It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

What if Chopin had written a Christmas carol? It may have sounded something like this. There is a definite pastoral atmosphere to this arrangement, giving it the feeling of one of his Nocturnes. The gently flowing river of the left hand in the first section provides the support for the melody as it weaves its way in and out of the eighth notes of the right hand. The second verse takes a more chordal approach to the music with the tune being played in octaves while the off-beat rhythms provide a french horn-like accompaniment. Suddenly, there is a burst of energy as the chorus rings out in left hand octaves while the right hand gives the impression of a sudden gust of wind. There is a return to the chordal section and ultimately to the flowing river of the opening before a final statement of the melody (though somewhat altered) over a pedal point brings the prelude to a very quiet and peaceful close.