“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” – Ideas For a Piano Arrangement

Here is a transcript of the video if you would like to follow along:

Hello again. This is Duane and Merry Christmas to you. As we continue our series of Christmas carols, let’s take up that old Christmas classic “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” – Ideas For a Piano Arrangement. I think you know what, it goes something like this. Let’s see, that was an F. Let’s do it in G. On second thought, let’s brighten it up a little bit, let’s put it up in A flat.

Let me just [wrap 00:00:45] what I’m doing. We’re in the key of A flat based on the scale of A flat which has four flats, B, E, A, D, the word spells bead. B, E, A, D, four flats based on the scale of A flat. Let me push all the : it’s a good idea whenever you play the key of something, push down all the notes of the scale too, particularly if you’re just learning and see clearly what notes are involved. Those are the home notes, the home based notes. It’s not that you can’t use any others, you certainly can but those are the ones you’ll probably start out with.

I’m starting with A flat chord but I’m putting a second in it and then on the : Hark the : when word moves to Herald, I’m using a suspension, I’m playing A flat on top and under it F, D flat and B flat or E flat, what that is is E flat suspension and then as the melody comes down to G you resolve it from A flat to G in F to E flat.

Listen, Hark the herald. Then if you want to create some motion, take your left hand, put it down to D flat. That’s A flat in first and version C in the bottom, B flat minor 7th, B flat 7th suspension, 7th on the bottom. That’s an A flat chord, but look, you can do a passing tone. In the right hand I pass down from B flat to A flat and on the left hand I passed up from G to A flat. Of course, that’s the D flat chord, the melody is E flat, that’s E flat 7th suspension and that’s B flat 7th with a flat 9th, there’s a flat 9th.

That’s an A flat chord but a major 7th in it and then the 6th. You be a little different, you can play A flat with a 2nd in it and then B flat minor 7th, A flat, that’s F minor seventh. That’s B flat 7th suspension. Motion in the left hand, A flat to 7th down to the 2nd : on the first version, the E flat chord, E flat 7th, E flat major 7th, E flat, B flat 7th, resolution to B flat and then B flat 7th.

Now, what I’m doing is an [inaudible 00:03:48] on the left hand, I’m staying on E flat which is the 5th of the A flat chord. I’m playing the A flat chord by putting a 2nd in it. That’s B flat minor 7th over B flat 7th C, I just [inaudible 00:04:08] part. [Inaudible 00:04:08]. That’s G flat major 7th coming right from D flat 7th to C minor 7th and B flat minor 7th to F 7th in the flat 9th A in the bottom and then B flat minor 7th, E flat 7th, 7th on the bottom. A flat and first version where there was C in the bottom. F minor 7th to B flat minor 7th to B flat 7th to the flat 9th and now A flat 7th, I’m going to go right to the 7th.

Let’s see, let’s do something more outstanding. Let’s do A minor 7th to D 7th to D flat. Now C minor 7th, B flat minor 7th, that’s F 7th with a flat 9th. B flat 7th, A flat 7th with a 7th on the bottom. A flat first version, a flat 7th, a flat 7th suspension, A flat with a flat 9th and then going to A flat. Now, let me play it all the way through.

You could that inside plagal cadence at the end. Plagal cadence is that amen cadence where you progress with the four chord to the one chord. Notice I have my little finger on the root E flat and the melody and my little finger on the root, the bass note A flat. My right hand has a D flat instead of a C resolving to a C. My left hand has an F resolving to an E flat and I could turn around the D flat if I wanted, like go : any variety of that.
There’s some ideas for playing Hark the Herald Angel Sing in A flat. We’ll see you tomorrow with another Christmas carol. Bye-bye for now.

Here is the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnu5AfUFsTg

For a complete course on playing Spectacularly Beautiful Christmas Carols on your piano for your family and friends this Christmas, click here to read all about it: https://www.playpiano.com/musical-courses/christmas-carols.htm

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