The Holly and the Ivy Recorder Notes with Letters
Letters and fingering pictures for soprano recorder, with the words under each note. Starts G G G G E D B G.
The notes and words
Key: G major (the original key).
GTheGhol-GlyGandEtheDi-Bvy,
GWhenGtheyGareGbothEfullDgrown,DOfC
BallAtheGtreesBthatBareEinEtheDwood,
GTheABhol-ClyBbearsAtheGcrown.GThe
Gri-GsingGofEtheDsunBGAndGtheGrun-GningGofEtheDdeer,DTheC
Bplay-AingGofBtheEmer-EryDor-Ggan,
ASweetBsing-CingBinAtheGchoir.
- Dcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Ecovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Gcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- Bcovered: thumb, 1
- Ccovered: thumb, 2
- Dcovered: 2
- Ecovered: thumb (pinched), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Key: F major.
FTheFhol-FlyFandDtheCi-Avy,
FWhenFtheyFareFbothDfullCgrown,COfB♭
AallGtheFtreesAthatAareDinDtheCwood,
FTheGAhol-B♭lyAbearsGtheFcrown.FThe
Fri-FsingFofDtheCsunAFAndFtheFrun-FningFofDtheCdeer,CTheB♭
Aplay-GingFofAtheDmer-DryCor-Fgan,
GSweetAsing-B♭ingAinGtheFchoir.
- Ccovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Dcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Fcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
- Gcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- B♭covered: thumb, 1, 3, 4
- Ccovered: thumb, 2
- Dcovered: 2
Recorder fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Key: A♭ major.
A♭TheA♭hol-A♭lyA♭andFtheE♭i-Cvy,
A♭WhenA♭theyA♭areA♭bothFfullE♭grown,E♭OfD♭
CallB♭theA♭treesCthatCareFinFtheE♭wood,
A♭TheB♭Chol-D♭lyCbearsB♭theA♭crown.A♭The
A♭ri-A♭singA♭ofFtheE♭sunCA♭AndA♭theA♭run-A♭ningA♭ofFtheE♭deer,E♭TheD♭
Cplay-B♭ingA♭ofCtheFmer-FryE♭or-A♭gan,
B♭SweetCsing-D♭ingCinB♭theA♭choir.
- E♭covered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, half 6
- Fcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
- A♭covered: thumb, 1, 2, 4, 5, half 6
- B♭covered: thumb, 1, 3, 4
- Ccovered: thumb, 2
- D♭covered: 1, 2
- E♭covered: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Fcovered: thumb (pinched), 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Recorder fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Key: A major.
ATheAhol-AlyAandF♯theEi-C♯vy,
AWhenAtheyAareAbothF♯fullEgrown,EOfD
C♯allBtheAtreesC♯thatC♯areF♯inF♯theEwood,
ATheBC♯hol-DlyC♯bearsBtheAcrown.AThe
Ari-AsingAofF♯theEsunC♯AAndAtheArun-AningAofF♯theEdeer,ETheD
C♯play-BingAofC♯theF♯mer-F♯ryEor-Agan,
BSweetC♯sing-DingC♯inBtheAchoir.
- Ecovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- F♯covered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- Bcovered: thumb, 1
- C♯covered: 1, 2
- Dcovered: 2
- Ecovered: thumb (pinched), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- F♯covered: thumb (pinched), 1, 2, 3, 5
Recorder fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Staff notation
Play-along guide: the melody played by your browser’s recorder sound. The lit note follows the music. Print large notes
About this song
- Melody
- Tune THE HOLLY AND THE IVY, Traditional English (Gloucestershire), 1911
- Words
- Traditional English carol, 1911 (first verse shown; all verses on HymnKeys)
- Public domain
- Melody 1911, words 1911: first published before 1931.
- Source
- Open Hymnal Project file marked public domain, via HymnKeys
More Christmas songs on recorder
- Let Our Gladness Have No EndF major, F4–D5 · “Let our gladness have no…”Easy
- Up on the HousetopF major, F4–D5 · “Up on the housetop…”Medium
- Sing, O Sing, This Blessed MornC major, E4–C5 · “Sing, O sing, this blessed…”Medium
- Gabriel's MessageC major, E4–E5 · “The angel Gabriel…”Medium
- While Shepherds Watched Their FlocksF major, E4–D5 · “While shepherds watched their flocks…”Medium
- Angels From the Realms of GloryC major, E4–F5 · “Angels from the realms of…”Medium