Carol of the Bells

For the Ukrainian New Year’s song that "Carol of the Bells" is based on, see Shchedryk (song). For other uses, see Carol of the Bells (disambiguation).

"Carol of the Bells"
Christmas carol by Mykola Leontovych
The four-note motif (shown four times)
Textby Peter J. Wilhousky
Based on"Shchedryk"
Composedbefore 1916
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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.

The music is based on a four-note ostinato and is in 3
4 time signature, with the B-flat bell pealing in 6
8 time. The carol is metrically bistable (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.

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