Piano Forum

Topic: "O Holy Night" time signature?  (Read 18074 times)

Offline quantum

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6272
"O Holy Night" time signature?
on: December 02, 2006, 10:46:12 PM
From looking at several arrangements of this Christmas carol, plus listening to countless recordings I have observed two general takes on the time.  One is 6/8 the other is in 4/4. 

Anyone know what the composer originally intended as the time signature?

What do you play it in?
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

Offline falcon1

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 23
Re: "O Holy Night" time signature?
Reply #1 on: December 03, 2006, 02:21:19 PM
The original version is in 4/4 and I play it in that signature if I have good enough choir or singer to sing it on Christmas eve. :)

Offline donjuan

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3139
Re: "O Holy Night" time signature?
Reply #2 on: December 05, 2006, 01:16:41 AM
I think 6/8 sounds right.

Offline marialice

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 43
Re: "O Holy Night" time signature?
Reply #3 on: December 05, 2006, 11:04:50 AM
There are also 3/4 versions.

Offline falcon1

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 23
Re: "O Holy Night" time signature?
Reply #4 on: December 05, 2006, 12:13:54 PM
Yes, there are many versions - but to my best knowledge the original is 4/4 . :)

Offline nolan

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 81
Re: "O Holy Night" time signature?
Reply #5 on: December 05, 2006, 03:27:41 PM
I have seen versions in 12/8, but the original is in 4/4.

Offline quantum

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6272
Re: "O Holy Night" time signature?
Reply #6 on: December 06, 2006, 01:20:43 AM
Thanks for the replies.  It's kind of hard to track down something like this for a well known and much played tune. 

Found some info on it:
https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/o_holy_night.htm


Anyone have an copy of the music, as close as possible to what Adolphe-Charles Adam wrote? 

BTW that link above has a copy from an old hymnal, and it's in 4/4 with accompaniment in triplets. 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach
For more information about this topic, click search below!

Piano Street Magazine:
New Piano Piece by Chopin Discovered – Free Piano Score

A previously unknown manuscript by Frédéric Chopin has been discovered at New York’s Morgan Library and Museum. The handwritten score is titled “Valse” and consists of 24 bars of music in the key of A minor and is considered a major discovery in the wold of classical piano music. Read more
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert