05

Many of us would probably be all too familiar with Christmas songs that would likely be playing at shopping malls where the holiday is observed, especially closer to the actual day, just so shoppers can easily be in the festive mood.  So, what are the chances you’d be putting on the same songs at home? (Of course, if you can bear with songs like “All I Want For Christmas is You”, then, by all means, go ahead). This is why there’s the Christmas Peaceful Piano playlist on Spotify, which has more than 70 choices available (including the popular Christmas classics). If you’re looking for some calm and don’t have anything or anyone who has a decent musical ability to provide yourself and your guests with something that is able to make you sit back and loosen up, you might want to check out the playlist. Being a sporadic user of the music streaming service, it did take me a while to navigate and get used to it.

Some songs which helped form the bases of these piano pieces contain no particular hint of Christmas, but due to the metaphorical descriptions they carry, many listeners find it difficult to dissociate these songs from everything related to the celebration.

The pieces that caught my attention:

 
My Favourite Things

One of my former piano teachers (In total, I had three) asked me to have a go at a more playful and crisp version of the original soundtrack from the musical drama film The Sound of Music, an adaptation of the memoir written by Maria Von Trapp.  As suggested by the name of the playlist, the version on the music streaming service feels a slowed down one.

Bella Notte

Staying true to the original soundtrack of The Lady and The Tramp, this piece is a solid interpretation of the opera-like song. The title means Beautiful Night when translated from Italian.

As Time Goes By

Listening to this piece instantly reminded me of the 1942 film Casablanca, which I remember watching during one of my classes for a film studies-related subject in university. How can one not like this?

Happy Xmas (The War is Over)

This piece is thought out based on the song by John Lennon, which was eventually popularised by the Canadian powerhouse vocalist Celine Dion. For sure, Celine Dion’s take is more upbeat. The arrangement of this piece on the music streaming service sounds rather awkward.

Where Are You Christmas

This piece is inspired by the original soundtrack of the motion picture How the Grinch Stole Christmas. From both the title and the beginning of the piece, it would be safe to say that there are notions of sadness, gloom, and even more, a sense of longing for joy.

Auld Lang Syne

My most recent encounter of this folk song, which came about following the accompanying Scottish poem by Robert Burns, was when the song was sung in Japanese – in the Taiwanese Hokkien costume drama Haru – to mark the surrender of the Japanese from occupying Taiwan. Usually, it is played at the end of the year to symbolise the coming in of a new one, as per my own research. It’s good to know that the piano piece manages to evoke the right emotions and convey the intended messages with precision.

The Prayer

This piece is based on the song, categorised as a classical crossover, written by a team in which the Canadian record producer, musician, songwriter, composer and arranger David Foster was a part of. This piece did the song justice by presenting just enough dynamics of loud and soft to exude power and calm. Going through the playlist, this is one piece you’ll not want to skip.

Music piece – An instrumental musical composition.

Song – When there are vocals, words, and some form of accompaniment by an instrument.

Dynamics – How loud or soft a song/piece is.

Arrangement – When an existing composition is given new thought or variety in terms of melody, the process involved is known as arrangement.

Interpretation – Involves understanding an existing musical composition by maintaining/approximating the necessary as well as executing one’s own input as to how the piece should sound.

Note: The author has a certain degree of knowledge in music, having completed the corresponding piano (theory and practical) exams up to Grade 5, as set/determined by the UK-based Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).