Ukrainian Bell Carol

Mykola Leontovych

Mykola Leontovych (arr. Richard Saucedo)

The melody of this work is also known as Carol of the Bells.

General Info

Year: 1904[1914?] / 2004
Duration: c. 1:45
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $55.00   |   Score Only (print) - $5.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Crash Cymbals
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Triangle
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Carol of the Bells is a popular Christmas carol composed by Mykola Leontovych in 1904 with lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky. The song is based on a folk chant known in Ukrainian as Shchedryk. It was associated with the coming new year, which, in pre-Christian Ukraine, was originally celebrated with the coming of spring in April. (This explains why the original Ukrainian text speaks about a swallow returning and lambs being born.)

The melody was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its concert tour of Europe and the Americas, where it premiered in the United States on October 5, 1921, at Carnegie Hall.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Sources vary on date of composition, 1904 or 1914.

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
• Audio CD: The Music of Richard Saucedo Volume 2

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Beaver County Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Rochester, Penn.) (Kevin Newton, conductor) - 10 December 2022
• East Winds Symphonic Band (Munhall, Penn.) (Susan Sands, conductor) - 12 December 2021
• Grace College (Winona Lake, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Eric Criss, conductor) – 29 November 2021
• Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minn.) Bands (Heidi Johanna Miller, conductor) - 8 December 2020
• Mukwonago (Wisc.) High School Concert Band (Emma Angoli, conductor) – 11 December 2019
• Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Randy Schwalbe, conductor) – 9 December 2018
• Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Oliver, conductor) – 2 December 2018
• Lemont (Ill.) High School Band (Matt Doherty, conductor) – 4 December 2017
• University of South Alabama (Mobile) Symphony Band (Jason Rinehart, conductor) – 7 November 2016
• Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Carlos Gama, Jr., conductor) – 13 December 2015
• South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble (Linwood, N.J.) (Keith Hodgson, conductor) – 10 December 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Asian Folk Rhapsody (Flex instrumentation) (2001/2017)
• Fanfare for the Third Planet (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2006/2012)
• Into the Clouds! (Flex instrumentation) (2007/2016)
• (Risk) Everything for a Dream (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2020)
• Ukrainian Bell Carol (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1904/2004/2018)

