25 Christmas Carols - fiddlecoach.com · 25 Christmas Carols in Violin Tablature Elan Chalford,...
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25 Christmas Carols in Violin Tablature Elan Chalford, M.M. 1
Transcript of 25 Christmas Carols - fiddlecoach.com · 25 Christmas Carols in Violin Tablature Elan Chalford,...
25 Christmas Carols in Violin Tablature
Elan Chalford, M.M.
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Table of Contents 1 Joy to the World 32 Good King Wenceslas 53 I Saw Three Ships 74 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman 95 Away in a Manger 116 We Three Kings 137 We Wish You a Merry Christmas 158 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 179 O Come All Ye Faithful 19
10 The First Noel 2111 Deck the Halls 2312 Hark the Herald Angels Sing 2513 O Christmas Tree 2714 Good Christian Men Rejoice 2915 The Holly and the Ivy 3116 I Heard the Bells 3317 Angels We Have Heard on High 3518 Jingle Bells 3719 Go Tell It on the Mountain 3920 Silent Night 4121 It Came upon a Midnight Clear 4322 O Little Town of Bethlehem 4523 Wassail Song 4724 What Child Is This 4925 12 Days of Christmas 51Appendix --Violin Tablature Explained 53
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Joy to the World
Joy to the world! the Lord is come.Let earth receive her King.Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,And heav’n and nature sing,And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns.Let men their songs employ.While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,And makes the nations proveThe glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,And wonders of His love.And wonders, wonders of His love.
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Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas look’d outOn the Feast of Stephen,When the snow lay round about,Deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, Though the frost was cruel,When a poor man came in sight,Gath’ring winter fuel.
“Hither, page, and stand by me,If thou know’st it, telling,Yonder peasant who is he?Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence,Underneath the mountain;Right against the forest fence,By Saint Agnes’ fountain.”
“Bring me flesh and bring me wine,Bring me pine logs hither:Thou and I shall see him dineWhen we bear them thither.”
Page and monarch forth they went,Forth the went together;Through the rude wind’s wild lamentAnd the bitter weather.
“Sire, the night is darker now,And the wind blows stronger;Fails my hear, I know not how,I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page,Tread thou in them boldly:Thou shalt find the winter’s rageFreeze thy blood less coldly.”
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Good King Wenceslas
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In his Masterʼs steps he trod, Where the snow lay dinted;Heat was in the very sod Which the saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, Wealth or rank possessing,Ye who now will bless the poor, Shall Yourselves find blessing.
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I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In
I saw three ships come sailing inOn Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,I saw three ships come sailing inOn Christmas Day in the morning.
And what was in those ships all threeOn Christmas Day, on Christmas Day?And what was in those ships all threeOn Christmas Day, in the morning?
The mother Mary and her baby,On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day,The mother Mary and her baby,On Christmas Day, in the morning.
Pray, whither sailed those ships all three, etc.
Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem, etc.
And all the bells on earth shall ring, etc.
And all the angels in Heaven shall sing, etc.
And all the souls on earth shall sing, etc.
Then let us all rejoice amain, etc.
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I Saw Three Ships
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God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
God rest ye merry, Gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,Remember Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day,
To save us all from Satn’s pow’rWhen we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,O tidings of comfort and joy.
And when they came to Bethlehem, where our dear Saviour lay,They found Him in a manger, where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling down,Unto the Lord did pray.
Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place,And with true love and brotherhood,Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of ChristmasAll other doth deface.
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God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
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Away in a Manger
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head.The stars in the sky look’d down where He lay,The little Lord Jesus, asleep in the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the poor Baby wakes,But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,And stay by my cradle, till morning is nigh!
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stayClose by me forever and love me, I pray!Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.
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We Three Kings of Orient Are
“We Three Kings of Orient are,Bearing gifts we traverse afar,Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,Following yonder Star.”
O Star of Wonder, Star of Night, Star of royal beauty bright,Westward leading, Still proceeding,Guide us to thy perfect light.
“Born a King on Bethlehem plain,Gold I bring to crown Him again.King for ever, ceasing never,Over us all to reign.”
“Frankincense to offer have I,Incense owns a Deity nigh;Pray’r and praising
all men raising,Worship Him God on high.”
“Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfumeBreathes a life of gathering gloom;Sorrowing, sighing,
bleeding, dying,Seals in the stone cold tomb.”
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We Three Kings
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We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas,We wish you a Merry Christmas,We wish you a Merry Christmas,And a Happy New Year.
We want some figgy pudding,We want some figgy pudding,We want some figgy pudding,And a cup of good cheer!
We won’t go until we get some,We won’t go until we get some,We won’t go until we get some,So bring it out here!
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O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O come, o come Emmanuel,And ransom captive IsraelThat mourns in lonely exile hereUntil the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come to you o Israel.
O come, o come Great Lord of MightWho to your tribes on Sinai’s heightIn ancient times once gave the LawIn cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! etc.
O come strong Branch of JesseFree your own from Satan’s tyrannyFrom depths of Hell your people saveAnd give them vic’try o’er the grave.
Rejoice! etc.
O come Bless’d Dayspring, come and cheerOur spirits by Your Advent here.Disperse the gloomy clouds of nightAnd death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! etc.
O come, o Key of David, comeAnd open wide our heav’nly home.Make safe the Way that leads on highAnd close the path to misery.
Rejoice! etc.
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O Come, O Come Emmanuel
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O Come, All Ye Faithful
O come, all ye faithful,joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, o come yeto Bethlehem!
Come and behold Him,born the King of Angels:
[Refrain]O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord!
See how the shepherds,summon’d to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks,drew nigh with holy fear.
We too shall thitherbend our joyful footsteps:
Sing, choirs of angels,sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizensof heav’s above:
Glory to God,Glory in the highest:
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Theebe glory giv’n:
Word of the Father,now in flesh appearing:
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O Come All Ye Faithful
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The First Noel
The first Noel, the angel did say,Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;In fields where they lay keeping their sheep.On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!Born is the King of Israel!
They looked up and saw a starShining in the East, beyond them ‘farAnd to the earth it gave great light,And so it continued both day and night.
And by the light of that same star,Three wise men came from country far;To seek for a king was their intent,And to follow the star
wherever it went.
This star drew nigh to the northwest, Over Bethlehem it took its rest,And there it did both stop and stay,Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those wise men three,Full reverently upon the knee,And offered there, in His presence,Their gold, and myrrh,
and frankincense.
Then let us all, with one accord,Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,Who hath made heaven
and earth of nought,And with His blood
mankind hath bought.
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Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,Fa la la la la, la la la la.‘Tis the season to be jolly,Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel,Fa la la, la la la, la la la.Troll the ancient Yultide carol,Fa la la la la, la la la la.
See the blazing yule before us,Fa la la la la, la la la la.Strike the harp and join the chorus,Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Follow me in merry measure,Fa la la, la la la, la la la.While I tell of Christmas treasure,Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fast away the old year passes,Fa la la la la, la la la la.Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Sing we joyous all together,Fa la la la la, la la la la.Heedless of the wind and weather,Fa la la la la, la la la la.
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Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing,“Glory to the newborn King!Peace on earth, and mercy mild;God and sinners reconcil’d!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;With th’angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heav’n ador’d,Christ, the everlasting Lord;Long desir’d, behold Him come,Finding here His humble home.
Veil’d in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’incarnate Deity!Pleas’d as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Mild, He lays His glory by,Born that man no more may die;Born to raise the sons of earth,Born to give thim second birth.
Ris’n with healing in His wings, light and life to all He brings,Hail, the Son of Righteousness! Hail, the heav’n born Prince of Peace!
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
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O Christmas Tree!
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,your leaves are ever faithful!
Not only green when summer glows,But in the winter when it snows.O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,
your leaves are ever faithful!
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,you are the tree most loved!
How oft’ you’ve given me delightWhen Christmas fires
were burning bright!O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,you are the tree most loved!
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,your faithful leaves will teach me
That hope and love and constancyGive joy and peace eternally.O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree,
your faithful leaves will teach me!
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O Christmas Tree
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Good Christian Men, Rejoice
Good Christian men, rejoiceWith heart and soul and voice.Give ye heed to what we say:News, news, Jesus Christ is born today.
