In addition to fulfilling its responsibilities in Westminster, the Choir undertakes an extensive programme of concerts and tours, travelling in recent years to the United States, the Far East, Spain, France, Poland, and Russia. The Choir appears every year at the Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music in London and has been invited to participate in many other major festivals, including the BBC Proms and the South Bank Centre’s World Voice and Birtwistle Games festivals. The Choir broadcasts frequently on national radio and television, and in October 2007 made its first tour of Australia, giving seven concerts in six cities, including two at the Sydney Opera House.
The Choir of Westminster Abbey’s acclaimed recordings for Hyperion Records include the complete Great Service by William Byrd, choral works by Sir Edward Elgar and a series of discs of music for the great feast days of the church year. The latest additions to the catalogue are Mary and Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey (Gramophone Critics’ Choice and The Sunday Times CD of the Week), and A Christmas Caroll from Westminster Abbey (BBC Music Magazine Christmas Choice).
The Choir of Westminster Abbey is directed by James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers.
In the Bleak Midwinter
The Choir Of Westminster Abbey Lyrics
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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
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air,
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped 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.
The lyrics of the song "In the bleak midwinter" talk about the harsh winter weather, emphasizing the stark conditions of the earth. The first stanza portrays an image of a frozen land with a frosty wind blowing, and the earth being so hard that it's akin to iron, and water being as hard as a rock. The snow is seen to have accumulated, and the bleakness of the conditions are emphasized by the repetition of "snow on snow."
The second stanza is about the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the son of God, who is beyond the bounds of heaven and earth. The birth of Christ is depicted in a manger in a stable, which is a humble place for the King of Heaven. In this stanza, the imagery shifts from the bleakness of the Earth to a vision of heaven, which will flee away when Christ comes to reign. The contrast between the bleakness of winter, which is emphasized in the first stanza, and the glory of Christ's birth and reign, which is expressed in the second stanza, is striking.
In the final stanza, the question is asked, "what can I give him?" The singer contemplates how they would give a lamb or gold if they were a shepherd or a wise man, respectively. However, as an ordinary person, they can only give their heart. The last line of the song has a double meaning; to give someone your heart means to love them deeply, but it also speaks to the Christian concept of surrendering oneself to Christ, who is worthy of our devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan,
Winter was harsh with icy winds causing eerie sounds
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone,
The ground was frozen solid and water was frozen too
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
There was a lot of snowfall, and layers of snow had accumulated
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
The cold winter was a long time ago, but still remembered
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain,
God is too powerful for heaven and earth to contain or support him
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
When God's reign begins, heaven and earth will pass away
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Despite his power, Jesus was born in a simple stable
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the almighty Lord God
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
It's possible that many angels were present at Jesus' birth
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air,
Even the highest order of angels were present in abundance
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Despite the multitude of angels, Mary was the only one who could experience the joy of being Jesus' mother
Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
Mary expressed her love and devotion for Jesus with a kiss
What can I give him, poor as I am?
The singer wonders what they can give to Jesus, being poor themselves
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb,
The singer imagines giving Jesus a lamb, like the shepherds who visited him
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part,
The singer wishes they were a Wise Man, able to bring expensive gifts for Jesus
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
The artist decides to give Jesus their heart, as a symbol of their love and devotion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BARRY WALSH MUSIC
Written by: THOMAS STRONG, CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, BARRY WALSH, GRETCHEN PETERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind