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5225z - 50 Christmas Carols by Sylvia Woods
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50 Christmas Carols for All Harps 
Sep 24, 2007 | Posted By Nora Wu from
I am so glad that I bought this book because it is both easy to play with two versions and sounding oh so beautiful. I have been playing it all year round, not just at Christmas. My husband loves to listen to it. Thanks to Sylvia.
Must have!
Dec 1, 2007 | Posted By Anna Dunwoodie from
This is one book we couldn't be without during the holidays. It is so versatile that harpers of any ability can join and make some christmas music at their own level. This is our Christmas music bible - Auckland harp get togethers at this time of the year come with a reminder "bring harp, chair, stand and SW 50 carols book". Best value for $$ as everyone knows a lot of the tunes from this book! Thanks, Sylvia!!
Great book!
Dec 30, 2008 | Posted By from
I started taking harp lessons about 3 months ago and played the A arrangement (simpler version) of "Silent Night" this past Christmas. It's very exciting for a beginner harpist like myself to be able to play a Christmas song and it encourages further practice for next year, so that I may be able to play the B version as well and many more songs. I would recommend this book to both beginners and more advanced players, since it comes with both a simple version and a more difficult version of each song. The book is good quality with a pretty cover and has every Christmas song imaginable. I am very glad I bought this book!
Wonderful!
Jan 26, 2009 | Posted By Simone Salmon from
I use this book at gigs every Christmas season. It's something no harpist should be without!
Great Christmas music for Harp!
Jan 28, 2010 | Posted By Susan Jayne White from
I started teaching myself harp two years ago and decided this year to start working on Christmas music. I am delighted to have the easy versions to be able to play now and still have the harder ones to progress to later! I am extremely pleased to have such a variety of Christmas music to work on! Thank you, Sylvia!
Great Christmas gig book
Nov 3, 2010 | Posted By Lydia Sander from
Great book for both starters and intermedete players. Very wide variety and lovely little tunes! Great for the Christmas season! Good background music for dinners too.
Christmas companion
Jan 28, 2011 | Posted By Karen from
I started learning this book alone 2 years ago. Since then my children have joined in and they now play it in Christmas carols and performances. It has certainly become our regular Christmas companion with lots of pieces to choose from that are suitable to different levels.
Great for Duets!
Feb 19, 2011 | Posted By Audrey Joyner from
I and my teacher played at an Assisted Living home for Christmas and this book was a tremendous help. Instead of having a notebook of music we practicly just played through the book. Plus, since the book as an easier and harder version for each song my teacher played the the "B" part of the song and I played the "A" part. It worked out perfectly for a duet. Thank you so much Ms. Sylvia!!
Loved this book through the years!
Sep 3, 2011 | Posted By Natalie Wagner from Venice, FL United States
This is one of the first books my teacher told me to buy when I first began playing the harp 6 years ago. I've had it so long I forget that some people don't own it, it's such a wonderful book somehow I just assume it comes with the harp. Great for beginners, and as you grow you can learn the B version. And once you progress beyond that it's easy to spiff up the arrangements thanks to the chord symbols!
mandatory for Christmas
Sep 3, 2011 | Posted By Eric Bryan from Cypress, CA United States
It may still be summer time, but I have been gearing up for Christmas with this book. As with all of Sylvia's books, this one has a nice range of songs for different skill levels. The companion CD is a great learning aide, for those working on reading musical notation better. I especially liked the version of "Ihr Kinderlein Kommet," and it even includes the lyrics in German!
Great book!
Oct 25, 2011 | Posted By Kati from Richmond, KY United States
I am a beginning harpist, though I play various other instruments, and this book is really wonderful! My harp only goes to the C below middle C, and the arrangements in this book make it easy to modify the left hand so I can play all of the songs. Fingerings are included as well and they are very clear and easy to pick up. I was looking for a good Christmas book so I'd have something to play in church when December rolls around, and I have found it!
Love these songs!
Aug 24, 2012 | Posted By Olivia Claggett from Newark, OH United States
I have not played many songs out of this book because I don't have the need, but I love the ones I have played. My favorite is "O Holy Night." It is a gorgeous arrangement especially for a church service!
Great Book
Sep 13, 2012 | Posted By Jessica Slade from Beaufort, SC United States
Perfect for every Christmas!
My Classic Christmas Carol Book
Oct 10, 2012 | Posted By Sarah Kay Bierle from Temecula, CA United States
Throughout the holiday season, people want to hear the old traditional Christmas carols . . . especially on a harp! In my collection of Christmas music I have the arrangements with all the glissandos, complicated finger patterns, harmonics, etc. etc. etc. But Sylvia Woods Christmas Carol book is still a favorite because of its simplicity and variety of carols. It is great for beginners to play the "easy version" and later learn the harder arrangement and it is fun for more experienced harpists to improvise. Overall, this is the Christmas Carol book that I choose to play from when people want to sing or when I need to play some carols for my own enjoyment.
50 Christmas Carol Book
Nov 9, 2012 | Posted By Barbara Banfield from Sebastian, FL United States
Wanted to tell you how much I love this book. Super fast delivery, thank you.Started to play it right away and discovered several songs that were not heard since my childhood. What wonderful memories flooded back. Not a harpist, but a keyboardist who appreciates the A & B versions giving me a lovely choice. Will enjoy this book for many years to come. Thank you Sylvia Woods.
