Do you play the soprano or alto recorder and want to take advantage of the Christmas period to offer a musical moment to your loved ones? In this article, we have selected for you some of the most beautiful Christmas carols arranged especially for recorder.

Thanks to Tomplay’s interactive sheet music, you can play alone or accompanied by a professional recording — an immersive experience ideal for progressing while savouring the Christmas spirit!

The first 4 pieces presented below are also part of the Tomplay alto collection The most beautiful Christmas music for alto recorder, bringing together the most popular festive songs.

▶️ Play the most beautiful Christmas songs for recorder (with sheet music)

Ready to offer your loved ones a musical Christmas? Here are our 10 favourite Christmas carols to play on the recorder.

1. O Holy Night

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for O Holy Night

Written to words by Placide Cappeau and music by Adolphe Adam in the 19th century, O Holy Night is a famous Christmas hymn, deeply rooted in Christian tradition.

Often performed at midnight mass on 24 December, it was originally written for voice and keyboard. It is said that the singer Emily Laurey was the first woman to perform this religious hymn, initially known as Noël d’Adam, in 1847. Its solemn lyrics illustrate the soothing beauty of Christmas night.

You can find O Holy Night in the Tomplay catalogue. This sheet music is available for several levels, for both soprano and alto recorder. Perform this majestic Christmas carol accompanied by a professional orchestral recording to enhance your festive season.

2. O come, O come Emmanuel

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for O come, O come Emmanuel

Originally a medieval Gregorian chant, O come, O come Emmanuel has its roots in liturgical hymns of the 8th century. Its meditative character evokes the spiritual waiting leading up to Christmas, offering a poignant contrast to the more festive songs of the season.

The recorder, an ancient instrument with a clear and translucent sound, is perfectly suited to this melody from the past. Playing this piece feels like travelling back in time: one easily imagines church vaults lit by candlelight and chants echoing through ancient stone walls.

Find this piece in the Tomplay library for soprano and alto recorder. The versions offered include professional accompaniment and tempo control to help you perform this work gently and expressively.

3. Jule Styne - Let It Snow!

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for Let It Snow! by Jule Styne

Let It Snow! was composed in 1945 by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne. July that year was particularly hot in California, and the duo of composers dreamed of cold and snow. Ironically, the song has absolutely no link to Christmas or holiday celebrations. This did not stop radios from playing it during the festive season, nor countless artists from including it in Christmas compilations.

While the original version was sung by Vaughn Monroe, you probably have in mind Frank Sinatra’s 1950 version or Dean Martin’s 1959 version. More upbeat than the original, both versions have been heard in various films and adverts. Yet it is the original version that appears in the final scene and credits of Die Hard (a point for Monroe, then!).

Tomplay’s recorder sheet music includes a professional accompaniment track. The sheet music is available at intermediate level for soprano recorder and easy/intermediate for alto. Play this classic to enchant your festive season!

4. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Did you know? In this song, the phrase “Bring us some figgy pudding… we won’t go until we get some” refers to the treats given to carol singers in exchange for their performance. These singers were often poor, so it was considered proper to reward them well. And they were persistent! They would not stop singing until they had been paid by wealthy families. Today, the song is more often heard performed by choirs at Christmas markets.

Discover Tomplay’s sheet music for We Wish You a Merry Christmas available for soprano and alto recorder. The sheet music offers several levels and can be played with note names and note recognition. This piece is therefore accessible to everyone — enjoy!

5. Aled Jones - The Snowman

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for The Snowman by Aled Jones

Composed by Howard Blake for the animated film The Snowman (1982), The Snowman has become a modern Christmas classic. The film tells the magical story of a boy whose snowman comes to life and carries him into the air for a magical adventure. The soft and airy melody perfectly illustrates childlike wonder, the silent winter, and the nocturnal magic.

On the recorder, this theme takes on an even more fragile and poetic dimension, evoking the icy winter breeze and the delicacy of snowy landscapes. It is an ideal piece for those who want to perform a gentle, dreamy and cinematic Christmas.

Discover Tomplay’s sheet music for The Snowman for alto and soprano recorder, with synchronised professional recording, to fully experience the magic of the film.

6. Pentatonix - Mary, Did You Know?

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for Mary, Did You Know? by Pentatonix

Created in 1991 by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, Mary, Did You Know? has become a modern Christmas classic, brought to life by many famous performances. The version by Pentatonix particularly contributed to popularising the song, offering a powerful and emotional a cappella interpretation. The melody, filled with softness and introspection, evokes the depth of the miracle of Christmas and the fragility of childhood.

Find Mary, Did You Know? in the Tomplay catalogue for soprano and alto recorder, with professional instrumental accompaniment and interactive tools to guide your interpretation. With this sheet music, add a touch of tenderness and emotion to your celebrations.

7. Gruber – Silent Night

▶️ Play the recorder sheet music for Silent Night by Gruber

The story takes place in 1818 in the Austrian Alps. On 23 December in Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg, where the Nativity was due to be re-enacted in the small Church of Saint Nicholas.

Unfortunately, the priest of Saint Nicholas parish church faced a disaster: the organ had been put out of action by mice (others say by rust) and it was impossible to repair it before the evening service.

Father Joseph Mohr was not a man to give up: he ran to fetch a poem he had written several years earlier, entitled Stille Nacht (Silent Night).

He gave his poem to the schoolteacher and organist of the neighbouring town, Franz Xaver Gruber, and asked him to write a melody to accompany his work on the guitar.

A few hours later, the carol was performed for the first time that evening at the Christmas Eve service in the small Church of Saint Nicholas.

With its gentle lyrics, this hymn offers a welcome moment of serenity during the busy festive season. Tomplay’s sheet music is available for beginner and easy level for soprano recorder and can be played with an orchestra. A great way to bring joy to Christmas when you are starting out!

▶️ Get 14 days of free access to more than 100,000 recorder sheet music pieces, for all levels — with professional accompaniments and interactive tools.

Whether you are looking for a moment of sweetness, magic or sharing, let your recorder brighten up your Christmas ✨