An Old Fashioned Christmas: E-Z Play Today

This collection captures one of the most distinctly American holiday traditions through the lens of the most influential popular vocalist of the 20th century. Students get direct access to Sinatra's interpretations of seasonal standards, which means learning both the melody lines and the harmonic vocabulary that defined midcentury American music. The E-Z Play format makes these songs instantly playable for pianists still building technique while preserving the sophistication of the original arrangements.

Warm, nostalgic, and conversational. These are songs written to evoke comfort and memory rather than bombast. The piano writing supports the melody with grace and clarity, allowing the beauty of each tune to emerge naturally. There is both joy and a gentle melancholy here, the particular feeling of holidays past and present blending together.

Pianists from intermediate through advanced levels who want to expand their standards repertoire and understand how melody, harmony, and rhythm work together in classic American songs. Holiday programs, community concerts, and students preparing for auditions or performance exams benefit from having these arrangements in familiar, accessible notation.

• Study the original Sinatra recordings before learning the arrangement; let his phrasing choices inform your tempo and rubato decisions.
• Pay close attention to chord voicings in the accompaniment. These jazz-influenced harmonies reward clean, resonant playing.
• Balance the melody line so it sings clearly over the accompaniment without forcing volume; Sinatra's gift was making his voice feel intimate even in large halls.

Use this as your primary resource for December holiday concerts, whether as standalone selections or as background music for seasonal receptions. Pianists can also mine individual songs for recital programming throughout the year; these standards work beautifully in spring concerts or as encores. Having a reliable, well-notated collection of Sinatra's holiday interpretations means you're never scrambling for festive repertoire.

• Phrasing and shaping melodic lines across longer phrases
• Reading jazz-influenced chord voicings and reharmonization
• Coordinating melody and accompaniment texture
• Interpreting rubato and tempo variation in lyrical music
• Understanding standards repertoire and American musical heritage