It Came Upon a Midnight Clear — Free Lead Sheet PDF (Eb, Bb, Concert)

Richard Storrs Willis · 1849 (words); 1850 (tune) · Traditional Christmas carol · Melody & chords only

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About It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

An American Hymn with a Message of Peace

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was written by the Unitarian minister Edmund Sears in 1849, at a time of considerable unrest in both Europe and America — the poem's later verses, less often sung today, are strikingly focused on war-weariness and a longing for peace rather than the nativity scene itself.

The tune commonly used in the US, called “Carol,” was composed the following year, in 1850, by Richard Storrs Willis, a music critic who studied briefly with Mendelssohn.

If you are also building a Christmas set, O Come, All Ye Faithful is another free carol on this site worth pairing it with.

The Tune & Chords

A Smooth, Song-Like Melody

Willis's melody moves in smooth, mostly stepwise motion with a gentle rise and fall, closer in character to a parlour song of its era than to a traditional folk carol — which makes sense given the composer's background as a nineteenth-century American music critic and songwriter rather than a folk-song collector.

One simplified concert-pitch harmonisation — traditional carols were passed down as melodies, so chord choices vary between arrangers and songbooks.

Using This Lead Sheet

A Quiet, Reflective Ballad

Given its lyrical focus on peace, this tune sits well as a quiet, reflective ballad late in a church or carol-service set, and its smooth melodic line also makes it a comfortable vehicle for a gentle instrumental solo at a low-key jazz-club or background-music gig.

If you would like one-to-one guidance building a Christmas set or working on your reading and improvisation more generally, saxophone lessons in person in South East London or online are available. You can also browse the full Christmas lead sheet index for more free carols, including Jingle Bells.