We Three Kings of Orient Are String Duet - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1750655

“We Three Kings of Orient Are” is a Christmas carol written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins Jr., an American Episcopal priest and music teacher, and one of the first widely popular Christmas songs written by an American; composed for a seminary Christmas pageant, it tells the story of the 3 Kings traveling from the East following the Star of Bethlehem, with each verse assigned to a different king who presents a gift—gold symbolizing Christ’s kingship, frankincense representing His divinity, and myrrh foreshadowing His suffering and death—while the refrain (“O star of wonder…”) celebrates divine guidance; the melody is in a minor key (often E minor), creating an exotic, processional feel with simple harmony and stepwise motion; published in 1863, it became a staple of Christmas and Epiphany worship, popular in pageants, choirs, and recordings, and remains significant for its theological focus on Christ as King, God, and Savior, its connection to the Epiphany story, and its memorable, chant-like musical style. This arrangement is crafted with a virtuosic flair, allowing both the violin and cello to share the spotlight as they trade the melody in a smooth, engaging dialogue enriched with advanced techniques and expressive detail.