Woodwind Ensemble,Woodwind Trio Bass Clarinet,Flute,Oboe - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1329478 Composed by Traditional. Arranged by James M. Guthrie. Chamber,Christian,Christmas,Holiday,Traditional. 6 pages. Jmsgu3 #917460. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.1329478). We Three Kings is a Christmas hymn John Henry Hopkins Jr. penned in 1857. It describes the journey of the Wise Men, also known as the Magi, to see the baby Jesus. The names of the kings passed down through tradition are Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar. The number three in the title stems from the fact that there were three separate gifts given to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The hymn was composed for a Christmas pageant at the General Theological Seminary in New York City, where Hopkins taught music. It was the first Christmas carol to achieve widespread popularity originating from the United States. The song is known for its lilting tune in triple meter and its distinctive contribution to the Christmas carol repertoire, with a narrative-ballad style and a straightforward, child-friendly narrative. The hymn was also included in The Oxford Book of Carols and has been recorded by various musicians in different music genres, including jazz, rock, and reggae.
