A favorite Irish Christmas song, it’s also satisfying to play. Here’s my arrangement of the familiar melody. The harmonization is slightly different from the usual interpretations, and I’ve invented an independent bass line. The sheet music available at the following sites:
These are “nothing fancy” arrangements, just me how I play them…basically just improvised. Written down eventually, but way after the fact! It’s good to remember that at one time, the piano in the living was the “entertainment.” Even radios didn’t exist. And, if you’re the piano player — “Play us tune, Hilton!” — you sit down a play ’em a tune. And maybe somebody else has a violin and they pick it up and join in. Or, maybe the whole crowd starts singing. I truly believe this is what music’s all about. Three of my favorite Christmas tunes from the isles: Curoo Curoo, ‘s Umbo Aera, and The Holly and the Ivy. I call it A Gaelic Christmas Trilogy.
Sunday morning, December 17th, 2023, my friend of many years, Scott Kluksdahl will play this with me at the church where I’m music director, Lakewood United Church of Christ. I’m looking forward to this tremendously.
The “cello” on this recording isn’t Scott, it’s just sampled sounds on a computer. The video and the sound track are just for demo purposes at the two websites where I self-publish my sheet music: sheetmusicdirect and sheetmusicplus. The score will be available there mid-September. Below is the miniature score version if you want to follow along with the video.
Same guy, same baggy yellow shirt, same fuzzy hair, same morning, same piano, recorded with same iPhone with no external microphone…different piece in my recent group of piano arrangements: “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Sheet music available at SheetMusicDirect and SheetMusicPlus sometime after September 5th…check here back for links after that date. Yes…the familiar tune you know is in there, it’s just hidden in an inner voice all the time. This was my dad’s favorite Christmas song.
Another one in my series of Christmas carol arrangements for solo piano. The sheet music will be available on at SheetMusicDirect and SheetMusicPlus by September 5th or so. Check back here for links anytime after that.
Sheet music available at the following sites:
Another in this series of mine of Advent and Christmas songs arranged for solo piano. The treatment is jazz harmonization with pianistic, classical textures and counterpoint. If you or your students are interested in playing them, the sheet music is available at either of these sites:
You folks with your pumpkins and Halloween in August, that’s nothin’! In the music publishing biz, it’s Christmas! I’m trying to get a few of my solo piano Christmas arrangements out there. Here’s the first. The others will follow in quick succession.
If you or your student would like a copy of the sheet music, it’s available at either of the following links.
