The Holly and the Ivy — Free Lead Sheet PDF (Eb, Bb, Concert)

Traditional (English), collected by Cecil Sharp · Traditional, published 1911 · Traditional Christmas carol · Melody & chords only

Not sure which to pick? Our interactive saxophone transposition chart can help. PDFs open in a new tab — right-click (or long-press on mobile) and choose “Save as” to download.

About The Holly and the Ivy

An English Carol with Pre-Christian Roots

The Holly and the Ivy sets Christian words to a melody rooted in older English folk tradition, and many scholars believe the holly-and-ivy imagery itself predates Christianity, drawn from pre-Christian midwinter symbolism about evergreen plants surviving the darkest months of the year.

The version most commonly sung today was collected by the folk song scholar Cecil Sharp from a singer in Gloucestershire and published in 1911, part of Sharp's broader project of preserving English folk song before it disappeared from living memory.

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

The Tune & Chords

A Modal Melody with an Old-World Feel

The tune has a modal quality typical of English folk song — it doesn't sit as squarely in a major or minor key as most of the other carols here, giving it a slightly antique, open-air character. That modal flavour makes it an interesting choice for a jazz arrangement that leans into modal harmony rather than forcing conventional major/minor chord changes underneath it.

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

Using This Lead Sheet

An Atmospheric, Reflective Choice

The Holly and the Ivy's modal, slightly wistful character makes it a good fit for a reflective moment in a set — a jazz-club or wine-bar gig where you want something a little less predictable than a straight major-key carol, or a carol service looking for variety among more conventional hymn tunes.

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 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.