"In the bleak mid-winter" [Bruce Montgomery]

"In the bleak mid-winter" [Bruce Montgomery]

First line of lyrics: In the bleak mid-winter

Part of: "Christ's Birthday: A Suite of Carols"

Montgomery, Bruce; music (American, 1921-1978)

Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)

1948 [copyright]

London: Novello

genre: carol|Christmas music|song|sacred music|choral music|song cycle

chorus: SATB chorus

instrumentation: piano|string orchestra

initial sharps/flats: one sharp

initial time signature: 3/4

origin: United States

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "A Christmas Carol" ("In the bleak mid-winter")

Place in the larger work: The first song in the song cycle called "Christ's Birthday," which includes 1. "In the bleak mid-winter" (Christina Rossetti); 2. "Balulalow" (Wedderburn, 1567); 3. "Adam lay ybounden" (Anonymous, 15th century); 4. "There came three kings" (Anonymous, 15th century); 5. "A maid peerless" (Anonymous, 15th century); 6. "Good day, Sir Christemas" (Anonymous, 15th century).

Notes about the text: This song is a setting of stanzas 1, 2, and 4 only.

Tempo markings: "Moderato"; quarter note = 52

Format 1: musical score

8 pages (pp. 1-8); performance time 15 minutes

In reference to the published works below: Gooch and Thatcher 4308

Reference: Ezust, Emily. The LiederNet Archive. http://www.lieder.net/lieder/index.html

Reference: Gooch, Bryan N.S. and David S. Thatcher. Musical Settings of Early and Mid-Victorian Literature: A Catalogue. New York: Garland, 1979.

Cataloguer: Emily McConkey, University of Ottawa

musical score: Royal Academy of Music Library, London

Record: CRM-christmascarolinthebleak-montgomery

"Copyright 1948, by Novello & Company, Ltd."

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