I don’t remember who first suggested this song to me, but Tom and I have been singing it at Christmas services in our parish since December 2021. It has also made regular appearances in the parish Digital Advent Calendar since December 2022. Indeed, this year it went out on 19 December along with our parish choir singing “One Winter’s Night” and St Margaret’s CE Primary School KS2 Choir singing “Christmas Bells”.
I was happy to order and pay for the sheet music as I was already familiar with Chilcott’s work from my time singing in the Manchester Chorale, so knew it would be appropriate. I also claim a personal connection with him, through my daughter Jennifer from her time at the University of Birmingham. Bob Chilcott conducts the Birmingham University Singers, and the Birmingham University Women’s Chorus, both of which Jennifer sang in. Eventually, she plucked up the courage to introduce herself to Bob and told him of her aspirations to be a choral conductor. From then on, he gave his support with her conducting studies and gave her conducting opportunities with the BUWC at their regular concerts.
In this piece, Chilcott takes the words of Cristina Rosetti and sets them to a gentle, contemporary, and ever so slightly jazzy melody. There are five verses to this carol in “100 Carols for Choirs”, but in this arrangement Chilcott uses only four:
- In the bleak mid-winter frosty wind made moan
- Earth stood hard as iron water like a stone
- Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
- In the bleak mid-winter 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 mid-winter, a stable-place sufficed
- The Lord God Almighty Jesus Christ.
- 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.
- Give my heart. My heart.
You can listen to Tom and I singing this song here:
Carol P
St Margaret’s Church Prestwich holds CCLI licences CCL 79250, MRL 775231 and 466111 for music streaming and One Licence M-40120 for music streaming.
Mid-Winter © 1994 OUP
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 