Great book!
Dec 1, 2012 | Posted By Elanee Smythe from Hillsboro , OR United States
I really appreciate the Christmas Carols selection that is in this book. It is so special to hear and play these wonderful exaltations of our glorious Savior. "For unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given" Isaiah 9:6
a lifesaver!
Dec 11, 2012 | Posted By Faye Fishman from Randolph, NJ United States
This book was a lifesaver. I was called to play background for a holiday event that was to be in one week. I hadn't looked at holiday material as I had no calls. But because I had 50 Christmas Carols on hand I pulled it out and tried each one. Because there are easy and more difficult arrangements I could pick the easy one and because of the guitar chords I could improvise. It was great; I added holiday melodies and they told me afterwards that they liked the selection of melodies. So thanks. This should be a basic book to have.
Wonderful for Multiple Levels
Feb 18, 2014 | Posted By AshMac from Tallahassee, FL United States
These are all the old favorites and then some! I like that there are easier arrangements for novices like me and more challenging arrangements as something to strive for. Bravo, Sylvia Woods! You've done it again!
LOVE IT!
Dec 21, 2017 | Posted By Lisa Harper from Charleston, SC United States
I bought this book and absolutely love it. So many great tunes to play and I love that the words are included. I can't recommend it enough!
Good variety
Nov 14, 2019 | Posted By L Cumming from Camrose, AB Canada
Lovely book with a variety of songs. I appreciate two version, one easy, one harder.
Variety; Sing-a-long; easy/adv side by side
Nov 14, 2019 | Posted By Sharon Oppedisano from Miami , FL United States
The variety of popular Christmas music in this book can be used in any venue for all ages: hospital, senior living, dinner music, church, sing-a-longs for young children to elderly. Beginner/adv side by side allows starting with beginner, and ending with advanced, or going back and forth within the song. It is extremely well written and notated. I have used it as a beginner and as a more advanced player, as well in a harp group where harpists of varying levels could play different parts of the scripts.
Great for all levels
Nov 14, 2019 | Posted By Nicky Lyons from Denver, CO United States
This book is so fun to play! The two versions of the songs make it easy for even newer players to add some holiday music to their repertoire. This one is a must-have!
Gig Book Staple
Jun 17, 2021 | Posted By Cherith Hendrich from Big Sandy, TX United States
This album is a staple to my Christmas gig book! I've been gigging for over 15 years and Sylvia's music is definitely a cornerstone of my repertoire. It has all the essentials -- beautiful melodies and chords. I highly recommend her music to any harpist!
What a Gift!
Aug 13, 2021 | Posted By Eva Chapman from San Jose, CA United States
50 Christmas Carols was my first harp book which was given to me at Christmas by my daughter. She heard me mention that I wanted to learn to play the harp so the gift was a great way to get me started on that goal. At the time I received the book, I did not know how to play the harp or even own a harp but I played the Christmas music in the book on the piano and loved it and vowed I would learn the harp some day. That day came about five years later when I met a most talented harp teacher who also was my handbell director and as the saying goes, "...the rest is history." I learned to play the harp and now own two celtic harps and of course, 50 Christmas Carols, became one of my favorite go-to books. There are two versions of the tunes in this book--the first version is an arrangement that is perfect for beginning harp students and the second version works for more advanced students. My harp teacher and I can play duets with this book--we can alternate playing the easy and more advanced arrangements which makes it fun as well as challenging. I thank my daughter for gifting me this great book which set in motion my dream of learning to play the harp.
A Wonderful Collection
Aug 14, 2021 | Posted By Joy Davies from Brampton, ON Canada
This book is a must have for Christmas and other Holiday celebrations. It has great arrangements for different skill levels and a good mix of selections for all to enjoy. I highly recommend it.
Must Have for performing Christmas Carols!
Aug 16, 2021 | Posted By Kim Perkins from Johns Island, SC United States
My sister ordered this from Sylvia Woods's website as a Christmas gift for me several years ago, and I love it! This is my staple Christmas carol book for the gigs I play during the holidays. All of the tunes have the chord names written above, so even if I get a request to play a tune I haven't really played yet, I can just play the "A" (easier) version of the tune (there is an "A" version and a more fancy "B" version) using the chord names so it's a lead sheet. Perfect! Any Christmas Carol you can think of is in here.
Excellent Resource!
May 12, 2022 | Posted By Lynda D Thompson from High Ridge, MO United States
I've had this book for at least 15 years, and it's pretty much the only book I use during the holiday season. It's served me well, as a beginner I learned the easier arrangements, and the more challenging arrangements allowed the book to grow with me. Can't go wrong with this book, or any Sylvia Woods book for that matter.
Wonderful Harp Book
Jun 3, 2023 | Posted By Margaret Coulter from Chattanooga, TN United States
This is a wonderful book appropriate for harp players of all levels learning Christmas carols. The songs have A versions and B versions. The A versions of these songs are suitable for beginning harp players who have been playing for less than a year. The B versions are the more advanced versions for intermediate and advanced players. If you are a beginning harp player and do not own this book, please consider buying it. Beginning harp players taking private lessons should consult with their teacher before buying this book. If the teacher recommends this book, then the student should buy it.