Are you looking  for piano Christmas offertories? Well…be prepared to shop a while!

A couple times of year, I receive a free sampler from Alfred Publishing Co.

The free sampler consists of Alfred’s ‘just published’ Christmas piano music as well as previous publications.

Each piano book series list a sample page for preview. The following link/s show even more sample pages but

having the sampler offers a simple overview of all Alfred’s Christmas piano products.  For example: I discovered

the group of links listed below (special finds) by entering the product number from the 2009 Holiday Sampler booklet.

You can order your free copy of Alfred’s 2009 Holiday Planner by emailing them at: keyboard@alfred.com

Simply request the : 2009 Holiday Planner.  (Also include your mailing address).

My favorite part to the following links…you can print the sample pages in large enough print!

Have fun looking at all the Christmas piano music! There’s more to the list on the next article.

 

Book Series: 

http://www.alfred.com/alfredweb/front/General.aspx?pageid=340 

                                                           

My special finds on alfred.com/piano   *(Audio Samples included before each link)*

Christmas Memories-Book 2 and 3 (intermediate to late intermediate) by Melody Bober

Audio: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

http://www.alfred.com/alfredweb/front/SearchResult.aspx?keywords=28414^28415^28416

Especially for Christmas -Book 3 (late intermediate)   by Dennis Alexander

Audio: Joy to the World/Angels We Have Heard on High

http://www.alfred.com/alfredweb/front/SearchResult.aspx?keywords=31387^31388^31389

It’s Time for Christmas (Advanced) by Ken Renfrow

 Audio: What Child is This?   Audio: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

 http://www.alfred.com/alfredweb/front/SearchResult.aspx?keywords=33622

Great Piano Christmas Hits (Intermediate/Advanced) by Dan Coates

Audio: Angels We Have Heard on High

http://www.alfred.com/alfredweb/front/SearchResult.aspx?keywords=AF9681

There’s so much more to share! 

Part two of this article will include the rest of my findings on http://www.alfred.com/piano

Managing a website is an ever learning experience for me.

I’ve recently added audio samples from my CD: Simply Christmas

Just click on the navigation button at the top of the screen entitled:

Simply Christmas CD

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.