By Mykola Leontovich
Arranged by Peter Wilhousky
Copyright 1936, Carl Fischer, Llc
“Carol of the Bells” is a popular Christmas carol, composed by Mykola Leontovych with lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky. The song is based on a folk chant known in Ukrainian as “Shchedryk” (“The Little Swallow” in English).
It was associated with the coming of the New Year which, in pre-Christian Ukraine, was originally celebrated with the coming of spring in April. “Carol of the Bells” is a captivating and rhythmic holiday classic that brings festive cheer with its iconic melody and rich harmonies.
In this blog post, you’ll find everything you need to learn this beautiful piece on the piano, including detailed sheet music, notes, and key information, along with a comprehensive video tutorial to guide you through each step.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced pianist, these resources will help you master “Carol of the Bells” and add a magical touch to your holiday repertoire.
Table of Contents
- How to play Carol Of The Bells on the Piano – Easy Piano Tutorial Video
- Sheet music with chords
- Free Printable Sheet Music PDF with Lyrics
- Easy Piano Sheet Music for Beginners (two hands)
- Free Printable PDF with Easy Piano Sheet Music (two hands)
- Teaching ideas
How to play Carol Of The Bells on the Piano – Easy Piano Tutorial Video
Sheet music with chords
To save this free music sheet of “Carol of the Bells” to your computer, right click (or tap and hold, on mobile devices) and choose “Save Image As…”.
26+1 Easy Christmas Piano Sheet Music for Beginners
Free Printable Sheet Music PDF with Lyrics
To download a printable PDF of this song for music activities with sheet music, lyrics and a drawing for kids to paint, click on the button above or on the following link.
Carol of the Bells | Free PDF download – Singing Bell
Easy Piano Sheet Music for Beginners (two hands)
Free Printable PDF with Easy Piano Sheet Music (two hands)
To download a printable PDF of this song with easy piano sheet music for beginners, click on the button above or on the following link.
Carol of the Bells | Free PDF with easy Piano Sheet Music for Beginners
Singing Christmas with our Kids, Vol.1
Christmas is a time to rejoice, and singing certainly does bring that. This is your chance to teach your children some all-time favorite carols and sing them along yourself, too.
Teaching ideas
Here are some ideas when the time comes to teach Carol of the Bells in music class:
- Count the Repeated Motif: Ask your students to listen carefully and count how many times the motif “fa mi-fa re” appears in the first part of the song. Alternatively, challenge them to identify how many measures are repeated.
- Create a Bell Ensemble: Select four bell-like instruments (such as a small bell, triangle, glockenspiel, and jingle bells) and distribute them among four children. Use these instruments to create a layered performance of the song while singing along.
- For the first 4 measures, play the first sound (e.g., a small bell) on the first beat of every measure (4 times total).
- During the next 4 measures, add the second sound (e.g., a triangle) on the first beat, while the first instrument continues to play.
- For the following 4 measures, introduce the third sound (e.g., a glockenspiel on the A or D note) alongside the first two instruments.
- In the final 4 measures of this section, add the fourth sound (e.g., jingle bells or small cymbals), completing the ensemble.
- Build and Release the Sound: Keep all four instruments playing for another 4 measures during the section of the song (“Oh how they pound/raising the sound/o’er hill and dale/telling their tale”). Then, stop the instruments abruptly at the next section of the melody (“Gaily they ring/while people sing/songs of good cheer/Christmas is here/Merry, merry, merry…”) to emphasize the lyrics and give them the spotlight.
By incorporating these interactive activities, students will gain a deeper understanding of the song’s structure and enjoy a fun, hands-on musical experience.
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