What is the so-fa syllable of joy to the world?

Answer 1

I don't normally do tonic sol-fa, but I guess if we take the scale thus:

do(h)-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti(si)-do

... "so-fa" will be where the 5th note of the scale is followed by the 4th - a descent.

"Joy to the World" starts with a descending major scale - the above in reverse - so we'll hear that sequence then (in bold):

do-si-la-so-fa-mi-re-do. Matching to the words:

"Joy-to-the-world-the-Lord-is-come".

But "world; the" is two syllables.

In the music, there'd need to be a slur to indicate that one syllable is sung over the two notes "so-fa".

"Let earth receive her King" is all ascending.

You have another two descending sequences following (But two high dohs to start.)

But it's the same story: there's a change of word inside the so-fa sequence. ('ry-heart; im-room).

There's another similar false start at the junction of the next two lines. (sing-and).

Finally, there's a leap from one do to high do - there's a final chance following that.

That's where you'll find a syllable that spans the two notes. It's not even a whole word; it's the first syllable of a two-syllable word.

This is clearly a student exercise, so while I've withheld the final solution, you're still entitled to say you arrived at the answer yourself!

David