"Ding Dong Merrily on High" is a Christmas carol. The
tune first appeared as a secular dance tune known under
the title "Branle de l'Official" in Orchésographie, a
dance book written by Jehan Tabourot (1519–1593). The
lyrics are from English composer George Ratcliffe
Woodward (1848–1934), and the carol was first
published in 1924 in his The Cambridge Carol-Book:
Being Fifty-two Songs for Christmas, Easter, And Other
Seasons. Woodward took an interest in church bell
ringing, which no doubt a...(+)
"Ding Dong Merrily on High" is a Christmas carol. The
tune first appeared as a secular dance tune known under
the title "Branle de l'Official" in Orchésographie, a
dance book written by Jehan Tabourot (1519–1593). The
lyrics are from English composer George Ratcliffe
Woodward (1848–1934), and the carol was first
published in 1924 in his The Cambridge Carol-Book:
Being Fifty-two Songs for Christmas, Easter, And Other
Seasons. Woodward took an interest in church bell
ringing, which no doubt aided him in writing it.
Woodward was the author of several carol books,
including Songs of Syon and The Cowley Carol Book. The
macaronic style is characteristic of Woodward’s
delight in archaic poetry. Charles Wood harmonised the
tune when it was published with Woodward's text in The
Cambridge Carol Book. More recently, Sir David
Willcocks made an arrangement for the second book of
Carols for Choirs.
The song is particularly noted for the Latin refrain:
"Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!" (Glory! Hosanna in the
highest!) where the sung vowel sound "o" of "Gloria" is
fluidly sustained through a lengthy rising and falling
melismatic melodic sequence.
I created this unusual arrangement to highlight the
sounds traditionally associated with Christmas for the
Concert (Pedal) Harp, Tubular Bells, Marimba & Strings
(2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
SHEET MUSIC