am playing for the family "program". The event consists of 3 generations of pianists ranging from age 12 to 72 (I'm the one in the middle LOL). I wondered what eveyone else here was planning, if anything?

The 12 year old is in charge of the program this year and all I know at this moment is that she and I will play a duet of some sort....it will be Christmas music but beyond that who knows... :rolleyes:

Let's have some fun and get some inspiration!

Anne

Just the standard fare. The husband and son have only been playing since March, so nothing too complicated. The son's playing "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" and a real cute version of "Jingle Bells" with lots of grace notes. The husband is playing "What Child is This" (it that what "Greensleeves" is called?) and "Silent Night." I haven't really learned a Christmas song, though I did recently learn the Thomas Jefferson version of "Amazing Grace" (it's real gospel-y sounding).

I do have a question to which someone out there may know the answer. My son is also learning as sort of a present to me, "The First Noel," my favorite carol. It's from a book called, "Just for Kids Not! Christmas Carols," which include duets. Well, the bass part of the duet for "The First Noel," like the treble (simpler) part, is in 3/4 time. But there are a couple of measures where the notes add up to 4 and a half counts! This is so weird. Even the piano teacher can't figure it out. Anyone ever seen this particular version? This was supposed to be our big project together for the holidays, but I'm afraid I won't be able to hold up my end of the bargain.

penny

I have a standing repertory of not-specifically-Christmas pieces that people seem to like to hear before I'm obliged to play for carol singing. These are fairly short, festive selections that tend to work well on out-of-tune spinet and console pianos. (I revive a couple of works from the list every year and only play one "recital piece" before the carols at any particular party or gathering.)

Bach: Concerto in the Italian Style (1st mvt.), B.W.V. 971

Haydn: Sonata in G Major (3rd mvt.), Hob. XVI/39;
Fantasia (Capriccio) in C Major, Hob. XVII/4

Mozart: Sonata in C Major (3rd mvt.), K. 279;
Sonata in D Major (1st mvt.), K. 284

For adult group singing, you have to be careful about finding arrangements that are not too high. This usually means the melody hovers around the middle of the keyboard. It helps to make up carol text handout sheets and make people stick to the provided selections, or you get into the endless request bit.

[ December 04, 2001: Message edited by: MacDuff ]

I always find it fun to get a Christmas fake book and play carols in the jazz style

I might start to work on some christmas pieces. As of now, they are fairly difficult pieces. (Well, I'm no virtuoso at the harmonica...yet .)

[ December 04, 2001: Message edited by: SethW ]

seeing as i've only been playing for a few months now...

I think I'll be playing Blow the man down, and Cafe Vienna

=) lol

all in good time

I found a wonderful book called "Advanced Carol Book" which was published by Thomas Music Company, Publishers and it has really fun arrangements of many Christmas standards. I'm currently working on "Jingle Bells".

From the back cover: "Eight Christmas-time songs in beautifully styled "filled-in" arrangements with scales, arpeggios, broken chords, etc."

Ok, what's the emoticon for blushing? I'll use this one! I figured out my timing problem with The First Noel Duet. Shows you I've never done duets! But the left and right hands are on the same staff, so you just hold a note with the left and play the rest of the notes with the right. It looks like more than three beats, but it's not! Duh!

penny

Well, since I like Schuhmann a lot, I am refreshing some of the pieces from the "Album for the Young": Winterzeit (Wintertime) which really gives you a feeling of a snow covered, icy landscape and distant churchbells (which we obviously do not have at the moment) and "Knecht Ruprecht" of course (Today's piece, since the 6th of December is St.Nicolas day).
Additionally some of Mozart's variations on "Ah vous dirais-je, maman" which is at the same time the melody of a traditional christmas song. Charlie Brown's "Christmas Time is here"
Whish you all happy practising!

Ruth