How Do You Play Away In A Manger On The Piano
Away in a Manger can be played many different ways on the piano. Like most songs, there are a variety of ways you can arrange the chords & notes to get different sounds and embellishments.
Traditionally, the hymnal arranges Away in the Manger with intervals in each hand forming chords.
However, you can easily play this song in a more flowing way, with richer harmonies. OR, you can jazz it up. Ive heard many different arrangements of this song!
For this sheet music, well go very simple with the easy versionblock chords in the left hand and melody in the right hand. For the intermediate version, well go for a pretty, flowing sound with pedal
Away In A Manger No Crib For A Bed
1 Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
2 The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.I love you, Lord Jesus look down from the sky,and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
3 Be near me, Lord Jesus I ask you to stayclose by me forever and love me, I pray.Bless all the dear children in your tender care,and take us to heaven to live with you there.
Away In A Manger Piano Tutorial Notes Keys Sheet Music
Away in a Manger is a very popular Christmas carol among all carols for children. We dont know who the author of the lyrics is although a poem of Luther was previously considered to be the basis for the song.
The most common version is composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895, although there is an older one tune composed by James Ramsey Murray in 1887.
On this page you can find Notes, Chords, a Printable PDF for free Download, and a piano tutorial video.
If you would like to watch and sing this childrens song, for the Karaoke version.
Contents
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Who Wrote Away In A Manger
The history of Away in a Manger is actually quite interesting! For many years, the lyrics were attributed to Martin Luther .
However, time and research has since proved this wrong. According to classic FM, the current theory is that the carol originated in the US, in the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday Schools 1885 collection Little Childrens Book for Schools and Families.
As for the melody, there are TWO versions, both found in hymnals, yet popular in different places.
The first melody is called Cradle Song and is best known in the UK and Ireland. When you look up sheet music for Away in a Manger, this version comes up more.
The second melody, known as Mueller is popular in the United States. This is the melody I grew up singing. Since I couldnt find a lot of easy piano versions of it on the internet, I decided to make my ownhence this post!
Post: Away In A Manger
DD7GDAway in a manger, no crib for a bed,AAGDThe little Lord Jesus, lay down his sweet head.DD7GDThe stars in the bright sky, looked down where he layA7DEmA7DThe little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.DD7GDThe cattle are lowing, the baby awakes AAGDBut little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.DD7GDI love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,A7DEmA7DAnd stay by my bedside, till morning is nigh.DD7GDBe near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay,AAGDClose by me forever, and love me I pray.DD7GDBless all the dear children, in thy tender care,A7DEmA7DAnd fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
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Sheet Music Arranged By Rick Robertson
Here, Rick Robertson has woven two familiar tunes for this carol with the music of Johannes Brahms. The piece quotes one well-known Intermezzo and hints at another . This arrangement for late intermediates is part of the Christmas Memories songbook.
Away in a Manger
Away in a Manger
About the arranger
Away In A Manger Sheet Music For Piano By William Kirkpatrick
There are two different popular melodies to the Christmas carol Away in a Manger, both written by American composers. This page features the song by William J. Kirkpatrick, which is more popular in Great Britain and other parts of the world. For the version that is more popular in the United States, visit Away in a Manger for piano by James Murray.
There are five sheet music versions of Away in a Manger by Kirkpatrick for piano here in the key of G, for beginners to more advanced players. Select one of the images below for a free printable PDF of the carol. The Away in a Manger for piano beginner version 1 features the melody in the treble clef staff. Away in a Manger for piano easy version 2 splits the melody between the right and left hands.Away in a Manger for piano simple version 3 has a basic left hand accompaniment line to complement the melody. Away in a Manger for piano intermediate version 4 has a harmonized accompaniment. Away in a Manger for piano advanced version 5 features a more complex arrangement with harmony and moving notes in the left hand.
For a lead sheet with chords, visit the main sheet music page for Away in a Manger. It includes arrangements of the carol in seven different keys, as well as links to the song for band and string instruments and recorder. The lyrics to Away in a Manger are also available. Visit the Christmas music for piano page for an explanation of the different arrangements of the carols, as well as sheet music for many more songs.
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Away In A Manger Sheet Music
Away in a Manger is one of the most famous family Christmas songs of all time and is performed at thousands of nativity events each year. It is a late 19th century piece that remains one of the most popular Christmas pieces and has been recorded numerous times. I have put together 2 versions of the Away in a Manger sheet music an easy piano arrangement and an intermediate piano arrangement for you to have a go at. I hope you enjoy playing them!
Away In A Manger Chords/key
I decided to arrange Away in a Manger in the key of C. While the standard key for singing is F, I went with C because it is easier, and sounds better for the Mueller version of the carol on the piano. F just sounds either too low or too high in this version.
What chords will you need to know?
Well, it depends on the version you choose. I kept the easy version VERY simple. Youll just need to know C major, F major, andG7 in its simplified form.
For the intermediate version, I added just a few more chords so the harmony would get some variance: A minor and D minor.
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Tips For Playing Away In A Manger On Piano
As you learn this song, theres a few things youll want to focus on to make the most of your practice time:
- Make sure your left hand doesnt overpower your right hand. The melody is in the right hand, so you want that to really shine!
- Practice this song with AND without the pedal! For the final version, I recommend using pedal as it will add a nice touch. However, when youre learning it, youll want to practice without pedal to make sure youre playing legato and getting all the notes/chords.
- Dont forget to think about dynamics. Away in a Manger is a softer song, so you dont want to play with too much force. Think of it like a lullaby!
Away In A Manger Easy Piano
This version of Away in a Manger for easy piano is accessible for beginner piano players because it has a slow tempo, is in a simple key signature and the left hand is straightforward with no complicated rhythms. The melody does have some awkward moments where you will need to change hand position as the range of the melody is just over an octave .
Away in a Manger Intermediate Piano
The intermediate version involves more movement in the left hand and the addition of accompanying notes in the right hand. This is certainly more difficult than the easy version, but is a good stepping stone for any piano player who would like to develop the ability to play 4 part hymn tune or choral arrangements in the future. I have also left the fingering blank so that you can work out what feels best for you as a player.
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Away In A Mangerfree Christmas Sheet Music
Free Christmas sheet music “Away in a Manger” with guitar tabs and also a Middle C piano arrangement for young beginners!
Or choose:
- a lead sheet with chord symbols, or
- a regular piano arrangement with broken chords in the left hand.
Scroll down the page for the links to the free downloadable PDFs:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
This song always makes me think of very young children dressed up as shepherds and angels, but it is always a pleasure to play!
When I offer this song to my students, I frequently say apologetically, “This is kind of a baby song…” and then am surprised, again, when they jump on it! It does have an irresistibly sweet melody.
The rhythm of the Middle C version is simplified — no dotted notes — but if your student knows this melody already, they won’t be able to HELP playing the dotted rhythm!
If you wish to remind them of the true rhythm, just add dots and flags to the appropriate notes to make them look right.
I have put chord symbols above each measure where the chords change. This was at the request of one of my students who wished to play a duet at church with a friend, and only needed the chord symbols to figure out some kind of secondo part.
If we’d had this sheet music in hand at her lesson, I might have made her figure out the chords on her own and write them in.
I did not add fingering… but so many beginner songs use this position that your students will probably fall right into it.
The piano links:
