O Come, Little Children

Oh Come, Little Children - Ihr Kinderlein, kommet

The hymn O Come, Little Children [Ihr Kinderlein, kommet] is a German Christmas carol.

The lyrics were written by German Roman Catholic priest and schoolmaster Christoph von Schmid (1768-1854) in 1798.

His poem Die Kinder bei der Krippe [The children at the manger] was first published in 1811 and originally had eight verses.

Schmid included this poem in his 1818 collection Blüten dem blühenden Alter gewidmet [Flowers dedicated to the flowering age].

Together with other poems from this collection, it was then set to music by Franz Xaver Luft in 1837.

The music to the poem as it is known today was written by Johann Abraham Peter Schulz in 1790.

It was then a secular song entitled Wie reizend, wie wonnig [How charming, how pleasant].

Sometime around 1832, this melody was first published with Schmid's poem in the collection Sechzig deutsche Lieder für dreißig Pfennig [Sixty German songs for thirty pennies] by Friedrich Heinrich Eickhoff (1807–1886).

The translation from German to English used in our version was performed by Melanie Schulte (1885-1922).

This Christmas carol is intended for children, reminding them that the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

This score is an arrangement of the Christmas carol O Come, Little Children for easy low voice and piano.

It is set in the key of B flat Major.

The vocal range is Bb2-Bb3 for female singers and Bb1-Bb2 for male singers.

For your greater enjoyment, this sheet music includes the complete lyrics in English (3 verses).

The lyrics meter is 6.5.6.5.

Duration : 01:48

Source : Johann Abraham Peter Schulz, Miscellaneous Songs.