Carol of the Bells

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"Carol of the Bells" is a popular Christmas carol, which is based on the Ukrainian New Years celebration song "Shchedryk". The music for the carol comes from the song written and arranged by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych between 1901 and 1916. English-language lyrics were written in 1936 by the American composer Peter Wilhousky.[1][2]

The music is based on a four-note ostinato and is in [[3/4 time|Template:Time signature time]] signature, with the B-flat bell pealing in [[6/8 time|Template:Time signature time]]. The carol is metrically bistable[3] (which means it is characterized by hemiola, or two different alternating meters), with a listener being able to focus on either meter or switch between them. It has been adapted for musical genres that include classical, heavy metal, jazz, country music, rock, trap, and pop. The music has been featured in films and television shows.

Background

Origins

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File:Mykola leontovych.jpg
Mykola Leontovych

The conductor of the Ukrainian Republic Capella, Oleksander Koshyts, commissioned the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych to create a song based on traditional Ukrainian folk music. The resulting choral composition, "Script error: No such module "Lang"., was based on a four-note motif Leontovych found in the Ukrainian anthology.[4]

The original Ukrainian folk story related to the song was associated with the coming New Year that, prior to the introduction of Christianity, likely was celebrated in Ukraine in February or March, with the arrival of swallows, or with the spring equinox, in association with the coming of spring in April.[5] The original Ukrainian title translates to "the generous one",[6] or is perhaps derived from the Ukrainian word for bountiful (Script error: No such module "lang".),[4] and tells a tale of a swallow flying into a household to proclaim the bountiful year that the family will have.

After the introduction of Christianity to Ukraine and the adoption of the Julian calendar the celebration of the new year was moved from April to January. The holiday with which the chant was originally associated became Malanka (Template:Langx, Script error: No such module "lang".), the eve of the Julian new year (the night of 13-14 January in the Gregorian calendar). The songs sung for this celebration are known as Script error: No such module "lang"..[7]

Leontovych wrote the tune for the song while he was living and working in Pokrovsk (Eastern Ukraine) between 1904 and 1908.[8] It was first performed by the Ukrainian students at Kyiv University in December 1916.[9] It was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its 1919 concert tour of Europe. The tour was organized as a way to generate support for the fledgling independent nation of Ukraine, which had declared its independence, but which the Bolshevik government in Moscow refused to recognize.[10][11]

The song premiered in the United States on October 5, 1922,[12] to a sold-out audience at Carnegie Hall and the American audience fell in love with the Ukrainian song.[4] The original work was intended to be sung a cappella by mixed four-voice choir.[9]

Two other settings of the composition were also created by Leontovych: one for the women's choir (unaccompanied), and another for the children's choir with piano accompaniment. These two are rarely performed or recorded.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

English lyrics versions

In 1936, Wilhousky rearranged the melody for the orchestra with new lyrics for NBC radio network's symphony orchestra, centred around the theme of bells because the melody reminded him of handbells,[9] which begins "Hark! How the bells".[13] It was first aired during the Great Depression.[9] Wilhousky secured copyright to the new lyrics and the published song, despite the song having been published almost two decades earlier in the Ukrainian National Republic.[4] Broad popularity of the song stemmed largely from Wilhousky's ability to reach a wide audience in his role as arranger for the NBC Symphony Orchestra. His adaptation is now strongly associated with Christmas because of his new lyrics that reference bells and caroling, and his line "merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas".[4]

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"Ring, Christmas Bells", an English-language variant featuring nativity-based lyrics, was written by Minna Louise Hohman in 1947.[14] Two other versions exist by anonymous writers: one from 1957 entitled "Come Dance and Sing" and one from 1972 that begins "Hark to the bells".[13]

American recordings by various artists began to surface on the radio in the 1940s.[4] The song gained further popularity when an instrumental was featured in television advertisements for André champagne in the 1970s. "Carol of the Bells" has been recorded in more than 150 versions and re-arrangements for varying vocal and instrumental compositions.[15]

Notable recordings

In popular culture

Charts

Pentatonix version

Chart (2013–2014) Peak
position
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[38] 66

John Williams version

Chart (2017–2026) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[39] 34
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[40] 50
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[41] 47
Germany (GfK)[42] 68
Global 200 (Billboard)[43] 45
Greece International (IFPI)[44] 21
Hungary (Single Top 40)[45] 12
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[46] 16
Ireland (IRMA)[47] 29
Italy (FIMI)[48] 54
Latvia Streaming (LaIPA)[49] 17
Lithuania (AGATA)[50] 85
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[51] 45
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[52] 33
Norway (IFPI Norge)[53] 44
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[54] 28
Portugal (AFP)[55] 56
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[56] 60
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[57] 36
UK Singles (OCC)[58] 36
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[59] 47

Mantikor version

Chart (2021) Peak
position
DE Deutsche Compilationcharts[60] 3

Certifications

Pentatonix version

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John Williams version

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  5. ↑ Snyder, Timothy, O Generous One! Christmas Carols, 2/2, Thinking About..., December 14, 2025
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Jim McDermott, "The story of ‘Carol of the Bells,’ a Christmas classic born in Ukraine", America, Nov. 17, 2022.
  11. ↑ Lydia Tomkiw, "Toll of the Bells: The forgotten history of nationalism, oppression, and murder behind a Christmas classic", Slate, Dec. 19, 2019.
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b Crump, William D. (2013). "Carol of the Bells" in The Christmas Encyclopedia. 3rd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers: Jefferson, NC. p. 62. Template:ISBN.
  14. ↑ Nobbman, Dale V. (2000). Christmas Music Companion Fact Book: The Chronological History of Our Most Well-Known Traditional Christmas Hymns, Carols, Songs And the Writers & Composers Who Created Them. Centerstream Publishing: Anaheim Hills, CA. p. 91. Template:ISBN.
  15. ↑ Wytwycky, Wasyl (updated 2010). "Leontovych, Mykola". Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  34. ↑ Paget, Antonia (December 20, 2015). "Have-a-go singers who formed a Christmas choir to perform concert in Walton". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Lascala, Marisa (July 4, 2014). "The Muppets' Fourth of July Performance Will Be Incredible Because Of Course It Will". Bustle. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  37. ↑ Macleod, Duncan (December 26, 2009). "The Muppets sing Carol of the Bells Script error: No such module "webarchive".". Inspiration Room. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s John Williams – Carol of the Bells" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/CAN "John Williams Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  42. ↑ "John Williams – Carol of the Bells" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/GLO "John Williams Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  46. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  47. ↑ Template:Digits/ie7501/ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  51. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s John Williams – Carol of the Bells" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
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  57. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s John Williams – Carol Of The Bells". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  58. ↑ Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ Official German Compilation Charts (December 3, 2021). "Chart Position #3, Week December 3, 2021 - December 9, 2021 ". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved December 04, 2021.

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