The Piano Guys - A Family Christmas

I got this when I was learning cello. It's a variety of their music, but O Come O Come Emmanuel is one of my favorites. If you play piano, this is pretty advanced music in general, or at least intermediate. I've been having fun with it. My only downgrade (and it's a small one) is it's hard to hold the pages open; however, Staples can make this into a spiral bound book for next to nothing so I'm happy.

I will start by saying this is a great music book of some truly amazing arrangements. The Piano Guys are, in my opinion, some of the best writers/arrangers/performers of piano music currently in the music business. That being said, describing this book as arrangements for solo piano with optional cell is misleading. There are three arrangements that are strictly solo piano and do not include an optional cello part: Angels We Have Heard on High, Still Still Still, and Christmas Morning. Of the other seven arrangements, I would consider three more to truly be cello optional: Good King Wenceslas, Where Are You Christmas, and Winter Wind. The cello is featured prominently with the melody almost exclusively in the cello part in the remaining four arrangements: O Come O Come Emmanuel, Let It Snow!/Winter Wonderland, We Three Kings, and Silent Night. So, with just six out of ten arrangements able to be played without the cello, this book really should not be sold as a solo piano book.However, the arrangements that can be played as solo piano are enough for me to still give this book four stars—I would give this book a full five stars if every arrangement was truly solo piano as described. If I knew someone who played the cello that I could play along with, I’m sure every arrangement would be a blast to play. But since I don’t, I can only comment on the arrangements that can be played without the cello part. I consider these arrangements to be challenging but accessible to intermediate or late intermediate pianists. I don’t find them to be quite as difficult as some of Jon Schmidt’s earlier piano arrangements, but they are just as well crafted and just as fun to play.Where Are You Christmas and Silent Night both include optional vocal solo parts too. When playing Where Are You Christmas as a piano solo, I add the vocal line to what I play, which is quite simple to do. I imagine anyone skilled enough to play these piano arrangements won’t have difficulty doing this. I’m sure this can be done with Silent Night as well, but it will likely take more effort. Since this arrangement requires the cello part, I haven’t tried it myself.Bottom line, don’t expect this to be a book full of piano solos. It was definitely written more for piano/cello duets. But if you are looking for six awesome arrangements to add to your solo piano repertoire, you will not be disappointed with this book.

I was hyped to get this book. I notice some people remarking about the "solo" aspect of the book. And it's a fair point. But I bought it specifically because I play piano and my sister plays cello. So it works out perfectly. It's beautifully arranged and great if you have someone to play with. (And even if you don't have someone to accompany, it's still great sheet music.)

Piano guys music is a favorite of my mother’s who loves to play piano as soothing therapy. This book has music that is more suited to accompanying the cello. Nice that a separate book for cello in alto scale (so may also be good for a viola player). Just playing the piano music by itself, the player would have to “weight” the melody notes to try and make the music recognizable without cello playing...in my opinion this is not worth returning the item, but it was not what I was expecting. I hope this review helps others.

Happy with the music book but the optional pull out cello part that was advertised as included, is missing. Can you please send it? Thanks.

I got this for my daughter who loves playing the piano and is just learning the cello. She loves to play from it, but like stated in other reviews it sometimes doesn't sound right. Breaking the cello out and indicating that the piano can fill the whole that is left doesn't work all the time. It's not bad but you can tell.

Wonderful assortment of Christmas music

I have used this before, but borrowed it from a colleague. Now I have my own. The music follows the You Tube videos, so you have an excellent example.

Very beautifull arrangements, with the cello transcription added. Only the price is a too much, rearrangements of old a few old songs; i cant give them that much credit in comparison with other modern composers.

A very good compilation

Though the music is lovely, it should NOT be labelled as a piano solo book. It is a a piano ACCOMPANIMENT book instead. Terribly disappointed, as we love the Piano Guys, but this is a waste of money if you are hoping to have some beautiful solo arrangements to play at Christmas.

The piano book came quickly in immaculate condition. The arrangements are written in the same keys as the Family Christmas CD so I can play along. Highly recommend these beautiful arrangements especially “Where Are You Christmas?”.

Spartiti semplificati per piano con possibilità di aggiungere anche l'accompagnamento del violoncello... accessibile, divertente e musica veramente splendida!!! Bravi piano guys!!!