Christ Was Born on Christmas Day
Christ Was Born On Christmas Day, with an easy Middle C position version and a late elementary arrangement.
Here's the top half of page one:
And the bottom half of page one:
This late elementary solo version makes use of left hand chords in basic root and inverted positions, to make comprehension and playing easy... and it's still pretty!
This video shows the Blacksburg High School Madrigals choir, dressed in medieval or Renaissance garb:
Scroll down the page for the links to the free downloadable PDFs.
Page two, the top half:
Page two, the bottom half:
This song is very easy on the piano hands separate. Coordinating the two hands on page two is a little harder!
I suggest reviewing the G cadence chords -- check out my Key of G scales and chords page if you are unfamiliar with what I mean.
Here are the G chords in "close" position - G, C/G, G, D/F#, G. Is that clear?
The Roman numeral "I" is always for the main chord; in this case, the G chord since we are playing in the key of G.
"IV" is the chord built on the fourth step of the scale: C. Here we see the C chord, but using a "g" in the bottom instead of "c". Hence, "C over G," or "C/G".
The fifth step of the scale in the key of G is... D! (G, A, B, C, D...). So it is called the "V" chord - Roman numeral five.
It has an F sharp in the bass, so it is spelled "D over F#" or "D/F#".
Now in this piano arrangement, the D chord will be a SEVENTH chord - it will include a C note (the seventh step up from the bottom of the D chord). That gives it a "special" sound that makes us want to return home to the I chord, the G.
You and your student will have to figure out what kind of fingering they will use in the right hand; I think there are probably only two possibilities: 5-3-1-2-4-5-4, or 4-2-1-2-4-5-4.
Neither fingering will feel natural to an elementary-level student, but this is the only tricky spot in the right hand.
If they are familiar with chord shapes, then this should not be too big of an obstacle.
Now here is the easy Middle C version, shown in two parts:
If you want to make a duet out of it, have your student play the melody up an octave or two, and have their duet partner play a simple chord arrangement (look at the arrangement above to see what chords are usually employed).
I haven't put any fingering in... instead of saying, "That's finger 2!" for the first left hand note, make your beginner piano student figure out that the note is a B.
(I sometimes call this the "Baby" note B, since it has to lay on the line like a baby. Contrariwise, the treble note Middle D is the "Daddy" note, as its "head" supports the whole "ladder" or staff...)
After playing it through once, you might discuss what the fingering ought to be, then hand them the pencil and tell them to draw the first right hand finger number and first left hand finger number also.
Merry Christmas!
The links for the piano music:
Download free online Christmas music Christ Was Born On Christmas Day
Download beginner version of free Christmas sheet music "Christ Was Born on Christmas Day"
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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All the first-year material I give my beginner students.
Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!
This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
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This is the perfect easy start for little pianists.
And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
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A perfect read aloud storybook
for little boys or girls.
The Adventures of Tonsta highlight the travels of a very young boy with a good heart, who goes about helping folk in trouble.
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Alicia:
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!!!
I started teaching my kids music and am now teaching others. This is exactly what I was looking for!! Thank you!!
April:
Thank you so much for all the information and materials! Your site is very thorough and well organized!
I am a piano teacher in New Orleans, LA and in the process of putting together my own curriculum and recordings. You have inspired me to make my materials available to all online!
About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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