Sheet Music: Christmas carols

Christmas Sheet Music

The word “carol” comes from the Greek word horaulein, meaning a circle dance performed to flute music.

In the Middle Ages, the English combined circle dances with singing and called them carols. Later, the word carol came to mean a song in which a religious topic is treated in a style that is familiar or festive. From Italy, where a strong tradition of popular Christmas songs in the native language developed under the influence of Francis of Asissi, it passed to France and Germany, and later to England. Music in itself soon became one of the greatest tributes to Christmas, and Christmas music includes some of the noblest compositions of the great musicians.

Despite this long history, almost all surviving Christmas carols date only from the nineteenth century onwards, with the exception of some traditional songs such as “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”, “Good King Wenceslas” and “The Holly and the Ivy”.

Traditionally, carols have often been based on medieval chord patterns, and it is this that gives them their uniquely characteristic musical sound.

Most of the following Christmas tunes include some kind of accompaniment (Flute & Piano, Flute & Guitar, etc.), but will sound just fine if you want to play them as solos.

TitleComposerInstruments
A la nanita nana Trad. SpanishFlute solo
Adeste Fideles J.F. WadeFlute & Piano
Alle Jahre wieder F. SilcherFlute solo
Angels from the Realms of Glory H.T. SmartFlute solo
Angels We Have Heard on High Trad. FrenchFlute trio
Ar Hyd y Nos Trad. WelshFlute duet
Arre borriquito Trad. SpanishFlute solo
Away in a Manger W.J. KirkpatrickFlute trio
Away in a Manger J.R. MurrayFlute & Piano
Away in a Manger W.J. KirkpatrickFlute & Piano
Besançon Carol Trad. FrenchFlute trio
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella Trad. FrenchFlute & Piano
Campanas de Belén Trad. SpanishFlute solo
Carol of the Bells M. LeontovychFlute trio
Carol of the Birds Trad. CatalanFlute solo
Christmas Comes But Once a Year Trad. EnglishFlute solo
Cranham G. HolstFlute & Piano
Deck the Halls Trad. WelshFlute & Piano
Ding Dong Merrily on High TraditionalFlute & Chords
Down in Yon Forest Trad. EnglishFlute solo
Drive the Cold Winter Away Trad. EnglishFlute solo
Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris Trad. FrenchFlute solo
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen Trad. GermanFlute duet
Es wird scho glei dumpa Trad. AustrianFlute solo
Forest Green Trad. EnglishFlute solo
Fum, Fum, Fum Trad. CatalanFlute solo
Fum, Fum, Fum Trad. CatalanFlute duet
Go Tell It on the Mountain Trad. AmericanFlute solo
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen Trad. EnglishFlute trio
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen Trad. EnglishFlute & Chords
Good King Wenceslas TraditionalFlute & Chords
Green Grow the Rushes, O Trad. EnglishFlute solo
Greensleeves Trad. EnglishFlute & Chords
Greensleeves Trad. EnglishFlute quartet
Hallelujah Chorus
from Messiah, HWV 56
G.F. HandelFlute quartet
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing F. MendelssohnFlute & Piano
He Shall Feed His Flock
from Messiah, HWV 56
G.F. HandelFlute & Piano
Here We Come A-wassailing Trad. EnglishFlute trio
Huachi torito TraditionalFlute quartet
Hymne à la nuit
from Hippolyte et Aricie
J.-P. RameauFlute solo
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day J.B. CalkinFlute & Chords
I Saw Three Ships Trad. EnglishFlute & Chords
I Wonder as I Wander Trad. AmericanFlute solo
Il est né, le divin enfant Trad. FrenchFlute solo
In Dulci Jubilo TraditionalFlute & Chords
In the Bleak Midwinter H. DarkeFlute & Organ
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear R.S. WillisFlute duet
Jingle Bells J.L. PierpontFlute & Piano
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas TraditionalFlute duet
Joseph, O Dear Joseph Mine Trad. GermanFlute trio
Joseph, O Dear Joseph Mine Trad. GermanFlute solo
Joy to the World L. MasonFlute trio
Joy to the World L. MasonFlute & Piano
Jul, jul, strålande jul G. NordqvistFlute trio
Kling, Glöckchen Trad. GermanFlute solo
Leise rieselt der Schnee Trad. GermanFlute solo
Los peces en el río Trad. SpanishFlute & Chords
March of the Priests
from Alceste
C.W. GluckFlute & Piano
Mary Had a Baby Trad. AmericanFlute & Chords
Masters in This Hall Trad. FrenchFlute solo
Moita Festa J. PachecoFlute solo
Morning Has Broken Trad. ScottishFlute & Chords
Noël des ausels Trad. FrenchFlute trio
Noël No. 6
from Livre de Noëls, Op. 2
L.-C. DaquinFlute solo
O Come, Little Children J.A.P. SchulzFlute solo
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel TraditionalFlute trio
O du fröhliche TraditionalFlute solo
O felice, o chiara notte Trad. ItalianFlute quartet
O Holy Night A. AdamFlute & Piano
O Little Town of Bethlehem L.H. RednerFlute & Piano
O Tannenbaum Trad. GermanFlute & Piano
O'Carolan's Lament TraditionalFlute solo
Pastoral Symphony
from Messiah, HWV 56
G.F. HandelFlute duet
Pastoral Symphony
from Messiah, HWV 56
G.F. HandelFlute trio
Pat-A-Pan B. de La MonnoyeFlute trio
Poor Mary Anne Trad. WelshFlute duet
Prelude
from L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1, Op. 23
G. BizetFlute solo
Quelle est cette odeur agréable? Trad. FrenchFlute solo
Quem pastores laudavere TraditionalFlute solo
Resonet in Laudibus A. SchubigerFlute solo
Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow Trad. AmericanFlute quartet
Sans Day Carol Trad. EnglishFlute solo
Sicilian Mariner's Hymn TraditionalFlute duet
Silent Night F. GruberFlute & Chords
Sing We Now Of Christmas Trad. FrenchFlute solo
Still, Still, Still Trad. AustrianFlute solo
The Boar's Head Carol Trad. EnglishFlute quartet
The Coventry Carol Trad. EnglishFlute quartet
The First Noel Trad. EnglishFlute duet
The Holly and the Ivy Trad. EnglishFlute duet
The Holly and the Ivy Trad. EnglishFlute & Piano
The Huron Carol J. de BrébeufFlute solo
The Little Drummer Boy Trad. CzechFlute solo
The Mill Oh Trad. ScottishFlute solo
The Sleigh Ride
from Three German Dances, K. 605, No.3
W.A. MozartFlute trio
The Sussex Carol Trad. EnglishFlute quartet
The Twelve Days of Christmas TraditionalFlute solo
The Wexford Carol Trad. IrishFlute quartet
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day Trad. EnglishFlute quartet
Tu scendi dalle stelle A.M. de' LiguoriFlute solo
Up on the Housetop B.R. HanbyFlute & Chords
Venez, divin Messie Trad. FrenchFlute solo
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her M. LutherFlute solo
We Three Kings of Orient Are J.H. Hopkins, Jr.Flute trio
We Wish You a Merry Christmas Trad. EnglishFlute duet
We Wish You a Merry Christmas Trad. EnglishFlute & Piano
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks G.F. HandelFlute quartet
Winchester Old TraditionalFlute quartet