Title: Christmas Piano
Artist: Jared Pierce
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Records
Genre: Christmas Music
Year Published: 2021
Format: Audio CD and various streaming services
Tracks: 10
Run Time: 42:49
UPC: 0783027041729
Price: $5.99
Reviewed by Trevor Holyoak for the Association for Mormon Letters
Jared Pierce is a pianist, composer, and teacher with a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Utah. He is currently teaching at Brigham Young University. The sheet music for the songs on Christmas Piano (which he arranged) is also available for purchase from his website (jaredpiercemusic.com).
I always enjoy listening to a good piano player, and I love Christmas music, so I was interested in reviewing this although I was not familiar with the artist. Christmas Piano comes housed in an unassuming cardboard sleeve with a somewhat abstract painting of the nativity. But the music exceeded my expectations.
It starts with a stirring rendition of “Joy to the World.” Then goes a little quieter with “What Child is This” (though it also has its louder parts). Next up is “I Saw Three Ships,” which I can imagine my kids dancing to when they were younger, followed by “The First Noel,” which begins softly reverent and then grows bolder towards the end before returning to the original softness to finish. “Silent Night” lives up to its name, inviting quiet reflection.
The second half begins with “Carol of the Bells,” ringing out with its interwoven melody. Next up is a medley of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Coventry Carol,” which fit together nicely. There is an interesting take on “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which seems to put the various moods of the words into the intensity and volume of the music. “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” is played in an unexpectedly jazzy style. The grand finale is “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and I can tell that Pierce really enjoys playing it, although it seems maybe a little too short compared to the rest of the songs on the album.
Jared Pierce has done an excellent job at both arranging and playing these carols. They are especially fitting for Christmas Eve or a Sunday in December. Most of them would also be suitable for playing from the sheet music in sacrament meeting. I will definitely be looking for more music from him.