"Ding Dong Merrily on High" is a

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

. The tune first appeared as a secular dance tune known under the title " Branle de l'Official" in ''Orchésographie'', a dance book written by the French cleric, composer and writer Thoinot Arbeau, pen name of Jehan Tabourot (1519–1593). The words are by the English composer

George Ratcliffe Woodward George Ratcliffe Woodward (27 December 1848 – 3 March 1934) was an English Anglican priest who wrote mostly religious verse, both original and translated from ancient authors. The best-known of these were written to fit traditional melodies, ...

(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 Cowley Carol Book'' was edited by George Ratcliffe Woodward and was published in 1901 and 1919, in two parts, ('First' and 'Second' Series), and was subtitled as a selection of carols "for Christmas, Easter and Ascensiontide". The First S ...

''. 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''.

Text and melody

Ding Dong! merrily on high In heav'n the bells are ringing Ding, dong! verily the sky Is riv'n with angel singing Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis E'en so here below, below Let steeple bells be swungen And i-o, i-o, i-o By priest and people be sungen Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis Pray ye dutifully prime Your matin chime, ye ringers May ye beautifully rime Your evetime song, ye singers Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis."Ding Dong Merrily on High"
hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com

\header \layout global = soprano = \relative c'' alto = \relative c' tenor = \relative c' bass = \relative c verse = \lyricmode \score \score

Recordings

* Roger Whittaker album ''Tidings of Comfort and Joy'' (1984) * Maddy Prior album '' A Tapestry of Carols'' (1987) * The Chieftains album ''

The Bells of Dublin ''The Bells of Dublin'' is a 1991 album of Christmas songs and traditional carols by the Irish band The Chieftains. The album features guest performances by various artists, including Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Mariann ...

'' (1991) *

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, C ...

album ''

Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas ''Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas'', released in 1996 by ABC Music distributed by EMI. It is the Wiggles' seventh album and the group's first Christmas album. It was made into a video the following year. Track listing Personnel Credits are taken ...

'' (1996) *

Charlotte Church Charlotte Maria Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed, 21 February 1986) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress, television presenter and political activist from Cardiff. Church rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching ...

album '' Dream a Dream'' (2000) * Cherish the Ladies album ''

On Christmas Night ''On Christmas Night'' is an album by Cherish the Ladies, released in 2004 on the Rounder Records label. Track listing # "On Christmas Night/Charles O'Conor" – 3:28 # "The Castle of Dromore" – 4:05 # "Henry Roe McDermott/The Holly and the B ...

'' (2004) *

Blackmore's Night Blackmore's Night is a British-American neo-medieval folk rock band formed in 1997, consisting mainly of Ritchie Blackmore (acoustic guitar, hurdy gurdy, mandola, mandolin, nyckelharpe, and electric guitar) and Candice Night (lead vocals, lyri ...

album ''

Winter Carols ''Winter Carols'' is the sixth studio album by the group Blackmore's Night, released in the United Kingdom on October, 2006, and in the United States on November 7, 2006. It is a Christmas themed album. The cover artwork for this album, painte ...

'' (2006) *

Celtic Woman Celtic Woman is an all-female Irish musical ensemble conceived and created by David Kavanagh, Sharon Browne and David Downes, a former musical director of the Irish stage show ''Riverdance.'' In 2004, Downes recruited five Irish female music ...

album '' A Christmas Celebration'' (2006) * Linda Brava album ''Angels'' (2010) *

Choir of King's College, Cambridge The Choir of King's College, Cambridge is an English Anglican choir. It is considered one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great English choral tradition. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded King's Coll ...

album ''

100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carols 100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carols is a double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, ...

'' (2018)

References

External links

*
Free sheet music from the Choral Public Domain Library

(with scans of original) * Fre
sheet music
of "Ding Dong Merrily on High" for SATB, Cantorion.org * {{authority control Christmas carols 1924 songs French folk songs

Text and melody

Recordings

See also

References

External links