That Silent Night: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This folio delivers Jim Brickman's seasonal catalog in a format that respects both his piano artistry and the needs of pianists who want to play his work. The 84-page collection mixes familiar holiday material with Brickman originals, so you get the best of both worlds: pieces your audience recognizes and arrangements that showcase distinctive musicianship. If your winter concert needs sophistication without heaviness, or if your piano students are ready to play something current and genuinely melodic, this book solves a real programming gap.

Warm, unhurried, and luminous. These arrangements invite the listener into quiet, reflective moments alongside more celebratory passages, capturing both the intimacy of the season and its joy. The production never feels overwrought; instead, the piano speaks directly, letting melody and harmony carry the emotional weight.

Pianists who want contemporary holiday repertoire beyond simplifications and fake books. This works for intermediate-to-advanced pianists preparing winter recitals, accompanists building a seasonal collection, and anyone drawn to Brickman's accessible yet sophisticated musical voice. The chord notation makes it accessible to guitarists and music directors as well, though the piano arrangement is the centerpiece.

• Study the chord changes closely before diving into the melody line. Brickman's voicings often suggest the harmonic color of the piece, and honoring those choices makes the difference between playing a tune and playing the arrangement.
• Lean into the pedal with intention. These pieces rely on resonance and sustain to create atmosphere, but clarity matters too. Change the pedal in sync with harmonic shifts so the wash doesn't muddy the melodic line.
• Let the tempo breathe. Holiday pieces can rush, especially familiar ones. Find the natural phrasing in Brickman's arrangements and give the lyrical sections room to unfold.
• Balance comfort with character. Many of these pieces sit comfortably under the hands, but that accessibility shouldn't flatten the dynamics. Shape the phrases as you would if the piano part were being sung.

Open a winter concert with one of the original Brickman compositions to establish an elegant tone, then move into more familiar holiday standards. The mix of sacred and secular material gives you flexibility in programming alongside choral or instrumental ensembles. These pieces also work beautifully as solo recital material throughout the season, or as prelude and intermission music for holiday performances.

• Voicing and chord substitution in popular idioms
• Pedal control and resonance management
• Phrasing and dynamic shaping of melodic lines
• Reading chord notation alongside standard notation
• Repertoire building for recital and informal performance contexts