Away in a Manger (alternative tune): Mastering Christmas Carols on the Piano and Keyboard

Click on any of the music scores to view/print higher resolution versions

View a range of Christmas Carols Music Books at Amazon.

How to play Away in a Manger on the piano or keyboard. Note that this is an alternative (some might say the original) version of the melody. The British version of Away in a Manger is also available.

View a range of Christmas Carols Music Books at Amazon.

Introduction

Like Silent Night and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Away in a Manger is in 3/4 (Waltz) time.

It’s written here in F major, which is a comfortable key for most people to sing it in.

Main Melody

The melody is quite different to the alternative version. There’s more variation here, though there is a hint of repetition between the two halves.

Here’s the complete melody written out on the treble clef stave, as you’d play it with the right hand:

Download the PDF version

Listen to the melody (MIDI file, should play directly in your browser. Alternatively, iTunes or Quicktime will play it).

Those notes are:

- – C | C Bb A | A G F | F E D | C C | C D C | C G E | D C F | A C | C Bb A |
A G F | F E D | C C | Bb A G | A G F | G D E | F

Continued below...

Single Note Bass Line

Here’s how to add a single bass note to each bar to add a little harmony. In fact, it only uses three different notes — C, F and Bb.

Download the PDF.

Listen to the MIDI file

Melody and Accompaniment

The final version features the playing of chords in the right hand, with the melody note as the highest, plus two bass notes an octave apart in the left hand.

Note that the lowest one or two notes in each right hand bar are held for the duration (three beats) while the melody notes are played. This can either be done by physically holding the notes down (if comfortable), using the sustain pedal, or a combination. See what sounds the best — generally sustaining a whole bar when there are only a few melody notes in each will still give a pleasing sound without fear of notes running too much into one another.

Download the PDF

Listen to MIDI file

I hope you find this guide useful for helping you to play Away in a Manger.

View a range of Christmas Carols Music Books at Amazon.

Series Index: Mastering Christmas Carols on the Piano and Keyboard