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Ding Dong Merrily on High

George Ratcliffe Woodward’s 1924 words to a French dance tune printed in 1589: the first verse with its bell-like phrases, then the famous “Gloria” – one syllable stretched over a run of 31 notes that winds down the scale in five waves.

DingdonghighInheav'nthebellsareringing…
One repetition of the pattern. In the app it is transposed to your vocal range and scored note by note.

Ding Dong Merrily on High has words by George Ratcliffe Woodward (1848–1934), first published in 1924 in The Cambridge Carol-Book. The tune is the French dance “Branle de l'Official” from Thoinot Arbeau's dance book Orchésographie (1589). You sing the first verse, from “Ding dong! merrily on high” to “Is riv'n with angel singing,” and then the refrain once: “Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!” It has 68 notes and takes about 27 seconds, in four, at a lively tempo.

How to do it

  1. Listen to the count-in. The piano plays the opening phrase alone, then plays along.
  2. Sing the four quick falling notes of “merrily on” and “verily the” lightly, then hold the long low note on “high” and “sky.”
  3. Repeat the second half of the verse with the same music as the first.
  4. Hold the single syllable “Glo-” over a run of 31 notes: five groups of six, then one more.
  5. After the run, sing “-ria, Hosanna in excelsis” and finish on the root.

Coach's tip: Breathe before “Gloria.” Sing the run on one open vowel and feel it in groups of six notes, each starting one step lower – that keeps you from rushing.

What to watch out for

The run on “Glo-” is the hard part. Each group of six notes starts one scale step lower, so the groups blur easily. Keep each start clear, and stay light rather than pushing air. Rushing is the main risk at this tempo. The quick notes on “merrily” can smear together. The long low note on “high” may sag. If the run feels tight, lower the tempo or take a break.

Who it's for

Level 3, for singers who are comfortable with fast notes and want a rewarding challenge. Prepare with Long run 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 and Fast 5-note scale. No program lists it. The daily training offers it only from 1 December to 6 January, but it is in the library all year. The piano plays along by default; you can switch to “Listen → Sing.”

Practice this exercise

Opens the app in your browser. Free to start, no account needed. Put on headphones first.

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