Seventeen Traditional Christmas Carols for solo Guitar, in new arrangements by Randall Nye
Music has been a integral part of the celebration within the Christmas holiday season for centuries throughout the world. Many traditional Christmas carols represent some of the warmest music ever created. They have been performed by countless combinations of instruments and singers, from orchestras and choirs to intimate solo versions. Hearing carols played on the guitar, as accompaniment or solo, is an experience that harmonizes with the peaceful introspection that comes with the holidays. One of the world's most beloved and popular Christmas carols, Silent Night (Stille Nacht, Heilge Nacht) was composed at the request of Josef Mohr (1792-1848), who wrote the words to the song, to be sung with guitar accompaniment. The guitar was Mohr's favourite instrument.
It is in this spirit, that these seventeen arrangements for solo classical/finger style guitar of popular Christmas standards is presented here. I have arranged and performed these over the last twenty years and still find them rewarding to play every holiday season, and I often revisit them throughout the year. The arrangements incorporate various guitar styles, and should be accessible to intermediate players and students.