Ox and ass before him bowAnd he is in the manger now.Christ is born today,Christ is born today.
Good Christian men, rejoiceWith heart and soul and voice.Now ye hear of endless bliss:News, news, Jesus Christ was born for this.
He has opened heaven’s doorAnd we are bless’d for ever more.Christ was born for this,Christ was born for this.
Good Christian men, rejoiceWith heart and soul and voice.Now ye need not fear the grave.News, news, Jesus Christ was born to save.
Calls you one and calls you allTo gain His everlasting Hall.Christ ws born to save,Christ was born to save.
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The Holly and the Ivy
The holly and the ivy,When they are both full grown,Of all the trees that are in the wood,The holly bears the crown:
[Refrain]The rising of the sun And the running of the deer,The playing of the merry organ,Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom,As white as the lily flow’r,And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,To be our sweet Saviour:
The holly bears a berry,As red as any blook,And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,To do poor sinners good:
The holly bears a prickle,As sharp as any thorn,And Mary bore sweet Jesus ChristOn Christmas day in the morn:
The holly bears a bark,As bitter as any gall,And Mary bore sweet Jesus ChristFor to redeem us all:
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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I heard the bells on Christmas dayTheir old familiar carols play,And wild and sweet the words repeatOf peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how, as the day had come,The belfries of all ChristendomHad roll’d along th’unbroken songOf peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bow’d my head;“There is no peace on earth,” I said,“For hate is strong, and mocks the songOf peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and dep:“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till ringing, singing on its way,The world revolved from night to day,A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,Of peace on earth, good will to men.
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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
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Angels We Have Heard on High
Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains,And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains:
Gloria in excelsis Deo,Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?Why your joyous strains prolong?What the gladsome tidings beWhich inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo,Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and seeHim whose birth the angels sing;Come, adore on bended kneeChrist, the Lord, the new born King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo,Gloria in excelsis Deo.
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Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snowIn a one-horse open sleigh,O’er the fields we go,Laughing all the way;
Bells on bobtail ring,Making spirits bright;What fun it is to ride and singA sleighing song tonight!
Jingle bells! Jingle bells!Jingle all the way!O what fun it is to rideIn a one-horse open sleigh. Oh! Jingle bells! Jingle bells!Jingle all the way!O what fun it is to rideIn a one-horse open sleigh.
A day or two agoI thought I’d take a ride,And soon Miss Fannie BrightWas seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank,Misfortune seem’d his lot,He got into a drifted bank,And then we got upsot!
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Go Tell It On the Mountain
When I was a learner,I sought both night and day,I asked the Lord to help me,And he showed me the way.
Go tell it on the mountain;Over the hills and ev’rywhere;Go tell it on the mountain,Our Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching;O’er wand’ring flock by night;Behold! From out the Heavens,There shone a holy light.
He made me a watchmanUpon the city wall,And if I am a ChristianI am the least of all.
And, lo, when they had seen it, They all bowed down and prayed;Then travelled on together,To where the Babe was laid.
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Silent NightSilent Night, Holy night,All is calm, all is bright,Round yon Virgin Mother and Child,Holy Infant so tender and mild,Sleep in heavenly peace,Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent Night, Holy night,Shepherds quake at the sight;Glories stream from heaven afar,Heavenly hosts sing alleluia,Christ, the Savior, is born!Christ, the Savior, is born!
Silent night, Holy night,Son of God, Love’s pure lightRadiant beams from Thy holy face,With the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord at Thy birth,Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.
How silently, how silentlyThe wondrous gift is given!So God imparts to human heartsThe blessings of His heaven.No ear my hear His coming, But in this world of sin,Where meek souls will receive Him still,The dear Christ enters in.
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It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear,That glorious song of old,From angels bending near the earthTo touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to menFrom heav’n’s all gracious King”;The world in solemn stilless layTo hear the angels sing.
Still thro’ the cloven skies they come,With peaceful wings unfurl’d,And still their heav’nly music floatsO’er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plainsThey bend on hov’ring wing,And ever o’er its Babel soundsThe blessed angels sing.
