The Christmas Shortlist
Selected and reviewed by Andrew Eales
Each year, pianists seem to be inundated with another batch of Christmas piano publications, and I strive to recommend the best and most interesting on my annual Christmas Shortlist.
Among the highlights this year, A Nostalgic Christmas is a new publication from Hal Leonard which neatly fits the bill, and is (in my view) best suited to early advanced pianists. It offers:
“17 piano solo arrangements of Christmas favourites especially written to warm the hearts of the Grinches amongst us. All can be multipurpose and adapted for leisure or study, solitary or recital performances.”
For British tastes, the cover artwork may seem a little saccharine, but don’t be put off: these are interesting arrangements from some of the finest, including Phillip Keveren, Glenda Austin, Mona Rejino, Kevin Olson, and our own Nikki Iles (whose own Jazz on a Winter’s Night is an all-time favourite!).
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