‘We Three Kings: the Magi, their Gifts, and the Star – a mini musical?”
- larees24
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
🎄 Welcome, to ‘Christmas around the Piano’…a nostalgic musical journey!🎄
Last Day - January 6, 2026 (Feast of the Epiphany):
“We Three Kings” — originally titled “Three Kings of Orient” — was written in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins Jr., an American priest, writer, and musician.
Hopkins was serving as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania when he composed it. He wrote the carol specifically for a Christmas pageant in New York City, performed by his nieces and nephews.
It’s a rare Carol that tells a Story in “Character Voices”. Most Carols speak about the Nativity. This one lets each king speak in first person, and each verse represents one of the three gifts — gold, frankincense, and myrrh — and their symbolic meanings, almost like a mini-musical; Melchior sings about gold; Caspar sings about frankincense; Balthazar sings about myrrh. Written like a musical scene, this theatrical structure is why the song works so well in pageants.
He structured the song so that he its Biblical Inspiration is based on Matthew 2:1, which describes the visit of the Magi following the star to find the newborn Jesus.
Quick Facts!
✨Hopkins wrote both the lyrics and the melody, which was unusual at the time — most hymn writers contributed only lyrics. Most carols evolved over centuries. This one came from a single mind — lyrics, melody, and structure.
✨Hopkins designed the verses so each “king” sings about his own gift — a storytelling technique rarely used in carols.
✨Hopkins intentionally wrote the melody to sound Eastern or “exotic”. He wanted to convey the image of a Caravan journey with the feel of slow steps of camels, a long, winding desert trek, and a mysterious and wandering, star-led pilgrimage, matching the Magi’s long journey to Sound Middle Eastern. The descending notes in the verses mimic the rise and fall of walking, while the chorus lifts upward like the star guiding them.
✨The “Orient” in the Title Wasn’t Meant Geographically. In the 1800s, “Orient” didn’t mean East Asia — it meant anywhere east of Europe, including:Persia, Arabia, India. Hopkins wasn’t trying to be specific; he was evoking a sense of ancient mystery.
✨The Gifts Are a Miniature Theology Lesson. Hopkins used the gifts to teach children the identity of Jesus: Gold → King; Frankincense → God; Myrrh → Sacrifice / Death. This was a clever way to embed doctrine into a pageant song.
✨Hopkins was a Journalist before he was a Priest. This explains why the carol feels narrative, descriptive, and visually rich. He wrote like someone who wanted listeners to see the journey, not just hear it.
✨It’s one of the few Carols with a Minor Key Verse and Major Key Chorus. The verses are in a minor tonality, giving them a wandering, somber tone. The chorus shifts to major tonality, symbolizing: hope, revelation, the joy of finding Christ. This contrast is why the song feels emotionally dramatic.
✨The Bible does not specify: there were three, they were kings, their names, their countries. But this carol — along with medieval tradition — has shaped and cemented the modern image of the idea of three royal figures, each with a distinct personality.
✨Hopkins published it in a Book, he illustrated himself. He was also an artist. The original publication included: hand-drawn star imagery, stylized Eastern motifs, decorative borders. This visual identity influenced how churches staged the Magi for decades.
✨It’s a Carol that works for both Christmas and Epiphany. Most carols are strictly Christmas Eve/Day. “We Three Kings” is sung: December 25, the 12 days of Christmas, Epiphany (January 6).
✨Before this, most carols came from England or Europe. According to Discipleship Ministries, this hymn is a “peculiarly American contribution” to Christmas music traditions, and put American hymn-writing on the Christmas map.
✨Its popularity helped cement the modern tradition of three children dressed as kings in Christmas pageants.
I do hope you have enjoyed reading about this carol, as much as I have enjoyed presenting this to you.
Thank you for joining me on this festive journey! Wishing you and your loved ones, a season filled with light, laughter, love, and of course, MUSIC! 🌟🎄
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Christmas cheer and good tidings to you!
Larissa
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