In the Bleak Midwinter is a beautiful Christmas carol based on a poem by Christina Rossetti. There are 2 tunes that the words are typically set to – the more well known one sung by congregations across the globe is by Gustav Holst (called “Cranham”), but there is another less well known melody by Harold Darke.
This piano arrangement is based on the Holst version of In The Bleak Midwinter. It is taken from my album “10 Christmas Carols” – I hope you enjoy learning it! Have a look/listen to the piece below and then click on the link underneath the sheet music to download a FREE PDF score.
In the Bleak Midwinter Piano Sheet Music
In The Bleak Midwinter Piano Arrangement
This quite challenging piano arrangement is in the key of F major (although it does modulate to D minor for a short section in the middle).
The arrangement requires some careful use of the pedal to extend the sound of the arpeggio chords in the left hand, but be careful to ensure the pedal lifts at the end of each bar to refresh the sound.
There is an introduction that opens the arrangement and also reappears as an interlude between the verses.
Each verse of the carol is characterised by increasing decoration of the piano right hand. The section in which the hands move up the keyboard to play at a higher pitch range will require some practice, not least because the clefs change between Bass Clef and Treble Clef in the left hand and the changes need to be highlighted in order to prevent playing the wrong notes!!
Carol Lyrics
In the bleak mid-winter
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 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.
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.
