Song 21 in The Christmas Songbook
In the Bleak Midwinter
Also known as: Cranham, A Christmas Carol
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Piano
For The Christmas Songbook (piano edition).
Slow (70% speed) (1:06)
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Normal speed (0:47)
The speed printed on the page.
Play-along (0:47)
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Ukulele
For The Christmas Songbook (ukulele edition).
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Normal speed (0:47)
The speed printed on the page.
Play-along (0:47)
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Guitar
For The Christmas Songbook (guitar edition).
Slow (70% speed) (1:06)
Learn with this one first.
Normal speed (0:47)
The speed printed on the page.
Play-along (0:47)
Just the accompaniment, no tune: you play or sing the melody.
Kalimba
For The Christmas Songbook (kalimba edition).
Slow (70% speed) (1:06)
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Normal speed (0:47)
The speed printed on the page.
Recorder
For The Christmas Songbook (recorder edition).
Slow (70% speed) (1:06)
Learn with this one first.
Normal speed (0:48)
The speed printed on the page.
Play-along (0:48)
Just the accompaniment, no tune: you play or sing the melody.
All the words
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 mid-winter
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.
About this song
- Music
- Gustav Holst (1874–1934), tune CRANHAM
- Words
- Christina Rossetti (1830–1894)
- First published
- Poem 1872 (Scribner's Monthly, as A Christmas Carol); Holst's tune CRANHAM 1906 (The English Hymnal, no. 25)
- Copyright
- Public domain in the US, UK and EU. The arrangement and recordings belong to the book.