‹ Euphonium songs

Christmas Songs for Euphonium

17 carols and winter songs the euphonium can play, easiest first, each with its opening phrase as written notes with the valves for each one. Open one for the whole tune, a range check for every instrument, and the song loaded on the online euphonium.

They are in order of range, narrowest first, because on a euphoniumthe distance between a tune’s lowest and highest note decides more about how hard it is than its speed does. Jingle Bells covers the least ground and is the one to start with; Carol of the Bells covers the most.

Which euphonium plays how many

InstrumentAs writtenMovedCannot
Euphonium · 3 valves1700
4 valves1700
4 valves · compensating1700
Baritone horn1700

The carols, easiest first

The large line is the written note. A dash holds a note another beat and an underline is half a beat.

1. Jingle Bells

James Lord Pierpont, 1857 · United States · B♭2–F3 · fifth · 51 notes

The lips move across 2 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3). The whole of Jingle Bells for euphonium →

2. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

1874 (music in print) · United States · F3–D4 · major sixth · 48 notes

The lips move across 3 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5). The whole of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas for euphonium →

3. Up on the Housetop

Benjamin Hanby, 1864 · Ohio, United States · B♭2–G3 · major sixth · 67 notes

The lips move across 3 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3, 4). The whole of Up on the Housetop for euphonium →

4. Away in a Manger

James R. Murray, 1887 · United States · F3–F4 · octave · 44 notes

The lips move across 4 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6). The whole of Away in a Manger for euphonium →

5. We Wish You a Merry Christmas

19th century or earlier · England, West Country · F3–F4 · octave · 52 notes

The lips move across 4 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6). The whole of We Wish You a Merry Christmas for euphonium →

6. Good King Wenceslas

1582 (tune) · Finland and Sweden · F3–F4 · octave · 53 notes

The lips move across 4 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6). The whole of Good King Wenceslas for euphonium →

7. Joy to the World

Lowell Mason (arranger), 1836 · United States · B♭2–B♭3 · octave · 57 notes

The lips move across 3 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3, 4). The whole of Joy to the World for euphonium →

8. O Come, All Ye Faithful

John Francis Wade (attributed), c. 1743 · England and France · F3–F4 · octave · 61 notes

The lips move across 4 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6). The whole of O Come, All Ye Faithful for euphonium →

9. The First Noel

1823 (in print) · Cornwall, England · B♭2–B♭3 · octave · 72 notes

The lips move across 3 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3, 4). The whole of The First Noel for euphonium →

10. Deck the Halls

16th century (tune) · Wales · A3–B♭4 · octave and a semitone · 68 notes

The lips move across 4 partials of the harmonic series (4, 5, 6, 8). The whole of Deck the Halls for euphonium →

11. Auld Lang Syne

18th century · Scotland · F3–G4 · octave and a whole step · 56 notes

The lips move across 5 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6, 8). The whole of Auld Lang Syne for euphonium →

12. O Christmas Tree

16th century (tune) · Germany · F3–G4 · octave and a whole step · 61 notes

The lips move across 5 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6, 8). The whole of O Christmas Tree for euphonium →

13. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

18th century or earlier · England · F3–G4 · octave and a whole step · 67 notes

The lips move across 5 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6, 8). The whole of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen for euphonium →

14. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Felix Mendelssohn, 1840 · Germany and England · F3–G4 · octave and a whole step · 76 notes

The lips move across 5 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6, 8). The whole of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing for euphonium →

15. O Holy Night

Adolphe Adam, 1847 · France · B♭2–D4 · octave and a major third · 95 notes

The lips move across 4 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3, 4, 5). The whole of O Holy Night for euphonium →

16. Silent Night

Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818 · Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria · B♭2–E♭4 · octave and a fourth · 46 notes

The lips move across 5 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3, 4, 5, 6). The whole of Silent Night for euphonium →

17. Carol of the Bells

Mykola Leontovych, 1916 · Ukraine · D3–G4 · octave and a fourth · 92 notes

The lips move across 5 partials of the harmonic series (3, 4, 5, 6, 8). The whole of Carol of the Bells for euphonium →

Why some Christmas songs are missing

Every tune here is in the public domain, which for Christmas music means carols and 19th-century songs. The 20th-century standards people also think of as Christmas songs are still in copyright, and a euphonium arrangement of one is a copy of its melody whatever notation it is written in, so they are not published here. Melodies only, too: there are no lyrics on any of these pages.

All euphonium songs · Christmas songs on every instrument · The online euphonium