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Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be sheet music

Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be sheet music is presented here in traditional folk settings. Each listed score opens in G major and 6/8, and one version is specifically marked for two voices.

Scores 1–20 of 29

Sheet music

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Reading the notation

The available scores open in G major and 6/8. In 6/8 the bar is compound duple: two main beats, each divisible into three eighth notes. Where an opening tempo is listed, it differs between scores, so treat it as a starting indication for that arrangement rather than a fixed tempo for the song.

Comparing the versions

The records describe different presentations: one score has 447 notes and a listed duration of about 77 seconds, another has 150 notes and about 24 seconds, and the two-voice score has 250 notes and about 19 seconds. These differences show that the versions are not identical, but the records do not establish which is the most complete or authoritative.

Working with the two-voice score

One score is titled 'Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be?2voices. AJH.006' and is listed with two tracks. That makes it the clearest starting point for two-part reading or rehearsal, though the records do not state voice ranges, lyrics, or whether both parts are complete throughout.

What is not established

The available information does not identify a named composer, an origin story, a publication date, or lyrics. The song is credited to 'Misc Traditional' and grouped with folk music, so the scores should be treated as traditional material rather than as a verified work by a known composer.

Scores to open first

Related collections

Common questions

Who composed Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be?

The available records name no composer for Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be. The song is credited to 'Misc Traditional' and grouped with folk music, so the score information presents it as traditional rather than as a work by an identified composer.

What key and time signature do the scores use?

Each listed score for Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be opens in G major and 6/8. In 6/8, the bar has two main compound beats, each made of three eighth notes. Some records give an opening tempo of 120 BPM or 150 BPM, but those are score-specific starting indications rather than a definitive tempo for the song.

Is there a two-voice arrangement of Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be?

One listed score is titled 'Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be?2voices. AJH.006' and is recorded with two tracks. That suggests a two-part presentation, but the available information does not give voice ranges, lyrics, or confirmation that both parts remain complete throughout.

How do the listed versions differ?

The records show different note counts, durations, and opening tempos. One score has 447 notes with a listed duration of about 77 seconds, another has 150 notes and about 24 seconds, and the two-voice score has 250 notes and about 19 seconds. These details indicate different arrangements or presentations, but they do not prove which version is most complete.

How should the 6/8 metre be felt in this song?

For Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be, 6/8 is compound duple: two main beats per bar, each dividing into three eighth notes. A player should shape the bar around those two beats rather than giving six equal accents. The chosen tempo will determine whether the result feels flowing or brisk.