King's College Cambridge 2005 #4 In the Bleak Midwinter Gustav Holst

King's College Cambridge 2005 #4 In the Bleak Midwinter Gustav Holst
The text of this Christmas poem has been set to music many times, the two most famous settings being composed by Gustav Holst and Harold Edwin Darke in the early 20th century. The Darke Version is available on this channel at the following link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-9yB6t8Vl4

Category:

Music

Tags:

• King's
• College
• Choir
• Chapel
• Cambridge
• Cleobury
• Stevens
• music
• organ
• Christmas
• carols
• In
• the
• Bleak
• Midwinter
• Gustav
• Holst

[goquantum]

Thank you for providing this wonderful rendition. It is a favourite carol of a most inspiring man whose faith in Jesus is greater than anyone else I have ever encountered. Merry Christmas!

[spiritdei]

You're welcome! Thank you, and same to you!

[benoitmaur]

beatiful

[spiritdei]

Agreed, can't decide the version I prefer between Darke and Holst.

[smog718]

I respect Darke's melody out of the fact that it's tradition.

But in my opinion, Holst's is just so beautiful and lifting.

[jasex2000]

Its no longer Christmas , but its a lovely song nontheless , i think I'll be listening till Christmas 2012.

[sybedijkstra1]

@2Sparks002 Simplicity is the magic word here. Where a stable place sufficed, only the most pure and simple harmony would be in line with the spirit of the poem and melody. Here simplicity opens the heart in a way eloquence can not -by which I do not mean to imply that Drake's setting is NOT simple and pure, but to me Holsts version is even more so. We can only be thankful for such a thing of beauty.

[1234Hawthorn]

wonderful.  Thankyou so much.

[2Sparks002]

In a way the Darke & Holst versions are rather different animals. This is a simple hymn tune whereas the Darke is a choir anthem in that it employs different harmonies and organ accompaniment for each verse. Both are beautiful but for me the simplicity of the Holst actually suits the "bleak" word setting rather better

[sue200012]

Hooray for Christmas! 

[iamtherealdoctor]

my nan! lol

[GuyWIthAHoad]

i remanber singing this in primary school

[fredrikindia]

I've always preferred this carol, but - remarkably - my then 8 year old daughter (many years ago) thought this was the best one too!

[jantigercat]

This melody captures the bleakness of winter and the glory and warmth in our hearts. Turbulent times are ahead of us but this song assures us that whatever happens, Christmas will be always, and always be, Christmas.

[grade8william]

I really respect Holst's work because he is a great composer. He composed several famous pieces, has anyone ever heard of the Planets? The only thing I don't like about him is that he went into Astronomy. :(