Song facts
- Original key
- D major
- Type
- Christmas carol
- Music
- Lowell Mason (arranger) (died 1872)
- Original lyrics
- Isaac Watts (died 1748)
- First published
- 1836
Public-domain songs · Christmas carol instrumental
Joy to the World
Play the Joy to the World instrumental in the original key of D major, or from 3 semitones lower to 2 higher. Made by MR Maker from a public-domain score.
Last reviewed:
Backing track by key
The original key is D major. If it sits too high or too low for your voice, try the shifted versions and pick the one you can sing comfortably.
3 semitones lower (B major)
2 semitones lower (C major)
Original key (D major)
2 semitones higher (E major)
About this song
The words come from Isaac Watts's 1719 collection The Psalms of David Imitated, where he recast Psalm 98 in Christian terms. The music, now called ANTIOCH, first appeared anonymously in English tune books around 1831–1833 under the name COMFORT. Lowell Mason issued it in Boston in 1836 as arranged from Handel, and the form sung today is his 1848 version in The National Psalmist. No such tune has been found among Handel's works. Hymnals usually set it in D major, 2/4.
Rights
The melody is in the public domain (first published 1836). MR Maker made this accompaniment from a public-domain score. It contains no lyrics, translations or third-party recordings.
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