The Best in Christmas Music Complete: Piano Book

Coates has curated a collection that respects both holiday tradition and contemporary taste, mixing sacred carols, pop standards, and novelty songs without hierarchy. The intermediate-to-advanced level means you're not simplifying the music so much that it loses its character, and you're not overcomplicating it for a season when pianists often balance multiple programs. Eighty pages of reliable, playable holiday material means you can build a full recital, an accompaniment book, or a personal holiday repertoire from one purchase.

A collection that honors Christmas tradition without sentimentality. The arrangements honor each song's identity, whether it's the simplicity of a nineteenth-century carol or the swagger of a mid-century pop standard. You hear the harmonic sophistication underneath and feel both the familiarity and the arrangement's fresh take.

Intermediate to advanced pianists building a holiday solo repertoire or seeking reliable accompaniment material for singers and instrumentalists during the season. Music teachers looking for approachable yet musically substantial holiday programming that doesn't require students to learn twenty different books.

• Balance the melodic line against richer harmonic textures. Coates often doubles voices in the right hand, so isolate the main melody first, then layer the supporting voices underneath rather than treating all written notes equally.
• Let the seasonal context guide your tempo choices. Waltzes and dance arrangements like "The Christmas Waltz" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" need rhythmic life; quieter carols like "O Little Town of Bethlehem" benefit from sustained phrasing rather than pushing ahead.
• Use the left hand to establish harmonic foundation without muddying the texture. Holiday arrangements can feel cluttered if the bass moves constantly; anchor key harmonic moments and simplify passing motion.
• Prepare choral-style arrangements with the understanding that singers or other instrumentalists may join you. Leave space in your voicing for a melody line or solo instrument to sit comfortably on top.

Assemble a holiday recital entirely from this book, mixing sacred and secular to suit your audience. Use specific arrangements as accompaniment for choir selections, bell choir, or community ensemble performances. Build a personal practice rotation that keeps your holiday repertoire fresh year after year without starting from scratch.

• Voice leading across harmonic progressions in traditional and popular styles
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in densely voiced textures
• Tempo and phrasing choices that honor both the song's original character and the arrangement's reharmonization
• Sight-reading across a wide range of musical styles and accompaniment patterns
• Pedal technique for sustaining harmonic color while maintaining clarity