Looking for Christmas inspired Classical pieces

[perfect_pitch]

Greetings... In a few months I'll be heading round to my piano teachers workshop for a little Christmas recital and we're to play a piece that has a christmas feel to it... I'm trying to rack my brain to think of pieces that were written with the Christmas holiday in mind, but I can't seem to think of any.

If possible I wouldn't mind if people could suggest repertoire from the 'mainstream' classical composers  only because I need to get the music fast and quickly to start practicing. As for the grade requirement - anything up to Grade 8 (maybe Grade 9) shouldn't be a problem.

I also think this would be a nice thread to have considering in a few months it will almost be christmas - would be nice to soak the Audition room with a few new festive recordings by me and other members who are willing to get into the Christmas cheer.   



(That and the egg-nog    )

[mikey6]

Bach -Christmas Oratorio (transcription maybe? if one exists)
Liszt - Christmas Tree Suite
Handel - Joy to the World, Mendelssohn - Hark the Herald Angels Sing 

[perfect_pitch]

Bach -Christmas Oratorio (transcription maybe? if one exists)
Liszt - Christmas Tree Suite
Handel - Joy to the World, Mendelssohn - Hark the Herald Angels Sing 

Do you have any catalogue numbers for them??? I'll need to order them.

[weissenberg2]

The 2nd movement to Prokofiev's 8th sonata is Christmassy 

[perfect_pitch]

Is it Christmassey sounding... or did Prokofiev write it with the festive season in mind??? I only ask because I need to learn the song in about 2 months so I need to be sure that it's right...

[weissenberg2]

Is it Christmassey sounding... or did Prokofiev write it with the festive season in mind??? I only ask because I need to learn the song in about 2 months so I need to be sure that it's right...

I am not sure but it sounds like a Christmas carol.

[weissenberg2]

A few more suggestions:

Tchaikovsky December from the Seasons

Bartok 2 Romanian Christmas Carols

Mendelssohn kinderstucke op.2 'Christmas Pieces'

[perfect_pitch]

Thanks Weissenberg...

Mendelssohn kinderstucke op.2 'Christmas Pieces'

Do you mean Opus 72?? I thought his Opus 2 was a piece of chamber music for violin, piano etc...

Also Mikey - do you have catalogue numbers for the works you suggested??? Just to make ordering them easier?

[weissenberg2]

Thanks Weissenberg...

Do you mean Opus 72?? I thought his Opus 2 was a piece of chamber music for violin, piano etc...

Also Mikey - do you have catalogue numbers for the works you suggested??? Just to make ordering them easier?

My pleasure. Yes I meant op.72.

BTW, sorry about the 2nd ballade comment   

[perfect_pitch]

My pleasure. Yes I meant op.72.

BTW, sorry about the 2nd ballade comment   

??

Whatever it was I'm sure I didn't lose sleep over it... I wouldn't worry about it.

[mikey6]

The Liszt is available at a certain sheetmusic site of which I'm not allowed to advertise but ends with SLP - it's listed under 'Weihnachtsbaum'.
I have no idea about the others, google it.

Troika from Tchaik's the Seasons can be rather festive as is Troika from Lieutenant Kije if a transcription exists.

[cygnusdei]

December from Fanny Mendelssohn's Das Jahr suite is quite Christmassy ....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QQPO0O

[perfect_pitch]

December from Fanny Mendelssohn's Das Jahr suite is quite Christmassy ....

For a minute I was like - FANNY mendelssohn??? Thats a cruel nickname for him... but I didn't realise it was a different composer...

And thanks to Weissenberg - decided to go with the December from the Seasons of Tchiakovsky's... It's a beautiful melody and I've already learnt half of it this evening. Plus it won't detract too much time from my exam pieces.



Thank you to everyone else for their suggestions... unless someone can think of another...

[eminemvsrach]

speaking of Tchaikovsky, his nutcracker ballet is entirely inspired by christmas. and there are piano transcriptions of the suite and even the whole ballet out there.

[makeanote]

Hey there PP.

Many years ago I learned a really nice little Christmas piece named "Noel" by Henri Balfour Gardiner. Pretty straight forward, under the AMEB it would be probably 6th or 7th grade. It has some beautiful, rich harmonic parts.

My music (which is in a really old book copyrighted 1908) has no reference other than title and composer name.

As it is not available on the pianostreet website...

In Australia, it can be purchased at:
https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/344739

On ebay, it is currently up for auction at:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NOEL-by-H.-BALFOUR-GARDINER-Piano-Sheet-Music-1923_W0QQitemZ230375878238QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090909?IMSfp=TL090909177001r3198

Trust this helps,
Ian

[perfect_pitch]

I'll look into it... Thanks.

The December by Tchaikovsky is really easy anyway, so I could do with a few more Christmas pieces in my repertoire.