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Festive piano tunes for warming winter days

Embrace warm Christmas nostalgia with this mix of classical piano, jazz-tinged favourites, and seasonal film-score treasures.

From Claude Debussy and Erik Satie to Duke Ellington, Vince Guaraldi, and intimate piano takes on seasonal standards, this is a softly glowing journey into the Christmas spirit. The mix unfolds like a cosy Christmas Eve at home, woven with subtle sound design, a crackling fire, faint sleigh bells, and the soft hush of a snowstorm guiding you between musical passages. Piano arrangements of holiday film scores like Gene Wilder’s Pure Imagination, and festive favourites sit alongside timeless classics.

Produced by Áine Devaney.
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Sounds MM.

To listen on most smart speakers, just say: 'Ask BBC Sounds to play Piano Focus'.

11 days left to listen

2 hours

Last on

Christmas Eve 202512:00
BBC Radio 3 Unwind

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Music Played

  • Claude Debussy

    Images, Book 1, L. 110: No. 1, Reflets dans l'eau

    Performer: Emil Grigoryevich Gilels. Performer: Mario Rossi. Conductor: Mario Rossi. Orchestra: WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne.
    • Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 - Debussy: Images, Book 1 - Prokofiev: Piano Sonata.
    • ICA Classics.

  • Ralph Blane

    Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

    Performer: Alexis Ffrench. Performer: Hugh Martin.
    • Silent Night - A Classical Christmas.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Maria Corley

    Sonata in E Minor: Andante

    Performer: Maria Corley.
    • Soulscapes.
    • Albany Records.

  • Vince Guaraldi Trio

    Christmas Time Is Here - Instrumental

    Performer: Vince Guaraldi.
    • A Charlie Brown Christmas [2012 Remastered & Expanded Edition].
    • Fantasy.

  • Wesley Keys

    Pure Imagination - Instrumental

    Performer: Wesley Keys.
    • In Dreams.
    • 842363 Records DK.

  • Duke Ellington

    Meditation, Pt. 1

    Performer: Duke Ellington.
    • The Piano Player.
    • Storyville Records.

  • Meredith Willson

    It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas - Piano & Strings Version

    Performer: Rasmus Fors. Performer: Zymphonica.
    • Snowman (Holiday Hits in Classical Costume).
    • Zymphonica.

  • Emile Mosseri

    Infinite Love

    Performer: Emile Mosseri.
    • Kajillionaire (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Mondo.

  • Joe Collier

    Reverie Breath You Take

    Performer: Joe Collier.
    • Romantic Piano.

  • Dylan John Sparkes

    Wholeness

    Performer: Dylan John Sparkes.
    • Acension.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    24 Preludes, Op 28, No. 13

    Performer: Eric Lu.
    • 24 Preludes, Op 28, No. 13.

  • Jonny Greenwood

    House of Woodcock

    Performer: Jonny Greenwood.
    • Phantom Thread (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Nonesuch.

  • Carlos Simon

    White Christmas (Arr.Simon for Piano)

    Performer: Carlos Simon.
    • Christmas.
    • Decca Classics.

  • Buck Ram

    I'll Be Home For Christmas

    Composer: Walter Kent. Performer: Ava Cerasoli. Ensemble: Ensemble Rivr Dane. Ensemble: N.B.H-Trio.
    • I'll Be Home For Christmas.
    • Montagne Flum.

  • Saloli

    Sarabande Dream

    Performer: Saloli.
    • Ghosts: Music For Piano Vol. 2.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23: II. Andantino semplice - Prestissi

    Performer: Martha Argerich. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker. Performer: Claudio Abbado.
    • Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1; The Nutcracker Suite (For 2 Pianos).
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Thibault Ravina

    Winter Waltz

    Performer: Thibault Ravina.
    • From a New Distance.
    • N / / A.

  • Fiona Brice

    Prelude 10

    Performer: Fiona Brice.
    • Piano Preludes.
    • Bigo & Twigetti.

  • Stephen Baysted

    Réflexions

    Composer: Susan Caroline Legg. Performer: Stephen Baysted.
    • The Impressionists: And the Man Who Made Them (Original Motion Picture Soundtrac.
    • Redrocca.

  • Sir Stephen Hough

    Iver-Song "Lullaby"

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Stephen Hough's Dream Album: Piano Bonbons.
    • Hyperion.

  • Victor Nicoara

    Nuit de Noël, BV 251

    Performer: Ferruccio Busoni.
    • Busoni: Piano Works.
    • Hänssler.

  • George Winston

    Peace

    Performer: George Winston.
    • December.
    • Windham Hill Records.

  • Cerys Hafana

    Cynharlaw

    Performer: Cerys Hafana.
    • Difrisg.
    • Instant Karma Classics.

  • Hak Huyun Lee

    Please Come Home for Christmas

    Performer: Hak Huyun Lee.
    • X-Mas.

  • Hania Rani

    Silent Night

    Performer: Hania Rani.
    • Silent Night.
    • Gondwana Records.

  • Brian Wilson & Various Artists

    God Only Knows

    • At My Piano.
    • Decca.

  • Erik Satie

    Gymnopédie No. 1

    Performer: Minoire.
    • Introspection.
    • Aemeralds GmbH.

  • Robert Wells

    The Christmas Song

    Composer: Mel Tormé. Performer: Charles Snyder.
    • Christmas Songs.

  • Erroll Garner

    Misty

    Performer: Erroll Garner.
    • Jazz Around Midnight: Erroll Garner.
    • Verve Records.

  • Ryuichi Sakamoto

    Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - Version for Piano Trio

    Performer: Jaques Morelenbaum. Performer: Everton Nelson. Performer: Ryuichi Sakamoto.
    • 1996.
    • Milan.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Dec 202512:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Fri 19 Dec 202512:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind
  • Christmas Eve 202512:00
    BBC Radio 3 Unwind