They are in order of range, narrowest first, because on a ocarinathe 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; Silent Night covers the most. 9 carols in the library are not here because the ocarina does not have the notes: We Wish You a Merry Christmas, O Christmas Tree, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Come, All Ye Faithful, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Away in a Manger, Good King Wenceslas, Auld Lang Syne, Carol of the Bells.
- Jingle Bells
- Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
- Up on the Housetop
- Joy to the World
- The First Noel
- Deck the Halls
- O Holy Night
- Silent Night
The carols, easiest first
The large line is the note. A dash holds a note another beat and an underline is half a beat.
1. Jingle Bells
James Lord Pierpont, 1857 · United States · C4–G4 · fifth · 51 notes
Its lowest note covers 10 of the 12 holes and its highest 6; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 4 fingers at once. The whole of Jingle Bells for ocarina →
2. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
1874 (music in print) · United States · G4–E5 · major sixth · 48 notes
Its lowest note covers 6 of the 12 holes and its highest 1; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 4 fingers at once. The whole of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas for ocarina →
3. Up on the Housetop
Benjamin Hanby, 1864 · Ohio, United States · C4–A4 · major sixth · 67 notes
Its lowest note covers 10 of the 12 holes and its highest 5; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 4 fingers at once. The whole of Up on the Housetop for ocarina →
4. Joy to the World
Lowell Mason (arranger), 1836 · United States · C4–C5 · octave · 57 notes
Its lowest note covers 10 of the 12 holes and its highest 3; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 7 fingers at once. The whole of Joy to the World for ocarina →
5. The First Noel
1823 (in print) · Cornwall, England · C4–C5 · octave · 72 notes
Its lowest note covers 10 of the 12 holes and its highest 3; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 3 fingers at once. The whole of The First Noel for ocarina →
6. Deck the Halls
16th century (tune) · Wales · B3–C5 · octave and a semitone · an octave lower · 68 notes
Its lowest note covers 11 of the 12 holes and its highest 3; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 5 fingers at once. The whole of Deck the Halls for ocarina →
7. O Holy Night
Adolphe Adam, 1847 · France · C4–E5 · octave and a major third · 95 notes
Its lowest note covers 10 of the 12 holes and its highest 1; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 5 fingers at once. The whole of O Holy Night for ocarina →
8. Silent Night
Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818 · Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria · C4–F5 · octave and a fourth · 46 notes
Its lowest note covers 10 of the 12 holes and its highest 0; the biggest change between two neighbouring notes moves 6 fingers at once. The whole of Silent Night for ocarina →
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 ocarina 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 ocarina songs · Christmas songs on every instrument · The online ocarina