Solo Christmas Songs for the Mandolin

[LBMando]

Okay, I'm getting a jump on things a bit, but my kids want me to have a good repetoire of Christmas songs this year and I'd love to have some solo mandolin carols to do...Can you please direct me to ways to get holiday songs early?

[glauber]

What are you looking for? Sheet music? Tabs? Recordings?

Butch Baldassari has a Christmas album that was very well received.

Also, ask Mandohack for his version of Silent Night. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Tim]

If you can work from sheet music, Jumpin' Jim's ukulele book of Christmas songs will give you arrangements for a solo instrument that roughly has the same tonal range.

[John Flynn]

Butch Baldassari has a Christmas album that was very well received.
The CD is called "Evergreen." It is all mando stuff and it is very good. Also, there is a companion book you can get with all the music and tabs, as well as advice from Butch on how to play each piece. His stuff is very learnable and I have gotten a lot of mileage out of it at Christmas. Butch goes more for tastefulness and beauty, rather than "mando-pyrotechnics." I highly recommend the CD and the book.

[glauber]

B.B. is the man...

Here is a link to the CD and book (http://www.soundartrecordings.com/evergreen.shtml).

Here is the Silent Night (http://www.brentrup.com/mandolincafe/eschliman.mp3) i mentioned half in jest. It's a good show of jazz mandolin pyrotechnics (more "night" than "silent").
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Eugene]

If you are duo-style capable, look into "Christmas Song" by Giuseppe Pettine (1903). It is his own composition, but does have kinda that Christmassy mood.

[LBMando]

Thanks, I'll try the Baldassari CD and book...Please keep the suggestions coming I greatly appreciate the help...:D

[LBMando]

Tim...Can the uke chords be crossed over to mandolin? I thought there would have to be some transposing involved...

[AlanN]

Some mando folks who have recorded Xmas records:

- the aforementioned (and lovely and talented) B.B.
- Dawg
- Emory Lester
- Tony Williamson

[Mandomax]

Roland White has a good book on solo mando christmas stuff. Nice arrangements, very recognizable, and uses drones and doublestops to good effect.

[LBMando]

How would you compare the Roland White songbook to the BB songbook? Are both pretty much the same with a slight personalization added? I ordered the BB book and CD last night...

[LBMando]

I have the Emory Lester CD and e-mailed him in regards to the notation for 2 songs, Carol of the Bells and O Come, O Come Emmanuel...Does anyone else have versions (musical notations/tabs/etc.) of these to songs? #Those two are on the family request list, but not in the BB or RW songbook...

[johnwalser]

I play carols at the the chapel every year and by now have dozens to pluck on. Here is Rudolph in PDF format in the rather odd format I do in MS Excel. Dots over notes indicate longer hold times. I play it with some some assorted drones, but this is the basic melody.
John

[LBMando]

Thanks for all the help...I'm starting to practice as we speak...

[Bill Snyder]

Try Mandozines Seasonal TableEdit files (http://www.mandozine.com/music/search_results.php?searchfor=&tuneselectby=C&mandolevel=&category=Special&songkey=&artist=&transcriber=&sortby=T&sortorder=A&submit=Find+TableEdit+Files).

[Alex Fields]

I'm just going to arrange duo style versions of popular christmas songs this year.

[LBMando]

Curious...I was curious, how do you open the christmas songs in the "mandozine" page??