Favorite Christmas Carols for Classical Players - Cello and Piano

20 Intermediate Level Arrangements

By Various

While there are some cool arrangements in this book (Oh Come, All Ye Faithful has a very modern feel which is fun), the arrangements themselves are awkward for both instruments. The piano part reads in many of the songs like it was not written by actual piano players; voicings are...

strangely spaced and chords are not written pianistically. My cellist partner had similar objections to her part; sudden shifts in clefs where they weren’t really warranted, strange fingerings that weren’t comfortable, etc. For rhythms and other basic considerations, “Intermediate” is a good first impression for level, but the awkwardness of the arranging made it a challenge to read for us, two advanced musicians. The book has its merits, but I wouldn’t advise purchasing this as a backbone for a Christmas concert or collection, nor as teaching literature.