This album features Christmas music for the piano in a timeless journey through the decades and centuries. These songs have been through a remarkable evolution over the course of several centuries, with the changes they have undergone reflecting the shifting musical styles and cultural influences that prevailed in various times.

The development in popularity of the piano as a household instrument in the 19th century contributed to the spread of traditional Christmas carols and tunes. Christmas songs were made more approachable to a wider audience because of the attractive piano arrangements that composers such as Felix Mendelssohn and Franz Liszt devised for them. Then, throughout the 20th century, Christmas songs were composed in a wide variety of musical styles. Jazz, blues, and popular music were all significant influences on composers during this period. Composers such as Irving Berlin created Christmas songs centred around the piano that went on to become instant classics. An example that epitomizes this era is Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’. The growth of Christmas carols arranged for piano is a monument to the everlasting spirit of the Christmas holiday as well as the development of musical styles throughout the course of history.

For this album, Jeroen van Veen has collected both well-known and lesser-known Christmas songs and arranged many of them for his own piano performance. The programme is free, alternating slow with up-tempo and virtuosic with intimate songs. Some of the tracks are medleys combining two or more songs. Highlights include the ‘Christmas Fantasy’ by Alexander Rosenblatt, a virtuoso piece that combines several tunes, and the Fred Oldenburg version of ‘Silent Night’, written in answer to a challenge from some of the jazz teachers at the Enschede conservatory to use the strangest chords to harmonise the well-known song.

Packaged to make it the perfect Christmas gift for music and piano lovers, the two CDs come in an attractive tin along with four festive postcards featuring sunflowers in winter.

Tracklist:

CD 1
1. Joy to the World & O Come All Ye Faithfull
2. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
3. The First Noel
4. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
5. O Little Town of Bethlehem & O Holy Night
6. Jeroen van Veen: Silent Night
7. What Child is This? & Away in a Manger
8. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen & Ukrainian Bell Carol
9. Go, Tell it on the Mountain
10. Fantasy on Ode to Joy
11. O Come, O Come Emmanuel & Come, Thou Almighthy King
12. Angels We Have Heard on High & Come, Christians, Join to Sing
13. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear & To God be the Glory
14. Good Christian Men, Rejoice & Rejoice, the Lord is King
15. O Come, All Ye Faithfull & Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
16. Oh Worship the King & Angels from the Realms of Glory
17. What Child is This? & Fairest Lord Jesus
18. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
19. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

CD 2
1. Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
2. O Christmas Tree & We Wish You a Merry Christmas
3. O Holy Night
4. O Little Town of Bethlehem & O Come, All Ye Faithfull
5. Silent Night
6. Gesu Bambino
7. Jingle Bells
8. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
9. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
10. Masters in This Hall
11. O Little Town of Bethlehem
12. Wexford Carol
13. We Three Kings of Orient Are
14. Bethlehem Morning
15. Christmas Fantasy (Alexander Rosenblatt)
16. Stille Nacht
17. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
18. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
19. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
20. White Christmas