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While there is plenty of sheet music for Christmas carols, what do you play during the Advent season? In this blog post I'm going to share some of my favorite solo piano arrangements for Advent. Sheet music for all of these is available in my piano by starlight series and I'll share the YouTube videos as well to allow you to preview them. First, let's answer some questions you might have, such as, what is Advent and what kind of music is appropriate for the season?
What is Advent?
Advent is the Christian liturgical season before Christmas that anticipates the coming of Christ. It begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas, thus there are four Advent Sundays at a church that you will need to plan music for. Advent is typically a somber and hopeful time before Christ's arrival.
What music is appropriate for Advent?
The type of music that you might use for Advent can vary depending on the church you work for and the direction from church leadership. Some churches might use Christmas carols throughout the season and keep an overall upbeat worship environment. In more traditional or liturgical churches, Advent music might more often be in a minor key or incorporate lesser-known Advent hymns. If the church explores a somber mood for Advent, then you might be interested in some of the music selections in this article.
In the Bleak Midwinter
In the Bleak Midwinter is a beautiful hymn with music by the composer Gustav Holst that can work well in Advent. My arrangement begins very simply with held chords in the left hand and a gently embellished melody high above. It is a gentle setting and would work well for a prelude or offertory. Buy sheet music
The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns
The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns is an Advent hymn in a minor key. My arrangement has a repeating left hand part that ascends and descends a minor scale as the melody floats high above. After an interlude, the melody is repeated with a more syncopated feel. Because it's a short hymn, I added a healthy amount of improvisation to this one, and had fun writing it! Buy sheet music
Lift Up Your Heads
The first stanza of Lift Up Your Heads includes the phrase "The King of Kings is drawing near," making it very appropriate for Advent. The hymn is in a major key, and my arrangement is on the simpler side, with slight rhythmic expansion due to the 12/8 meter. There's a few flourishes in the ending improvisation that your congregation are sure to enjoy. Buy sheet music
O Come, O Come, Emanuel
The first stanza of my setting of O Come, O Come, Emanuel is somewhat sparse, and the placement in the higher register gives it a feeling of longing and distance which works well for the Advent season. The interlude is truly cinematic in nature, and the second iteration of the melody is a lot of fun to play and listen to. This would be a great Advent prelude selection. Buy sheet music
People, Look East
This French carol was set with words by Eleanor Farjeon, who also wrote lyrics for Morning Has Broken. It's a lovely text that anticipates the coming of Christ, so naturally I have included my arrangement in this blog about Advent music. My piano setting is light and upbeat with what you might consider an Alberti bass. The middle section turns to the minor mode, which might make it a poignant selection for Advent. The ending improvisation returns to the major key for the ending with delightful embellishments and creative touches abounding. Buy sheet music
Savior of the Nations, Come
This Advent hymn is based on a Lutheran chorale, Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland and was famously set by J.S. Bach and many other composers. My arrangement for solo piano is more reflective in nature with a repeating left hand figure. The middle section opens up to use the lower range of the piano, and incorporates a more syncopated feel. The following improvisation is fun to play, and then the arrangement closes with the melody treated in canon. It's always gratifying to find a hymn that works with this type of contrapuntal treatment, similar to finding the right pieces to a puzzle! Buy sheet music
Thanks for reading my blog on Advent music and exploring my solo piano arrangements. Check out my other articles below if you're looking for more ideas about what to play at church.
Christmas preludes for solo piano Christmas postludes for solo piano Comments are closed.
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AuthorIan Good is a published composer and arranger. |