Introduction
As part of our series on mastering Christmas carols on the piano and keyboard we look at Carol of the Bells, a popular carol based on the Ukrainian New Year’s song Shchedryk.
The song has been altered and performed in a variety of ways, so there is not one definitive version. Here we provide a fairly simple piece of music based on common keys and harmonies used. It’s worth noting that the harmonies in particular are not completely set in stone, with variations during different (or even the same) performance.
We have provided accompaniments which are fairly easy to play even by beginning musicians — with practice of course — as well as giving interesting harmonies to accompany a fairly simple and at times repetitive melody line.
We provide appropriate chords above the staff, which can be interpreted again by the player as desired, as well as walking through three iterations of the piece — one with just the melody (which could be played with chords), the second with a simple one note bassline, and the third with basic chords in the left hand.
Format
Carol of the Bells is written in 3/4 time and here presented in G minor, which has two flats (Bb and Eb). There are 32 bars/measures.
The melody is quite repetitive and it is worth thinking of the piece in five sections.
- The first section lasts for 16 bars and has a four note melody which repeats in each measure.
- The second section lasts for 4 bars and has a variation of the four note melody, again repeating in each measure.
- The third section is four bars and features a generally descending melody with a similar note pattern/rhythm in each measure.
- The fourth section is four bars and features an ascending scales repeated. The scale begins on a D but is in fact a section of the G melodic minor (G, A, Bb, C, D, E and F?).
- The fifth section is four bars with the same melody as the first section.
Melody Line
Here is the melody line with chords also written above the stave. One minor challenge is remembering how many times you have played the one measure melody line, especially if the carol is not being sung. Having a changing harmony does help with this.
Similarly, noting that there are only four “merry” before “Christmas”, so you don’t play too few or too many notes in that ascending scale.
Simple Bass Line
Here is the same music with a simple bass line added.
Left Hand Chords
Finally, here is the music with simple left hand chords. A number of them are formed from an octave using the bass note and its octave higher note, together with one of the other notes from the chord.
Some of the chords are inverted, either to make them easier to play and avoiding too many large jumps, or to maintain the bass note.
The Adim/C in measure 20 is probably the only slightly unusual chord. An Adim chord is comprised of an A, C and Eb, and the Adim/C means to play in first inversion, as C, Eb and A.
We hope you found this guide to playing Carol of the Bells useful.
