There are many different arrangements of Carol of the Bells, but this tutorial is appropriate for late elementary level students in Unit 9 and above. We also offer an elementary level arrangement appropriate for Unit 6 and up, which can be found here.
Who wrote Carol of the Bells?
“Carol of the Bells” was composed by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1916. Originally, it was a New Year’s song named “Shchedryk” which translates as “Beautiful Evening.” In 1936, American musician Peter J. Wilhousky wrote English lyrics that placed this song in the Christmas tradition. This is the version that English-speaking countries are most familiar with today.
What key is Carol of the Bells in?
“Shchedryk” was originally composed to be sung in G minor by an a capella choir. Our version is in the same key!
What is an ostinato in piano music?
An ostinato is a musical phrase that repeats throughout a piece of music or a section of a piece of music. The “Carol of the Bells” begins with a four-note ostinato that continues throughout most of the piece and is composed of the notes B flat, A, B flat, G. Another famous ostinato is in Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.” This piece is composed over a repeating ostinato bass line of the following eight notes: D, A, B, F#, G, D, G, A. To hear “Canon in D,” click here.
What does crescendo mean in piano music?
A crescendo in music is a gradual swell in dynamics (volume level). You’ll notice the term cresc. written in measure 13. This means that in measure 13 you will begin to gradually increase volume from mezzo piano (medium soft) until ms. 17 when you are instructed to play mezzo forte (medium loud).
What does fermata mean in sheet music?
A fermata is a sustained musical pause and is indicated by a half circle suspended over a dot. This symbol means that you will play the note that is underneath the fermata sign for roughly twice as long as the note value indicates.
What does diminuendo mean in music?
A diminuendo is the opposite of a crescendo and means to gradually decrease in volume. You can see the dim. symbol by looking at measure 29. This lasts until the mezzo piano in measure 33.
What does rallentando mean?
Rallentando is the same as ritardando: both mean to gradually slow down the tempo. You can see this symbol in measure 33: rall. (2nd time only).
Welcome back! Today we're gonna learn one
of my favorite Christmas songs "Carol of
the Bells.” Let's go to the piano and
check it out.
Let's look at the score.
The first thing we'll notice is the key
signature. We have two flats which tells
us that we are in the key of G minor.
G minor has a B-flat and an E-flat.
Our right hand is going to start this one
and it's going to start in a G minor
position right here in the treble clef.
Our 3rd finger starts on that B-flat.
Let's look at the rhythm there. It says TA TI-TI TA,
and it starts with 3 2 3 1.
♫ME RE ME DO♫
Try that by
yourself. Make sure that it's a nice even
rhythm with TA TI-TI TA
Good, now let's
look at the second measure.
TA TI-TI TA
Hey that's just the same as the first measure and
look at the third measure.
and the fourth.
This melodic pattern that repeats is
called an ostinato, and it's gonna repeat
the first sixteen measures of this piece.
So
we have to get this down really really
good so that we are comfortable with
what's gonna happen in the left hand.
Let's try that first four bars all by
itself.
TA TI-TI TA
TA TI-TI TA
TA TI-TI TA
Go ahead and try this measure by yourself,
and see if you can repeat it sixteen
times without stopping.
Press pause now to try it on your own and then press
play when you're ready
Good, now let's look at the next four
measures.
You see our right hand is still repeating that same pattern,
but let's
look at our left hand. Our left hand is
going to start not in G position but in a C
minor position.
You see we play that G,
but it says there with our finger 1
and
if you look at those dotted half notes,
they're gonna feel really slow
and they just go right down. Finger 1
2 3 and 4
Now let's try that
while we're saying TA TI-TI TA each time
because that's the rhythm that our right
hands gonna play
TA TI-TI TA
TA TI-TI TA
TA TI-TI TA
TA TI-TI TA
Good, now if you can do
Carol of the Bells
What You’ll Learn
How to play the Christmas song "Carol of the Bells."
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