And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,Whose forms are bending low,Who toil along the climbing wayWith painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hoursCome swiftly on the wing:O rest beside the weary road,And hear the angels sing.
For lo, the days are hast’ning on,By prophet bards foretold,When with the ever circling yearsComes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earthIts ancient splendor fling,And the whole world give back the songWhich now the angels sing.
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It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
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O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem,How still we see thee lie!Above thy deep and dreamless sleepThe silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shinethThe everlasting Light;The hopes and fears of all the yearsAre met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary;And gather’d all above,While mortals sleep, the angels keepTheir watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars! togetherProclaim the holy birth,And praises sing to God our King,And peace to men on earth.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us we pray;Cast out our sin and enter in,Be born in us today!
We hear the Christmas angelsThe great glad tidings tell;O come to us, abide with us,Our Lord Emmanuel.
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O Little Town of Bethlehem
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Wassail Song
Here we come awassailing Among the leaves so green,Here we come awandering,So fair to be seen:
Love and joy come to you,And to you your wassail too,And God bless you and send youA happy New Year,And God send you a happy New Year.
We are not daily beggarsThat beg from door to door,But we are neighbors’ childrenWhom you have seen before:
God bless themaster of this house,Likewise the mistress too,And all the little childrenThat round the table go:
Good Master and good Mistress,While you’re sitting by the fire,Pray think of us poor childrenWho are wand’ring in the mire:
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What Child Is ThisWhat Child is this, who, laid to restOn Mary’s lap, is sleeping?Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,whom shepherds guard and angels sing:Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate,Where ox and ass are feeding?Good Christians fear: for sinners hereThe silent Word is pleading.
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,Come peasant, King to own Him;The King of Kings salvation brings;Let loving hearts enthrone Him!
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What Child Is This?
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The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to meA partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to meTwo turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day...three French hens, two turtle dovesand a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day...four calling birds, three French hens,Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day...five gold rings,four calling birds, three French hens,Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day...Six geese a-laying...
On the seventh day...Seven swans a-swimming...
On the eighth day...Eight maids a-milking...
On the ninth day...Nine ladies dancing...
On the tenth day...Ten lords a-leaping...
On the eleventh day...Eleven pipers piping...
On the twelth day...Twelve drummers drumming...
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12 Days of Christmas
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Big ending. Make itgrandiose.
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How Easy Violin Tablature Makes Learning to Play the Violin Fast and Fun
Beginning violin students have to learn two difficult skills at once. They are expected to learn how to play a very difficult musical instrument. And at the same time they are asked to concentrate on learning to decode the arcane symbols of music notation.
For more than 20 years, I have used violin tab in teaching both kids and adults how to play the violin. The benefits of this approach were apparent from the first day I tried it. But, the system is not very well known. The purpose of this introduction is to explain how it works.
This introduction tells how to use violin tab charts to learn to play simple pieces. You will read a brief summary of what violin tab is, how it relates to standard music notation and why I prefer this method of instruction for beginning violin students.
Also, violin tab is compared to fiddle tab, which it closely resembles. Certain violin playing conventions hold in the case of violin tab. This has some affect on the notation, but even more influence on the assumptions and technique. (Likewise, in fiddle tab, fiddle technique is assumed and indicated by certain signs.)
Learning violin tab is so intuitive and so easy that a student picks it up in five minutes. This has been true even for five-year-olds.
First, let's recall what standard musical notation is. The familiar dot-shaped notes on or between the five lines of the musical staff represent exact pitches of musical notes. (See the illustration below.)
The dots show the pitch. The sharp signs, #, influence that pitch. The clef sign, (looks like B) , determines what line is C
for the scale. Attached to the dots are lines, called “stems.” These are the rhythm symbols. They show the relative duration of the notes. Other musical terminology, often Italian, indicates
the speed of the rhythm. Allegro con brio, for example, means “lively, with enthusiasm.”Sometimes a metronome marking shows the exact speed in number of beats per minute, (for
example, MM=92). This is plainly faster than one beat per second. Itʼs about three beats every two seconds.
Musical notation tells nothing about how to play the music on any musical instrument. It is designed to be used with all musical instruments.
