Theselively arrangements are intended for the elementary pianists or keyboardplayers. While some duets are more challenging than others, the notation hasusually been kept as simple as possible and musical elements such as dynamics,articulations, phrasing and slurs have been omitted completely. To make thingseasier for the players, the piano parts are printed in large type with Primoand Secondo parts on separate pages. In the Secondo part, chordsare printed underneath the staff (rather than above) to create space for thefingering suggestions.

Elementarypianists rarely have the valuable opportunity of playing in an ensemble. Themain feature of the Really Easy Christmas Collection for piano duet isthat it?s fully compatible with the Optional Instrumental Pack, a set ofinstrumental parts for all 20 songs in this collection. The Instrumental Packcontains (a) full scores of each piece plus a set of parts in varioustranspositions. It is available here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/21394520 

Theduets include the following well-known Christmas carols and hymns: Angels fromthe Realms of Glory (Melody: Gloria); As with Gladness, Men of Old (Melody:Dix); Away in a Manger (Melody: Mueller); Deck the Halls (Melody: Nos Galan); Ding!Dong! Merrily on High (Melody: Bransle de l'Officiel); God Rest You Merry,Gentlemen (Melody: God Rest You Merry); Good Christians All Rejoice (Melody: InDulci Jubilo); Good King Wenceslas (Melody: Tempus Adest Floridum); Hark! TheHerald Angels Sing (Melody: Mendelssohn); I Saw Three Ships (Melody: I SawThree Ships); It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (Melody: Carol); Joy to the World(Melody: Antioch); Oh Christmas Tree (Melody: Tannenbaum); Oh Come all yeFaithful (Melody: Adeste Fidelis); Once in Royal David's City (Melody: Irby); SilentNight (Melody: Stille Nacht); The First Nowell; The Holly and the Ivy (Melody:Holly and the Ivy); We Three Kings and WeWish You a Merry Christmas.

Theaudio examples include several other instruments using parts from the OptionalInstrumental Pack.

YourFavorite Christmas Hymns and Carols for Strings, Book 1

Arrangedfor strings by Colin Kirkpatrick

Here?sa brand new collection of best-loved Christmas hymns and carols arranged for strings,to brighten up your next Christmas event. They are presented in a set of twobooks and include full four-part instrumental scores plus parts for first violin,second violin, viola, cello and optional double bass. Both cello and bass partsappear on a single staff. The arrangements can be used with string quartet, stringquintet or string ensemble. There?s also an optional but useful simplifiedkeyboard part intended for less experienced keyboard players. The left handplays only the bass part most of the time, with the right hand part kept assimple as possible. It could be used as the basis of an accompaniment whichmeans that you can use the arrangements as solos, duets or trios.

Thearrangements are intended either as stand-alone pieces that could be used asinterludes in a concert or service, or they could be used to accompany solo,choral or congregational singing. The arrangements been written in string-friendlykeys as often as possible. While the hymns mostly use the traditionalharmonies, the carols have been treated more freely.
Book 1 includes thefollowing 19 titles: Angels from the Realms of Glory (Melody: Gloria); Awayin a Manger (Melody: Mueller); Unto Us a Child Is Born (Melody: PuerNobis); Christians Awake! (Melody: Yorkshire); Deck the Halls withBoughs of Holly (Melody: Nos Galan); Go Tell it on the Mountain; GoodChristian Men, Rejoice (Melody: In Dulci Jubilo); Good King Wenceslas(Melody: Tempus Adest Floridum); I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In; ItCame Upon the Midnight Clear (Melody: Carol); Little Jesus, SweetlySleep (Melody: Rocking); O Christmas Tree (Melody: Tannenbaum); OCome all ye Faithful (Melody: Adeste Fidelis); O Little Town ofBethlehem (Melody: Saint Louis); O Holy Night (Melody: CantiqueNoël); Silent Night (Melody: Stille Nacht); The Holly and the Ivy;We Wish You a Merry Christmas and What Child is This? (Melody:Greensleeves)

Theaudio samples include Go Tell it on the Mountain; O Christmas Tree; O Holy Night and SilentNight. Please note that the arrangements are usually not usually compatiblewith the brass collection of the same name