Jesus Christ Is Risen Today in Tonic Solfa
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today in Tonic Solfa to EASTER HYMN, doh is C: the solfa with the words and alleluias, staff notation, four verses and a piano.
- Key
- C major
- Doh
- C
- Time
- 4/4
- Starts on
- d (C)
- Range
- d to m' (C to E, a tenth)
- Tune
- EASTER HYMN
- Words
- Latin Easter carol, Lyra Davidica, Charles Wesley
- Music
- Lyra Davidica
Tune EASTER HYMN (Lyra Davidica); words by Latin Easter carol, Lyra Davidica and Charles Wesley (1707–1788). Sources and licences.
The solfa with the words
| dJe--msus-sChrist-dis- | fris’n-lto--lday,-s_- |
| mAl-f_s_d_f_-mle-f_ | mlu--r_-dia!--- |
| fOur-stri--lum--sphant- | fho--mly-mday,-r_- |
| mAl-f_s_d_f_-mle-f_ | mlu--r_-dia!--- |
| tWho-d'did-r'once-sup-- | d'on-r'the-m'cross--- |
| tAl-d'_r'_s_d'_-tle-d'_ | tlu--l_-sia!--- |
| sSuf-l_tfers_d'to-mre-- | fdeem-lour-lloss.-s_- |
| d'Al-t_d'_s_l_t_d'le-r'_ | d'lu--t_-d'ia!--- |
The solfa line by line
The same solfa as plain text, a line of the hymn at a time, with the words of the first verse under it — easy to copy into your own notes or a WhatsApp message to the choir.
Doh is C · 4/4
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in C major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains which He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as His love; Alleluia!
Praise Him, all ye heavenly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum C and sing d r m f s up from it, so the whole choir has the key in their ears before you start.
- Pitch the first note. The tune starts on d (C).
- Count the time. 4/4 means four crotchet beats in each bar. In the grid every cell is half a crotchet: a dash (–) holds the note before it, and _ is a rest.
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m f s l t. A comma after a note (s,) is the octave below; an apostrophe (d') is the octave above.
New to solfa? Read how to read Tonic Solfa and how to find the doh of a song.
About the hymn
The first verse is an anonymous translation of a medieval Latin Easter carol, printed with this tune in Lyra Davidica (London, 1708). Later verses came from John Arnold's Compleat Psalmodist (1749) and Charles Wesley (1740).
Every line ends with a long Alleluia: the first syllable is sung over five quick notes, so it is worth practising the Alleluia on its own before the verses.
- Words, Surrexit Christus hodie (14th century): Latin Easter carol
- Anonymous English translation (1708); verses 2 and 3 from John Arnold's Compleat Psalmodist (1749): Lyra Davidica
- Verse 4 (1740): Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
- Melody, from Lyra Davidica (1708): Lyra Davidica
Tune EASTER HYMN (Lyra Davidica); words by Latin Easter carol, Lyra Davidica and Charles Wesley (1707–1788).
Questions about Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
What is the doh of Jesus Christ Is Risen Today?
In this version, in C major, doh is C. If your choir sings it in another key, doh moves to the new key note and every solfa syllable stays the same — that is what movable doh means.
What note does Jesus Christ Is Risen Today start on?
It starts on d (C in C major). Find doh first, then sing up or down to d.
Is Jesus Christ Is Risen Today in the public domain?
Yes. Charles Wesley died in 1788; the words were first published in 1708 and the music in 1708. Everyone named died before 1955 and both were published before 1929, so the hymn is out of copyright in Nigeria, the UK, the EU and the United States. Modern arrangements and translations can still be under copyright.