Solo Piano Arrangement of THE CHRISTMAS SONG By Thomas Gunther
Here you can listen to and purchase the sheet music of my contemporary solo piano arrangement of The Christmas Song.
"The Christmas Song" is maybe the most popular Christmas Song in the USA. Some know it as "Chestnuts Roasted On An Open Fire" or "Merry Christmas to You".
The melody is absolutely beautiful, and the chord changes super interesting. I especially like Nat King Cole's version, which is in Db major. To make it easier for intermediate piano players I wrote my piano solo arrangement in C major instead. It is still challenging enough.
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About The Arrangement
The arrangement is written in jazz ballade style. It doesn't swing. I includes a fun double time improvisation section though which I made up on the spot during the second B section when I recorded the song. It is in latin style.
The arrangement can be performed with or without improvisation. Should you be a jazz pianist you could use the included chord symbols to make up your own improvisation.
About The Sheet Music
The sheet music is the exact transcription of my recording, including the improvisation part. (You can listen to it and see me perform in the video below.)
The sheet music contains jazz chord symbols and plentiful of articulations as well as some dynamic markings.
How This Arrangement Came About
May arrangement is heavily based on the Nat King Cole version. I love the ballade feel and the beautiful chord substitutions he uses in the orchestration. First I simply played along with his version in Db major. This helped me to figure out the harmony. Next I start thinking about the accompaniment. Now it is time to practice it. Once I have the arrangement figured out I start recording it a few times, listen to each version, iron out the edges. Now it is time to record the entire thing.
Recommendations For Learning The Song
I recommend that you first listen to my performance while reading along in the sheet music.
I always think about fingering and sustain pedal use at the same time when learning a song. Smart use of the sustain pedal can really make it much easier to play.
Is This Arrangement For You?
This solo piano arrangement is for every pianist who loves The Christmas Song. It doesn't matter would kind of pianist you are.
The arrangement is certainly for intermediate pianists and up. It is also beneficial when you don't have very small hands. Some chords in the left hand require a hand span of a 10th. However, there are ways to get around that by simply rolling the notes with the help of the sustain pedal.