All Wind Works

• Along an English Countryside (2012)
• American Barndance (2009)
• Andante and Tranquillo (as arranger) (1943/2009)
• Angelic Festival (1998)
• Antares (1999)
• As Tears Fall on Dawn's New Light (2013)
• Asian Folk Rhapsody (2001)
• Asian Folk Rhapsody (Flex instrumentation) (2001/2017)
• At the End of the Rainbow (2016)
• Awakening Hills (2003)
• Beyond the Clouds and Into the Heavens (2013)
• Bobbleheads! (2014)
• Brick Street Encounter (2008)
• A Brass Thing (as arranger) (2005/2007)
• Cambrian Explosion (2010)
• Caravan (as arranger) (1937/2000)
• Carol of the Night (2003)
• Celebrating My Three Best Friends (2016)
• A Celtic Christmas
• Chorale and Presto (2001)
• Christmas Festival Overture
• Cloud Dancing (2022)
• Concerto No. 1 (2016)
• Confluence (2010)
• Copacabana (as arranger) (1978/2002)
• Coventry Carol (as arranger) (2010)
• Dashing Through the Snow (2005)
• Dreamsong (2006)
• Duelin' Xylos (as arranger) (1998)
• Eagles Awake! (2017)
• Earth, Wind and Fire in Concert (as arranger) (1996)
• Everything for a Dream
• Fanfare and Call to the Post (2014)
• Fanfare for Justice (2018)
• Fanfare for the Third Planet (2004)
• Fanfare for the Third Planet (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2006/2012)
• Fanfare to New Beginnings (2019)
• Fantasy on a Theme by Samuel Barber (as arranger) (1931/2005)
• Fantasy on "Deck the Halls" (2019)
• Fantasy on Keystone Chorale
• Fantasy on an Irish Air (2001)
• Finale to "Symphony No 3" (as arranger)
• The Fives Prevail! (2013)
• Flash in the Pan! (2014)
• Flight of the Thunderbird (2004)
• Forever Holding Close the Memories (2008)
• French Carol Festival (as arranger) (2002)
• Full Tilt (2008)
• Funky, Rockin' Choo Choo (2011)
• Georgian Court Fanfare (2008)
• Grasshopper Dance (2008)
• Groovee! (2010)
• A Guide Along the Pathway (2011)
• Heroes Near and Far (2016)
• Hymn for the Cream and Crimson (2006)
• Hymn to Loved Ones Lost (2016)
• If It Were Easy... (2020)
• Imagine (as arranger)
• In Perfect Silence, I Often Gaze at the New Stars (2012)
• In Search of Ancient Aliens (2020)
• Incandescence (2012)
• Interstellar Fanfare (2017)
• Into Moonlight's Mist (2016)
• Into the Clouds! (2007)
• Into the Clouds! (Flex instrumentation) (2007/2016)
• An Irish Party in Third Class (as arranger) (1999)
• Jubilancelation! (2017)
• Looking Past the Shadows (2009)
• Lady Marmalade (as arranger)
• Legacy (2021)
• Lodestar Fanfare (2020)
• Looking Past the Shadows (2009)
• Lord of the Dance (as arranger)
• Lullaby From a Distant Star (2011)
• The Lullaby in the Mirror (2017)
• March of the Hyperion Robots (2010)
• Meeting at Tyron Palace (2009)
• Nightsong (2003)
• Noel (as arranger) (2006)
• Northwest Odyssey (2020)
• Ode to Greensleeves (as arranger) (2002)
• Of Gale Force Winds (2014)
• On Cloud Nine! (2012)
• On to the Next Frontier (2020)
• One Hit Wonders (as arranger) (2002)
• Poem Romantic No. 1 (2015)
• Persistence (2004)
• Pulsation (2009)
• Purple Whispers (2014)
• Quest for the Mountain Top
• Regal Fanfare (2002)
• Rendezvous With the Other Side (2003)
• Rhythm Danse (2007)
• (Risk) Everything for a Dream (2015)
• (Risk) Everything for a Dream (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2020)
• Rondo for Band (1999)
• Scherzo for Horn and Wind Ensemble (2021)
• Scorpion! (2013)
• Shooting Stars (2011)
• Short Ride in a Fast Machine (as arranger) (1986/2006)
• Silhouette of a Dream (2018)
• Sky Dance (2010)
• Smooth (as arranger)
• Sneak Attack! (2011)
• Snow Caps (2004)
• Song and Dance (2006)
• Song of the Gandy Dancers (2007)
• Spirit of the Falcon (2003/2008)
• Spy Ring (2017)
• Sure on this Shining Night (as arranger)
• Symphony No. 1 (2007)
• Temecula Valley Fanfare (2008)
• Theme and Fugue from "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" (as arranger) (2019)
• Theme and Tirade (2009)
• Three Trails Turning West (2020)
• Through the Wormhole! (2019)
• To All Things Left Behind (2018)
• To Dance With Storm Clouds (2019)
• To This Heartbeat There Is No End (2006)
• Toccata Rhapsodic (2016)
• Triumphant Fanfare (1997)
• Ukrainian Bell Carol (as arranger) (1904/2004)
• Ukrainian Bell Carol (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1904/2004/2018)
• Valley Montage and Celebration (2015)
• Walking into History (2009)
• Waterdrops Come Spring (2017)
• What a Wonderful World (as arranger)
• When the Lovely Miss (as arranger) (2016)
• Whirlwind(s) (2005)
• Wind Dances (2018)
• Windsprints (2003)
• With Each Sunset (2005)

Resources

• Carol of the Bells. Wikipedia 24 December 2021
• Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Richard Saucedo." Accessed 2 December 2015