CGB1275 In The Bleak Midwinter

This setting of Holst’s tune CRANHAM begins with a solo eighth-note line inspired by the lyrics “snow had fallen, snow on snow,” and is soon joined by whole note chords using tower swings to suggest “frosty winds made moan”. The first appearance of the tune in measure 13 corresponds to the first verse of Christina Rossetti’s poem “In the Bleak Midwinter”:
In the bleak mid-winter
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 mid-winter
Long ago.
The second appearance of the tune in measure 29 expresses the simplicity of the final verse of the poem:
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.

Voicing:  3 or 5 octaves handbells
Composer:  Gustav Theodore Holst, 1875-1934
Arranger:  Fred Gramann
Tune source:  CRANHAM
Season:  Christmas
Level:  2+

CGB1275    $4.95