Play and Sing In the Bleak Midwinter
In the Bleak Midwinter
In the Bleak Midwinter is a really beautiful Christmas tune! Britain had its share of bleakness and beauty last year with unusual amounts of snowfall. What better way to portray it than the words of Christina Rossetti and the music of Gustav Holst for In The Bleak Midwinter?
My free sheet music for In the Bleak Midwinter is only just within the public domain but I thought you might enjoy some tips on how to play it and a few ideas inspired by what has been voted the most popular carol of all time.
Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas - A voice as pure as the snow....
In the Bleak Midwinter - Who wrote the music and words of In the Bleak Midwinter?
The words were written in 1872 by Christina Rossetti in response to a request from a magazine. The English composer Gustav Holst wrote the music in 1906 and its most famous setting is by Harold Darke. Many people have arranged this beautiful melody too. Here are some links that will give you more information.
- In the Bleak Midwinter
Words: Christina Rossetti, 1872. Music: Gustav Holst, 1906. - In the Bleak Midwinter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christina Rossetti "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol - Harold Darke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dr Harold Edwin Darke (29 October 1888 - 28 November 1976) was an English composer and organist. Darke was born in Highbury, London the youngest son of Samuel Darke & Arundel Bourne. - Gustav Holst - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodor von Holst, 21 September 1874 - 25 May 1934) was an English composer. - An orchestral arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter
The plaintive song of the oboe sets this off nicely.
Melody of In The Bleak Midwinter for Recorder - This is in the key G for ease of playing on the Recorder
Words for In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti
Lyrics to In the Bleak Midwinter
Here are the standard lyrics, so you can sing along if you wish. The words of the first verse and some snow scenes from this shivery week in Lincolnshire inspired some designs which I will also share with you.
In the Bleak midwinter by Christina Rossetti
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
A breastful of milk, and a manger full of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged in the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
Here are some traditional and well loved Christmas hymns and carols for guitar that I have published:
My Three Carol Books
My First Very Easy Christmas Carol Book [Spiral-Bound]
Carols for beginners to play. Single note melodies with chord letters. Very easy large font notes with notename noteheads.
Traditional Christmas Carols For Guitar Solo [Paperback]
Easy and intermediate arrangements of well loved Christmas carols for fingerstyle guitar. Includes TAB as well as music.
Traditional Christmas Carols for Guitar Ensemble [Paperback]
Arrangements of well loved Carols for flexible sized guitar ensembles, these are full scores, not separate parts.
Daum Robin Figurine
In the Bleak Midwinter - Card Design for In the Bleak Midwinter
In the Bleak Midwinter by persimew
Frosty Wind Made Moan - Trees etched by snow and wind.
Frosty Wind Made Moan by persimew at zazzle
Earth Stood Hard As Iron - Seen Across the Lincoln Ridge
Earth Stood Hard As Iron by persimew
Water Like A Stone - My Frozen Pond with Struggling Fountain
Water Like A Stone by persimew
Snow Had Fallen, Snow On Snow - Tree Branches on the Ridge Near Waddington
Snow had fallen, snow on snow by persimew
In the Bleak Midwinter, Long Ago - Frozen Fountain....
Frozen Fountain Seasons Greetings by persimew
Loreena McKennit and Kiri Te Kanawa sing with such a warm quality, Orla Fallon has the voice of a snow angel, the choirs are so traditional and sound really holy, but which version do you like best?
© 2010 Lisa Marie Gabriel
