In the Bleak Midwinter (arr.)
Voicing: SATB chorus, s. a. solos, pianoText: Christina Rossetti (modified), John Andrew Storey (v. 2)
Tune: Gustav Holst
Duration: 5:45 min.
Commissioned by: Ruth Palmer
Dedication: Dedicated to one of pure heart, hope and joy.
Premiere: Dec 9, 2007; Unity Choir; Unity Church-Unitarian, Saint Paul, MN
Published by: Self-published, AB-047-01
Order now: Online order form
Score Sample: PREVIEW THE SCORE (pdf)
REVIEWS:
For the national reading session, I recommended the following ten octavos . . . In the Bleak Midwinter, Betinis, SATB, s.a. solos, piano: Building upon the Holst melody, a divisi accompaniment is created in harmonizing parts. The piano accompaniment is harp-like and the two soloists provide an innocence over the choir hum[ming] in the last verse. Great for teaching line and phrasing.
Karen Fulmer, NWACDA Repertoire & Standards High School Chair. Excerpted from "Creative Planning and Programming for High School Choirs."
Karen Fulmer, NWACDA Repertoire & Standards High School Chair. Excerpted from "Creative Planning and Programming for High School Choirs."
LISTEN:
BYU Singers 2008-2009; Ron Staheli, conductor; Jared Oaks, piano; solos by Aubrey Brinkerhoff (Soprano) and Michelle Broadbent (Mezzo).
In the Bleak Midwinter
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.
Christ a homeless stranger,
so the gospels say,
cradled in a manger
and a bed of hay;
in the bleak midwinter,
a stable place sufficed,
Mary and her baby, Jesus Christ.
Angels and archangels
May have thronged the air,
Shepherds, beasts and wise men,
May have gathered there,
But only his mother
In her tender bliss
Blessed this new redeemer
With a kiss.
What can I give you,
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 you:
Give my heart.
I give my heart...
Verse 1 by Christina Rossetti, verse 2 by John Andrew Storey, verses 3 & 4 by Rossetti, modified A. Betinis. These texts are in the public domain, and may be reprinted from this website for use in concert programs and for promotional use as related to this musical work.
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.
Christ a homeless stranger,
so the gospels say,
cradled in a manger
and a bed of hay;
in the bleak midwinter,
a stable place sufficed,
Mary and her baby, Jesus Christ.
Angels and archangels
May have thronged the air,
Shepherds, beasts and wise men,
May have gathered there,
But only his mother
In her tender bliss
Blessed this new redeemer
With a kiss.
What can I give you,
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 you:
Give my heart.
I give my heart...
Verse 1 by Christina Rossetti, verse 2 by John Andrew Storey, verses 3 & 4 by Rossetti, modified A. Betinis. These texts are in the public domain, and may be reprinted from this website for use in concert programs and for promotional use as related to this musical work.
Performed by :
BYU Singers (Ron Staheli, conductor)
Century College Choir (Jocelyn Kalajian)
Concert Choir of University High School, IL (Chris Corpus, conductor)
Choir of East Side Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls (Glenyta Hanson, director)
Greenville College Choir, IL (Jeff Wilson, conductor)
IUP Chorus (James Dearing, conductor)
Madrigalia (Lee Wright, conductor)
Oakwood High School Chorus (Rich Brunner, conductor)
Oral Robert University Chorale (Edward Pierce, conductor)
The Phipps Center for the Arts Festival Chorus (Thomas Dahle, conductor)
Lincoln Civic Choir (William Wyman, conductor)
Nova Singers (Laura Lane, conductor)
Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (Mark Anderson, conductor)
South Bend Chamber Singers (Nancy Menk, conductor)
Thunder Bay Arts Council Chorus, MI
Unity Choir (Ruth Palmer, conductor)
USC Thornton School of Music
UW-Oshkosh Chamber Choir (Carl Chapman, conductor)
Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota (Garrett Lathe, conductor)
(Have you performed this work? Contact me to add your ensemble.)
Century College Choir (Jocelyn Kalajian)
Concert Choir of University High School, IL (Chris Corpus, conductor)
Choir of East Side Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls (Glenyta Hanson, director)
Greenville College Choir, IL (Jeff Wilson, conductor)
IUP Chorus (James Dearing, conductor)
Madrigalia (Lee Wright, conductor)
Oakwood High School Chorus (Rich Brunner, conductor)
Oral Robert University Chorale (Edward Pierce, conductor)
The Phipps Center for the Arts Festival Chorus (Thomas Dahle, conductor)
Lincoln Civic Choir (William Wyman, conductor)
Nova Singers (Laura Lane, conductor)
Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (Mark Anderson, conductor)
South Bend Chamber Singers (Nancy Menk, conductor)
Thunder Bay Arts Council Chorus, MI
Unity Choir (Ruth Palmer, conductor)
USC Thornton School of Music
UW-Oshkosh Chamber Choir (Carl Chapman, conductor)
Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota (Garrett Lathe, conductor)
(Have you performed this work? Contact me to add your ensemble.)