Ding dong! merrily on high

“Ding dong! merrily on high” is one of the most joyful and recognizable carols of the Christmas season. With its lively, dancing rhythm and the cascading "Gloria" in the refrain, it perfectly captures the exuberance of the angels announcing the birth of Christ. The song calls on both the heavens and the earth to ring out in celebration, urging the "steeple bells" and the "priest and people" below to join the angelic chorus above.

For a choir, this piece is a thrilling challenge and a delight to sing, especially during Christmas concerts, carol services, or as a festive recessional after Mass. The famous arrangement by David Willcocks brings out the bright, bell-like quality of the melody, with the voices weaving together in the long, melismatic "Gloria" that builds to a triumphant "Hosanna in excelsis!" It is a song that never fails to lift the spirits of the congregation, filling the church with the pure, ringing joy of Christmas.