I love Christmas music. It really helps to put me in the Christmas spirit. I especially love the songs that speak about the birth of the Savior. I’m happy to share a song with you today that you may not be familiar with. I first sang it in choir as a teen and then had the privilege to orchestrate it for my college orchestration class and conduct an orchestra who played it! It’s one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Please enjoy this homeschool music appreciation lesson on “In the Bleak Midwinter.” You can find a free music appreciation printable pack, including copywork of the lyrics, to use with it at I Choose Joy!.
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) wrote the music for the song “In the Bleak Midwinter.” He was a composer from England and was greatly interested in the music of everyday people–folk music.
Listen to his musical arrangement of the beautiful Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) poem “In the Bleak Midwinter” which became part of The English Hymnal of 1906. English poet Rossetti wrote the poem many years earlier for the magazine Scribner’s Monthly. The music Holst set the poem to is a hymn tune called “Cranham.”
“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.
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 mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air –
But only His mother
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 3 different versions of “In the Bleak Midwinter”:
- King’s College Boys Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hs9-Sxf9j4
- James Taylor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qmtO6cebcU
- Sissel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6yevmluq2M
Which do you like better? Why? What’s different and what’s the same about the 3 versions? This would be a good writing prompt to use with your kids!
Have a blessed Christmas and joyful time listening to Christmas music. Remember to pick up the free “In the Bleak Midwinter” Printable Pack over at I Choose Joy!.
