Christmas Music
Peter got his start as a composer with a book of arrangements called the
"Notebook for Saint Nicholas", published by Alfred
Since
then, Ihe has been writing arrangements in various styles, using
them for Christmas cards for his friends and colleagues.
Alberta Keys
published an intermediate level duet called "Deck Those Funky
Halls".
NEW! Blues for Saint Nicholas (2009)
Deck the Halls and We Three Kings in a modal blues style inspired by Wayne Shorter's "Footprints".
Listen
Level: RCM 8-9
$5
Notebook for Saint Nicholas
Peter got the name of the collection from the "Notebook for Anna Magdalena
Bach".
It includes 11 well-known Christmas carols
arranged in styles ranging from a minuet, a polonaise, a Debussy
prelude, a swing arrangement.
Level: RCM 3-7.
Publisher: Alfred.
Available from: Alfred , Rideau Music, your local music store.
aprox. $10.00
Folk Dance for Two Pianos
(1997)
A challenging arrangement of Good King Wenceslas inspired by the
third movement of the Bartok Piano Sonata.
Includes technical
challenges such as octaves. Meter is 7/8, and the rhythm also poses
delightful challenges for the adventurous duo-pianists.
A much easier
version for solo piano appears in the "Notebook for Saint Nicholas",
available from Alfred.
Listen! (Performed by Tricia Edwards and Dorothy Weiss)
Level: RCM ARCT
15 pages
$15.
Deck Those Funky Halls
For piano four-hands.
Level: RCM 4-5. Publisher: Alberta Keys.
Available from Alberta Keys, Rideau Music, your local music store.
Price: approx. $5.95.
Nocturne for Saint Nicholas
(2008)
The famous Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27 #2 by Chopin and Silent
Night by Franz Gruber.
The first piano nocturnes were written by John
Field. The genre was made famous by Chopin.
Nocturne suggests that the
music is an evocation of the night.
Listen!
Level: RCM 9
$5
Jazz for Saint Nicholas
(2007)
"What Child is This" in the style of Paul Desmond's "Take
Five".
Dave Brubeck made Take Five famous on his classic jazz recording
"Time Out" from 1959.
Listen!
Level: RCM 6-7
$5
Ragtime for Saint Nicholas
(2007)
"Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer in a rag style.
Ragtime was
originally called raggedy time because of the offbeat accents in a
common time signature. Ragtime was made famous by Scott Joplin.
Listen!
Level: RCM 6
$5
Milonga for Saint Nicholas
(2005)
"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" in a latin style. A milonga is
an early for of the Argentine tango.
This one has a typical rhythm;
although the time signature is 4/4, the actual rhythm is 3 (eigthths) +
3 + 2.
Listen!
Level: RCM 7-8
$5
Canon for Saint Nicholas
(2003)
Pachelbel's Canon and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. A musical
canon is like a round:
one melody begins, and then you hear the same
melody in another voice soon afterwards.
Listen!
Level: RCM 4-6
$5
Vilancico para San Nicolas (2000)
Sing We Now of Christmas in the style of "Asturias" by Isaac Albeniz.A vilancico is a Christmas carol.
Listen!
Level: RCM 6-7
$5
Waltz for Saint Nicholas (2000)
Carol of the Bells done in the style of a Chopin waltz.
Listen!
Level: RCM 7-8
$5
Gavotte for Saint Nicholas
(1999)
"D'ou viens tu, bergere?" inspired by a famous gavotte from
the Fifth French Suite by JS Bach.
A gavotte is an old
French dance, and has the rhythmic feature of starting halfway through
the bar.
Listen!
Level: RCM 5-6
$5
Toccata for Saint Nicholas (1999)
Handel's "Joy to the World" inspired by JS Bach's Prelude in
D-minor, Well Tempered Clavier Bk. II.
A toccata is a quick piece with
passagework designed to show off the dexterity of the performer's
fingers.
Listen!
Level: RCM 8-9
$5