How many of you play for weddings at your
church?Do you ever have a hard time coming up with
music to play for weddings?Here are two books that have nice selections for
vocal specials and prelude music.Book title:

We Will Serve the Lord by The Wilds

Book title:

World’s Greatest Wedding Music (Easy Piano)
(50 of the Most Requested Wedding Pieces)
Selected and arranged by Dan Fox (Alfred Publising Co.)

Click here for free arrangement of O Little Town of Bethlehem

The mood of a song determines what

type of accompaniment the pianist will  use.

 

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a soft

and peaceful Christmas carol…like a

lullaby.

 

If I were playing this as a piano solo,

I would use less fullness for a softer

texture. Since this was arranged  for the

congregation, the pianist will need

fuller chords for supporting a large

group of singers.

 

This particular Christmas carol has

frequent accidental or (altered) chords,

which can create awkward moves for

the pianist.

I tried to create an accompaniment

containing smooth harmonic movement

for the pianist.

 

Editor notes for: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

 

Measure 3 :

I added the 7th note

to the ii chord (g minor) for a warmer

tone on the 3rd beat.

Measure 5:

The right hand plays a

fill-in on beats 3 and 4 for a smooth

transition to the upper range.

Measure 7:

Notice how I’m working

my way back down to the middle
range of the keyboard with my
right hand.

Measure 8:

I’m back to middle range
of keyboard to create a darker tone for
the words. (“….dark street…”)

Measure 13:

Bell tones (4th interval on

beats 2 and 3 to convey a “lighter” tone).

Please feel free to use this free piano

arrangement for congregation or choir.

You may adapt it to a piano solo with

minor changes.