Where can I get Christmas Music?

Tinanana · Post by **Tinanana** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:47 pm

I'm interested in purchasing some sheet music for Christmas songs. Does anyone know where I might find some specifically for the tin whistle?

~~TINA

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 8:40 pm

I've not seen a Christmas book for the whistle yet. You might try some Christmas books for the mountain dulcimer, though. These are almost without exception written in the key of D or G, or one of its modal derivatives. Most of this is covered by the D whistle, but it doesn't hurt to also have G, A, and possibly E whistles.

If you can't find dulcimer books either, try books for "easy guitar". You will have nearly every tune covered by the whistles mentioned above.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:02 pm

Geez, I ought to write one. I sat down and worked out a couple of dozen Christmas carols a couple of years ago, but never wrote them out. I love playing Christmas carols, and a great many of them suit the whistle very well.

Redwolf

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 9:58 pm

http://www.tinwhistler.com/music/songty ... ongtype=15

Free, no purchase necessary. All good on the whistle. I'm missing little drummer boy, which is a shame because it sounds superb on the whistle.

Don Oiche Ud I mBeithel
First Noel, The
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Good King Wenceslas
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Here We Come a-Caroling
Jingle Bells
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
Joy to the World
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Tannenbaum
Silent Night
Wafaring Stranger
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 10:31 pm

For the Little Drummer Boy, Start on A and then figure it out, listening as you go. That's how people learn to play by ear.

JP

whiskeylvr · Post by **whiskeylvr** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 12:58 am

I have only recently began trying to read music and suchso forgive me for a stupid question.

But in sheet music, such as for Good King Wenceslas listed on the link above..why do some songs have 2 sets of bars and others 1?(I can't really explain much better seeing as how I am an idiot when it comes to music, but they have a set of notes then right below a second bar with notes and on hte left of both a wavy sort of line "enclosing" the two)

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 2:45 am

Parts for two different instruments? Duet, I guess.

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:25 am

Or possibly a bass line under the treble line?

edited to add: aha, if you mean this: http://www.tinwhistler.com/music/sheet. ... _wenceslas

then it looks like harmony accompaniment on a second instrument, which is what Martin said.

jkrazy52 · Post by **jkrazy52** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:28 am

Cool - Thanks, Wanderer! I have visited your site many times, but hadn't seen any duets yet. Love Good King Wenceslas.

If anyone is looking for a book of Christmas songs, The Whistle Shop ( www.thewhistleshop.com ) has one called "A Celtic Tinwhistle Christmas" for $7.60 USD, with 24 songs, some also as duets. The website gives a list of the songs included.

~Judy

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:07 am

JohnPalmer wrote:For the Little Drummer Boy, Start on A and then figure it out, listening as you go. That's how people learn to play by ear.

JP

Yup...and it's a pretty easy one to learn that way. I learned it with D as the starting note, but a quick grab in my whistle drawer confirms that A is a good starting spot for it too.

Most songs (Christmas or Irish) are pretty easy to pick out on the whistle...the melody lines are a lot simpler than dance tunes. But, I really should notate it and put it up on the site for folks who aren't that confident in their ear yet, but still want to learn the tune.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:08 am

jkrazy52 wrote:Cool - Thanks, Wanderer! I have visited your site many times, but hadn't seen any duets yet. Love Good King Wenceslas.

If anyone is looking for a book of Christmas songs, The Whistle Shop ( www.thewhistleshop.com ) has one called "A Celtic Tinwhistle Christmas" for $7.60 USD, with 24 songs, some also as duets. The website gives a list of the songs included.

~Judy

I think I have just one other, if memory serves:
http://www.tinwhistler.com/music/sheet.asp?code=rufty

But then again, I'm getting old..there might be another one, and I've just forgotten

didymus · Post by **didymus** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:19 am

There are some Christmas songs here for tinwhistle including tablature.

http://www.guitarnut.com/folktablature/index.html

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 7:30 am

Tina,

Christmas carols are often the melodies that folks can most easily pick up by ear. I find having a key and a few starting notes is often enough to muddle through.

Using these as a start I can quickly transpose to a common key by learning a carol in a particular key on a D whistle and then switching whistles. This is helpfull if you need to accompany carollers in a more comfortable key for them.

Here's a worksheet I started (and posted) a couple of years ago to help; give it a try if you want. I have a copy I reduce down to the size of a 3 by 5 card for my shirt pocket that I carry around during the holiday season. It jogs the old memory.

Christmas Carol Worksheet.

Title: Here We come A-Caroling Key: D - Starting: DEF#E
Title: Over The River and Through the Wood Key: D - Starting: AAAF#G
Title: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Key: G - Starting: DGGF#
Title: The First Noel Key: D - Starting: F#ED,EF#G
Title: What Child is This Key: G - Starting: E,GABcb
Title: Joy to The World Key: D - Starting: dc#B,AG
Title: Bethlehem Key: G - Starting: B,BBA#B
Title: Jingle Bells Key: G - Starting: DBAG,DDD
Title: God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen Key: G - Starting: E,EBBA
Title: We Wish You a Merry Christmas Key: G - Starting: D,GGAGF#
Title: We Three Kings of Orient Are Key: G - Starting: B,AG,EF,GFE
Title: O Come, All Ye Faithful Key: G - Starting: G,GDG
Title: O Holy Night Key: C - Starting: EEE,GGAAFA
Title: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Key: G - Starting: E,GBBB,
Title: Silent Night, Holy Night Key: C - Starting: GAGE
Title: Angels We Have Heard on High (The Westminster Carol) Key: G - Starting: BBBd,dcb
Title: O Christmas Tree (O Tennenbaum) Key: G - Starting: D,GGG,ABBB
Title: Away in a Manger Key: G - Starting: d,dcB
Title: Deck The Halls Key: D - Starting: AGF#E,DEF#D
Title: Deck the Halls (alt) Key: G - Starting: dcBAGABG
Title: Once in Royal David's City Key: D - Starting: DFG2,GGFGAAF,
Title: White Christmas Key: G - Starting: B,cnatBAG,B,c#d
Title: Good Christian Men Rejoice Key: G - Starting DG,GB,Cnatd,ed
Title: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Key: D - Starting: DB2,FAG,ED2,ED2<*>

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 8:56 am

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:16 am

Now that we're talking about Christmas Carols, I've been looking for some time for the sheet music to "The Skyline Jig." It's on one of The Chieftain's Christmas CDs and the whistling is incredible. "The Boar's Head" is another tune that I've been trying to find sheet music for. Can anyone steer me in the right direction for these tunes?

Thanks,

Will O'Ban

ps: thanks, judy for the info on a celtic tinwhiste christmas. it contains "the wexford carol" which i was also looking for.