Violin tab, on the other hand, tells exactly what string to play and what finger to use. Itʼs intuitive and easy to learn. See the example below.
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30 1 20 1 2 3
The fragment of violin tab above shows the same information as the previous fragment of music notation. But it shows the information in a form that only violin players can use. It is not universal. Because it is so focused, it is simpler.
Each space of the staff represents a string. The top space represents the E-string, the next one, the A-string--and so on.
If you placed a violin with its side, with the neck extending to the left of the body, you would see the strings in exactly the same relationship. If you then reached both hands to pick up the violin, with your left hand under the neck, you would be in position to finger the strings the normal way.
The numbers correspond to the fingering indications. The number 1 is the first finger--the pointing finger, 2 is the middle finger, 3 the ring finger and 4 the pinkie. An 0 means use no finger, or leave the string open.
The only question remaining is placement of the fingers. We begin with the placement that would produce a major scale. This is the most common tradition in Western music. Itʼs common to all the melody instruments that Iʼm aware of, and to singing as well.
All music teachers start with this basic instruction: the do-re-mi of music. These first three notes of the scale are found in countless childrenʼs songs: “Are You Sleeping, Brother John?,” “Row, Row, Row your Boat,” and, in the inverse order, “Hot Cross Buns,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” “London Bridge is Falling Down,” “Three Blind Mice.”
That sound, and the relationship of the fingers that produce that sound, is the assumption that underlies violin tablature, as I teach it. Any variation from that finger placement will be indicated by the letter L or H. These letters guide the student to place the finger lower or higher than usual.
The rhythm indication in violin tab is similar to musical notation, but simplified.A single line under a number is called a stem, just as in music notation. It shows the same thing,
one beat of rhythm. Two numbers that have stems joined by another line (called a “beam” in music notation) would be played in one beat.
Rhythm can be as simple as a repeating single drumbeat. But as we get into real tunes and songs, this is not the case. The rhythm becomes more complex. Basic rhythm notation can convey complexity and sophistication.
Pitch as a quality of sound is somewhat subtle, though intuitive. When we use a number of different pitches, as in playing a tune, we are in a complex mode, just as in using different rhythms. In violin tab this ability is more dependent on ear training.
The development of standard musical notation in Western music was an achievement of magisterial greatness. It was the necessary precondition for the richly complex beauty, power and mystery of great music.
Learning this system is no easy matter. In Europe, a hundred years ago, kids going into music 54
learned to sing solfeggio. This meant translating musical notation into do-re-mi.In current violin instruction, the difficulty of learning to read music is handled by showing the
fingering notation over the particular note. This is also true for keyboard. Other instruments, such as brass and woodwind, have similar notations over certain notes to aid the student in translating the symbolism of the notational pitch into physical actions with their musical instruments.
Suzuki avoided this problem entirely by having his students learn the pieces by heart. Very young students would attend the class lessons for some time, or they would listen to tapes at home for a while. When they began to play, the instruction would be direct, without any notation being involved. Later, musical notation was introduced for pieces that had already been learned.
In the American Suzuki Method, musical notation is given to the student very early. And finger notations are placed over every note. The student has only to intuit when to change string. In this respect it differs not at all from classical violin pedagogy.
In the method that I use, the Easy Violin Tablature method, I show the student tab charts after the initial stage of learning to play a scale. I have never had a student fail to learn how to read tab charts in one lesson. It is intuitive, natural and easy.
Making the transition to reading music later has, likewise, been no great challenge. Some students simply begin Suzuki Violin Book One, with its easy pieces and quickly learn to read. At the same time they follow the learning curve of progressive difficulty that characterizes the Suzuki method.
Students who prefer fiddling can use Beginning Old-Time Violin, by Alan Kaufman. It has both violin tab, in the form of Kaufmanʼs fiddle tab, and musical notation. It's an excellent resource, both for learning fiddle tunes, and for the transition from tab to music notation.
There are a few conventions of violin playing that could use more comment. For example, how the bow is being moved in a particular way, according to the preferences of violinists. Detailed instruction really calls for a violin teacher.
Violinists, I have noticed, can also learn to read violin tab in a few minutes, no matter how advanced they are. A violin teacher can help you with these carols.
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