What Is the Song “What Child Is This”?
What Child Is This is a popular English Christmas carol composed in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix. The lyrics are based on the prophetic Gospel of Luke wherein Mary and Joseph come to Bethlehem and the baby Jesus is found lying in the manger asleep. The song references biblical symbolism and imagery as Mary, who is overwhelmed with joy, asks “What Child Is This?”
The melody was taken from Greensleeves, an old English folk tune that dates back to the 16th century. Though greensleeves originally had no lyrics attached to it, several centuries of lyrical variations have been written to fit its lovely and simple tune. Of these variations, What Child Is This has become one of the most popular versions due to its longstanding tradition amidst the holiday season.
For those listening during this time of year, What Child Is This speaks deeply about Gods love for us; specifically how he sent his own son as a gift of peace and hope in order that mankind may be reconciled with him through infinite grace.
Simply put: What Child Is This is not just another merry Christmas song — it’s a thoughtful hymn that reflects on the significance behind Christmas Day, reminding us why we should be celebrating at all.
How to Learn the Accompaniment for What Child Is This
What Child is This? is one of the most beloved Christmas carols in the world. It’s a timeless song that evokes images of a family gathering near the fireplace, while all join in singing praises to Jesus. The melody itself is simple and singable, but learning how to accompany it can present some difficulty. Luckily, with a bit of perseverance, anyone can learn the accompaniment for What Child Is This?
The first step towards learning to accompany the song is to learn the basic chords. In this case, they are Em7 – A7 – D – Gsus4 (or Gmaj7). Once you have your chords down, practice playing them up against a backing track or metronome. As you become comfortable with this progression, look for opportunities to add expression into your playing. Think about introducing arpeggios, runs or other flourishes at each chord change or between lines of lyrics–these little embellishments can make all the difference when it comes to accompanying melodies such as What Child Is This?
Familiarizing yourself with different accompaniment styles is also key in successfully accompanying songs like What Child Is This? For example: could you play some driving eighth notes against an acoustic guitar strumming rhythm pattern? Or could you layer an electronic vibe over acoustic guitar chords? Exploring these approaches will have give you more musical options when it comes time to accompany different songs.
Learning how to accompany any song requires patience and dedication…but if you strive to create beautiful sounds alongside well-known classics like What Child Is This?, there’s no telling what sweet harmonies you might find along the way!
Common Questions and Answers About What Child Is This Accompaniment
What Child Is This Accompaniment is a perennial favorite among Christmas carolers and music lovers alike. Though it’s been around for centuries, many people remain curious about the background and meaning of the piece – “What Child is This?”
The beloved Christmas song was first published in its current form by William Chatterton Dix in 1865. Although few are certain of its exact origins, claims have been made that the melody originates from an old British tune called “Greensleeves”. While this is unconfirmed, what we do know to be true is that “Greensleeves” is featured prominently throughout the accompaniment.
The folksy style gives us useful clues as to when and where it was composed – namely Merry Olde England during times of yore. Of course, such details are ultimately insignificant next to the meaning attributed to its lyrics – which tell of Jesus’ birth and the humble circumstances into which he entered the world.
The title question – “What Child Is This?” – refers both to Baby Jesus figuratively being found upon Mary’s lap (and therefore being asked Who He is) and also reflects on a more spiritual level our inquiry for knowledge about His identity – i.e. Who exactly IS this divine being? By looking back at these timeless lyrics, we’re reminded that Jesus has been alive since before time began — and his presence continues today through the lives of those who follow Him!
Top 5 Fun Facts About What Child Is This
What Child Is This is one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time, a traditional English folk song also known as Greensleeves. It has been recorded by countless musical acts over the years, including Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, and Bing Crosby. While it’s a sweet tune with simple lyrics, there’s definitely more to the song than you may know. Here are five fun facts about What Child Is This:
1. The Unknown Author – Surprisingly enough, although What Child Is This has stood the test of time for centuries now, nobody really knows who wrote it! The author’s name is lost to history and is surrounded by mystery and speculation as to whether or not its original composer was King Henry VIII himself!
