Minor tonality, syncopation, and a melody
stepping up and down the staff.
Description
- Grade: Fifth
- Origin: England – Traditional Carol
- Key: D minor (pitched in F Major)
- Time: 4/4
- Form: AB – verse/refrain
- Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta ta | ta/a/a ta |
| ta/a ta ta | ta/a ti ti ta | syncopation - Pitches: intermediate: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So La
- Intervals: intermediate: La/Mi (P5), Mi\La (P5), Fa\Re (m3), La8\Mi (P4), Do\La (m3), La/Do (m3), La/Re (P4) – melody moves primarily by steps
- Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, syncopation, minor tonality, verse/refrain
- Key Words: world geography: England, Bethlehem, Israel; scared, Christmas carol, Christmas hymn, birth of Jesus, Bible story, Christ, Saviour, Satan, holiday song, seasonal song, astray, Jewry, blessed, manger, mother Mary, scorn, tiding, comfort, God, heavenly, Father, angel, shepherds, brought, Son of God, affright, Savior, Virgin, rejoiced, flocks, tempest, straight, oxen, kneeling, pray, praises, brotherhood, embrace, holy tide, doth deface, reign, kindred; abbreviation: Bethl’em (Bethlehem), pow’r (power)
- Recorder: intermediate: introducing B flat, D minor tonality
1. | God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ our Saviour Was born upon this day, To save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray: |
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Refrain: | |||||
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy. |
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2.
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In Bethlehem in Jewry This blessed Babe was born, And laid within a manger, Upon this blessed morn; The which His mother Mary Did nothing take in scorn: |
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Refrain | |||||
3. | In Bethlehem, in Israel, This blessed Babe was born, And laid within a manger Upon this blessed morn; The which His mother Mary Did nothing take in scorn: |
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Refrain | |||||
4. | From God our heavenly Father A blessed angel came; And unto certain shepherds Brought tidings of the same; How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by name. |
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Refrain | |||||
5. | “Fear not, then,” said the angel, “Let nothing you affright This day is born a Savior Of a pure Virgin bright, To free all those who trust in Him From Satan’s power and might.” |
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Refrain | |||||
6. | The shepherds at those tidings Rejoiced much in mind, And left their flocks a-feeding In tempest, storm and wind, And went to Bethl’em straightaway This blessed Babe to find. |
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Refrain | |||||
7. | But when to Bethlehem they came Where our dear Savior lay, They found Him in a manger Where oxen feed on hay; His mother Mary kneeling Unto the Lord did pray. |
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Refrain | |||||
8. | 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 Christmas All others doth deface. |
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Refrain | |||||
9. | God bless the ruler of this house, And send him long to reign, And many a merry Christmas May live to see again; Among your friends and kindred That live both far and near: |
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That God send you a happy new year, happy new year, And God send you a happy new year. |
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Additional Formats (click to enlarge)