It's Christmas!: Dan Coates Piano Favorites for Advanced Piano

I really like this book, but it is really more like advanced intermediate than advanced piano arrangements. But they ARE good arrangements and require musicianship to play well. And if you do play them well, you will have a lot of fun playing for your friends during the Christmas Season. They will admire your playing and your reputation as a pianist will grow. So, it is all good. Just don't expect Chopin, Beethoven, or Liszt here. It is not THAT demanding.Dan Coates is a fine arranger and these eleven pieces are a nice balance of somewhat sacred and secular. That is you get an arrangement of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria" (I recommend Stephen Heller's arrangement even more, however, but this one sounds more contemporary), Gesu Bambino (always a favorite), Mary Did You Know (semi-sacred), and We Three Kings. Then there is the delightful and fun party pieces like Frosty the Snowman, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays, a terrific version of It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and Believe (from The Polar Express). The Grown Up Christmas List should touch some hearts, too.Just remember that this is for piano SOLO, not to accompany a singer or a group sing. There are other books for that. This is for YOU, as a pianist, to take a bit of the spotlight and delight some people for an evening of holiday fun. So the lyrics are NOT included in this volume. But you can locate them easily if you want them.

These arrangements sound fresh but aren't too difficult to learn. On religious classics such as Ave Maria, Gesu Bambino, We Three Kings and Mary Did You Know? the left hand is in triplet or eighth-note arpeggios that span a tenth to a thirteenth and the right hand melody is often stated in chords, thirds or sixths so the overall sound is nice and thick.Several pieces offer moderately jazzy chord substitutions and can be played straight or swing: Frosty the Snowman, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Home for the Holidays. A couple are pop: Believe from Polar Express, Grown-Up Christmas List. All of these include flashy little fills, key changes and enough technical heft so they sound convincing.It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a neat little jazz waltz if you kick the tempo up a notch and add just a little more action to the syncopated chords.Only one throw-a-way (in my opinion): We Three Kings.... It just isn't as interesting as the rest.The complete list of songs is available in the 'look inside' feature. All in all, a good value if you need a bit of flash in your holiday playlist.

Very pleased with these beautiful arrangements. Some pieces require more practice than others. Like all Dan Coates arrangements, they can't be beat. There is a breathtaking arrangement of "Believe" from Polar Express that make the whole book worthwhile even if you don't play the other songs. "Mary Did You Know" I felt to be more on the intermediate than advanced level, but is very pretty. Also loved "We Three Kings". A++++++++++++++ (but then I give this to ALL Dan Coates books because of the arrangements are never disappointing.)

Pro: The arrangements are pleasant.Con: I will probably only learn the more popular songs. There are a few that most would not recognize.I would suggest this book for late intermediate students looking for more challenging Christmas songs/arrangements. Will take a few days to learn but very rewarding.

I have long been a big fan of Dan Coates arrangements and this book is no exception. As the book clearly states this is advanced piano and these pieces require some work to play well. However, the arrangements are full and very pleasing to me. If you are looking for some fine arrangements of Christmas music, this is a good volume to purchase.

I've always liked Dan Coates arrangements. Of the Christmas books I've tried, this was one of the better ones. There's too many songs I'm not real fond of in the mix, but the arrangements are good.

I like Dan Coates arrangements. They are fun to play. It was a good collection of Christmas favorites. Lifts your spirits when you are playing the classics.

I have always liked Dan Coates' arrangements and this did not disappoint. Fun to play and look forward to playing these arrangements for years to come.