2. Music And Green Sleeves – Most people don’t realize that What Child Is This wasn’t actually written with what we know today as its signature melody. Instead this traditional folk song was played to an entirely different tune known as “Green Sleeves” which dates back even further than What Child Is This’s mysterious origins.
3. Song is based on a poem – Many people don’t know that this iconic Christmas carol is actually sung to the melody of an anonymous poem written in 1580 called “The Faithful Shepherdess” by prominent poet Thomas Parnell!
4. Assumed To Be By William Chatterton Dix – Although still unresolved and unconfirmed due to lack of primary sources from the era in question, many experts accept that William Chatterton Dix wrote stanzas two through six at least which allow us some insight into how extremely popular this remarkable song came to be so long ago!
5. The Verses Describe A Simple Doctrine – Since 1871 we now have much needed historical evidence that can tell us about what this song intended for lyrical purpose; which holds a rather
Useful Resources for Learning the Song and Its Musical Accompaniment
The ability to learn a song and its musical accompaniment can be a great way for musicians to improve their skills and repertoire. This blog post covers some useful resources that can help novice or advanced players do just that.
One of the most important resources for learning a new song and its accompanying parts is sheet music. Sheet music includes the notation of exactly what note should be played at what time, as well as instructions on how to play other instruments – such as guitar chords or orchestral colouring – in order to create the full effect intended. There are many sources both online and offline where sheet music can be found, such as through educational websites, sheet music libraries, local stores, or even asking other musicians who may have already studied the piece.
It’s also helpful to watch videos of performances of the song, either live videos from concerts or from recordings available online. This provides an opportunity to observe how different musicians interpret the piece differently at different speeds and volumes; often one video will even feature multiple artist interpretations which can give insight into subtle nuances overlooked otherwise. Free video sites such as YouTube are a prevalent source for this kind of content but there’s plenty more out there in terms of subscription-based streaming services too allowing access to exclusive performances not publicly available online.
Listening to live interviews with composers is yet another way to gain understanding about a composition and how it was written/created originally. For example, hearing details directly from those involved in producing an album gives unique insight into the creative process behind each individual track. These can help inform decisions around different interpretations which should pay off when put into practice alone or with others in company thanks to better understanding why musical elements work together within a song constructively (or destructively if done incorrectly).
Moreover, taking part in workshops featuring professional players discussing topics related specifically towards playing particular types of songs is highly recommended too – especially when starting out on journeys venturing further into genres previously
Get Ready to Play “What Child Is This” at Christmas Time!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The air is filled with holiday cheer, Christmas lights twinkle in windows, and joy and peace fill the hearts of many. Children are eagerly awaiting gifts and playing in the snow. One classic carol that readily conveys the spirit of Christmas is “What Child Is This?”
The song was written by William Chatterton Dix, a British poet and writer who also worked in insurance while suffering from a serious health condition. The song combines elements from medieval music styles known as harmonized plainsong. Plainchant – or monophonic chant – often includes musicality oriented to enhance worship for festival celebration services associated with spiritual motifs like Christmas.
Today, “What Child Is This?” is an incredibly popular carol sung around the world during Christmas time. With its melodic refrain that echoes through churches and homes during Advent every year since 1865 – “This, this is Christ the King/ Whom shepherds guard and angel sing” – it expresses deep admiration for new born Christ Child king heralded by angels long ago in Bethlehem. As you practice your own familiar version or other arrangements found on YouTube or Spotify, you can feel his presence even now much closer at hand.
If you celebrate Advent or Christmas traditions around singing carols to prepare yourself spiritually fot he upcoming holiday season, then take a few moments to learn how to play “What Child Is This?” on your desired instrument whether it be piano, guitar or something else! There are helpful tutorials spreading easy-to-follow instruction sets like video lessons and PDF files including chords so you can easily perform along with others this heartwarming hymn expressing anticipation towards the arrival of baby Jesus for all believers at Christmas time!
