What Christmas song would you like to learn together? (Dec PIYW)

rsl12

The next Play It Your Way is due to be announced on October 16 18, so let's vote on what we should play together! The theme is "December Holidays/New Years", and the selections below came from the suggestion box:

Jingle Bells
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

(Since all these selections are well known, I haven't bothered linking to audio examples, but let me know if such links would be helpful).

Vote below. You are not limited to just these suggestions, but if you add a new one, please be prepared to help me find links to sheet music if your selection wins!

PS. Feel free to submit ideas to the suggestion box for future PIYWs. Here's the tentative schedule for the next few months:

Announcement/Publication date:
Oct/Dec 2025: Holidays/New Years
Nov/Jan 2026: Classical
(Feb 2026: Recital)
Jan/Mar 2026: Popular
Feb/Apr 2026: TV, Movie, or Showtune
(May 2026: Recital)
Apr/Jun 2026: Blues or Traditional
May/Jul 2026: Classical

keff

rsl12 PS. Feel free to submit ideas to the suggestion box for future PIYWs. Here's the tentative schedule for the next few months:

Announcement/Publication date:
Oct/Dec 2025: Holidays/New Years
Nov/Jan 2026: Classical
(Feb 2026: Recital)
Jan/Mar 2026: Popular
Feb/Apr 2026: TV, Movie, or Showtune
(May 2026: Recital)
Apr/Jun 2026: Blues or Traditional
May/Jul 2026: Classical

For classical suggest any movement from the Haydn keyboard sonatas Hob XVI, number 8 for example.
Also for classical any movement from M. Clementi sonatinas Op36, number 1 for example.

Showtime; Memory from Cats (Andrew Lloyd Webber), or Music of the Night, or All I ask of You from Phantom.

Popular; Yesterday, Lennon and McCartney.

navindra

rsl12 I also want to announce the next recital in October, do you think the announcement for the Holiday PIYW can be later? I don't think we've ever had the announcements clash before.

rsl12

To vote, please copy & paste this message and add your votes. To vote for a piece, increase the number in front of the appropriate line below. For a new suggestion, add a new line and start with 1. Multiple votes allowed.

1 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
1 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
1 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas

rsl12

I would actually be okay with Jingle Bells, but given the choice, I like the other tunes better. The chorus is a little boring melodically and harmonically, but I like the rest of the tune.

Unlike other PIYWs, your submissions will go in the Holiday Recital thread that Rogerch will create (last year, he created it on Nov 30). PIYW submissions will be mixed with the holiday tunes submitted by others.

WieWaldi

2 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
2 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas

thepianoplayer416

What level are the pieces at? I play pieces at an intermediate level.

2 years ago my teacher found an arrangement of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" out of a Faber Christmas book. The arrangement is nice. Learned it in a week and played it at a Christmas party.

Last year I found an easy arrangement of "Auld Lang Syne". I also played an easy arrangement of the Ukrainian "Carol of the Bells" before.
I wouldn't mind playing "Winter Wonderland" or "Silver Bell".

A while ago I got a Charlie Brown Christmas book (easy piano edition). In it were 2 nice pieces: "Chestnut Song" and the memorable "Christmas Time is Here". Played them both at a holidays gathering.

rsl12

thepianoplayer416

I should have explained PIYW better for those who are not familiar. The short answer is we need links to a few arrangements, hopefully catering to a variety of playing levels, beginner to advanced. Players are free to choose any arrangement or even make their own, but I want to link a few for convenience.

You can look at the last published PIYW to get a better idea of how the event works:

https://forum.pianotell.com/d/1932-piyw-2-play-pachelbels-canon-your-way-is-now-live

keff

2 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
3 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Simonb

I'm supposed to be playing an Xmas tune at my Piano Teachers Xmas recital in December. If, or when, I decide what that's going to be I'll add a vote here.

Cheers

rsl12

keff remind me again when we vote on those other themes, or else add the suggestions to the suggestion box. Otherwise, I know I will forget!

twocats

I think I'm going to sit out the holiday one, I can't think of a single song that I want to play on piano! I do enjoy singing traditional Christmas carols but that's totally different 🙂

rsl12

twocats There's only one song I feel I should learn this year, since it will make my daughter happy: Weird Al's "The Night Santa Went Crazy". (It's too violent for me to even suggest for PIYW!) Other than that, my main motivation is that I know someone somewhere is going to request non-violent Christmas music from me. I'm sure it happens to you, and how brave of you to tackle it through singing! If I participate, I'm not planning to put too much into it, unless I think of a way to make it a jazz learning experience.

twocats

rsl12 Weird Al's "The Night Santa Went Crazy"

I'm usually a fan of Weird Al but the reference to mass shootings as a joke is a no for me.

rsl12 how brave of you to tackle it through singing!

Oh, I hardly get to sing them anymore! But in high school I was a part of chamber choir and we would dress up in Dickensian outfits and go door to door at the shops near my school. It was like -30C including wind chill one of the years and we were hurrying to get indoors because it was so cold!

The traditional carols with the 4 part harmonies are so gorgeous 🙂

rsl12

2 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
3 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas

ShiroKuro

I would like to suggest Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Otherwise, I vote for We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

rsl12

2 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
4 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas
2 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

rogerch

I’m pretty sure I’m going to play Silver Bells this year. I’m adding it in case anyone else is interested 😀🔔🔔

2 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
4 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas
2 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
1 - Silver Bells

Simonb

Actually picked the one I did for last years Xmas recital.

2 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
3 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
4 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas
2 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
1 - Silver Bells

Cheers

Simon

WieWaldi

Last year, @HarryLikas posted a link to his collection of 2+2 arrangements:

Christmas Songs: 30 Titles