Sheet Music: The Holly and the Ivy

TitleThe Holly and the Ivy
ComposerTraditional English
Also attributed toTraditional French
InstrumentationFlute duet
KeyG major
RangeC4–E5
Time signature3/4
Tempo108 BPM
Performance time0:30
Difficulty leveleasy
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (48 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (231 kB)
Play-along accompanimentMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (280 kB)
Date added2020-12-27
Last updated2020-12-27
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 9.2 (very popular)
Categories
Christmas carols, Traditional/Folk

Performances

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Sunday 27 December 2020

Tune of the Day: The Holly and the Ivy

Traditional Christmas carol, arranged for two flutes

This folk song can be traced back only as far as the early 19th century, but its lyrics reflect an association between holly and Christmas dating back to medieval times. The lyrics and melody varied significantly in traditional communities, but during the 20th century the song became standardized. The version which is now popular was collected in 1909 by the English folk song collector Cecil Sharp in the market town of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, England.

Thanks to Anne McKennon for contributing this arrangement for two flutes!

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