Phillip Sear: Christmas Fantasies - 3 & 4 ( Away in a Manger / A Child this Day is Born )

I like to upload one or two seasonal items in December, but this year had nothing written by others in practice, owing to accompanying commitments. So here are the third and fourth of a series of five fantasies on well-known Christmas carols and hymns (the earlier ones have already been uploaded). The tune to 'Away in a Manger' which I use here was written by WJ Kirkpatrick in 1895 , and is the the most commonly used in the UK. The tune to 'A Child this Day...' is 'Sandys', a traditional tune published in a collection of Christmas carols by William Sandys in 1833.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• piano
• classical
• contemporary
• British
• yule
• xmas

[jannarta]

Phillip, Your Christmas Special is delightful and I will send an original piece of my Christmas art work to say thank you. Have a Merry Christmas and continue your good work in 2010. jannarta

[PSearPianist]

Thank you.  That's really kind - and I look forward to seeing the artwork!

[Babejuda]

When I hear your music and playing, I always think: "What musical-surprises will be next"?

Although you have a style of your own, you manage to surprise us the listeners, in each of your pieces. Wonderful. Bravo.

[PSearPianist]

Thanks - I certainly try not to be routine in my pieces.

[CelestialTorment]

Truely fantasy...  :))

[PSearPianist]

I hope so!

[PSearPianist]

Thank you for your interesting comment. I would certainly like to see a piano arrangement of the Hely-Hutchinson, but have not checked if one exists.

[PSearPianist]

Thanks, and seasons greetings to you too!

[PSearPianist]

Thank you - one more yet to come!

[stagehand19]

I am loving your video's as usual. The Christmas Fantasies got me thinking about other Christmas music. There is the fantasia on Christmas carols by Vaughan Williams & the carol symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson which is a beautiful work written in the late 1920's. I first heard it in the short version he wrote & called A fantasia from a carol symphony, which I believe was an arrangement designed to fit onto 2 side of a 12" 78. I wonder if this version was ever published as a piano solo?