Description:
“What Child Is This? - Advanced Piano Arrangement No. 1” is classified as a Level 7 Piano work worth 100,580 points within the Road to Virtuosity progression system. It is categorized under Advanced Piano Arrangements → Hymns, Hymns - Christmas and is part of the Sacred collection. The sheet music for “What Child Is This? - Advanced Piano Arrangement No. 1” provided on this website is available for non-commercial use. This means it may be downloaded, printed, studied, and performed for personal or educational purposes, but it may not be sold, redistributed commercially, or used as part of a paid product without permission.
“What Child Is This - Advanced Piano Arrangement No. 1” is a six-page piano arrangement of the traditional Christmas carol arranged by Polly Bekasova. The piece begins with a clear Andante statement of the melody in 6/8, then expands into fuller chordal writing and flowing broken-note accompaniment. After a large middle section in 4/4 with continuous eighth-note motion, the arrangement returns to 6/8 for a more spacious final section. The result is a broad concert-style setting that keeps the recognizable carol melody while developing it through texture, register, meter changes, and increasing harmonic color.
Measures 1–9 present the first statement of the carol theme. The right hand carries the melody in long dotted rhythms and simple chord tones, while the left hand supports with sustained bass notes and light harmonic motion. The texture is open and hymn-like, allowing the familiar tune to be heard clearly before the arrangement becomes more active.
Measures 10–17 repeat and strengthen the opening material. The melody remains in the right hand, but the texture becomes more chordal, with fuller right-hand sonorities and a stronger left-hand foundation. This section keeps the same 6/8 character while giving the first page a broader, more confident sound.
Measures 18–25 begin the first major expansion. The right hand uses thicker chords and melodic fragments, while the left hand becomes more active with broken patterns and rising motion. The music grows beyond a simple carol setting here, moving into a more pianistic texture before the meter change.
Measures 26–33 shift into 4/4 and begin the long flowing middle section. The right hand moves in continuous broken-note patterns while the left hand supports with steady bass tones and repeated accompaniment figures. This change in meter makes the arrangement feel more expansive and less hymn-like, as the melody is now carried inside a moving texture rather than stated plainly.
Measures 34–43 continue the flowing 4/4 texture with wider movement across the keyboard. The right hand keeps the broken-note motion active, while the left hand anchors the harmony with low bass notes and repeated patterns. The register shifts and steady motion give this section a broad, rolling character.
Measures 44–57 intensify the middle section. The right hand becomes more chordal within the running texture, and the left hand continues its strong bass support underneath. The music moves toward a ritardando at the end of measure 57, preparing the return to 6/8 and the final large section.
Measures 58–66 return to 6/8 with a new texture. The left hand now takes on flowing broken-note patterns while the right hand presents the melody in longer notes and simple chordal shapes above it. This reversal of texture gives the final section a more spacious and reflective sound after the busy 4/4 middle.
Measures 67–75 continue the final 6/8 section with stronger harmonic movement and broader sonorities. The right hand alternates between melody notes and fuller chords, while the left hand keeps the arpeggiated accompaniment moving underneath. The ritardando around measure 73 helps prepare the final cadence.
Measures 76–82 close the arrangement with a slow, chordal ending. The texture becomes more vertical and hymn-like again, with sustained chords and a final held resolution. After the long middle section, the ending feels calm and settled, bringing the carol back to a reverent close.
Interesting fact: “What Child Is This” uses the melody of “Greensleeves,” one of the most famous English tunes. Because of that connection, the carol has appeared widely in Christmas films, television specials, and holiday recordings, where its minor-mode sound gives Christmas scenes a more reflective and old-world atmosphere than brighter carols.
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