In the Bleak Midwinter: TBB Choral Octavo
Words by Christina Rossetti, music by Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0006321
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This rhythmic setting of the Christina Rossetti text is a truly unique approach. Set in a minor key with light syncopations, the triadic harmony quickly falls into place. Program as a processional and add the optional drum part to make the most of this singular seasonal song.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0006321
Instrumentation:
Drum
More about this title
About the Composer: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray directs choirs at Rosemead High School in California, a position she has held since 2004 alongside teaching piano. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Composition from Biola University and a Master of Arts in Music Composition from UC Santa Barbara, with her teaching credential from California State University, Northridge.
Gray has composed over 100 choral works performed in schools and concert halls across the country. Beyond her work as composer, director, and performer, she is an avid traveler and cyclist who brings the same creative energy to pursuits outside the music room.
Why we love this
Gray's syncopated approach to this beloved text feels fresh without losing its contemplative core. The optional drum part gives you genuine flexibility for staging a processional that can range from austere to rhythmically driven, depending on your program's needs and your singers' comfort level.
What to expect
The minor key casts a contemplative shadow over Rossetti's stark imagery, while the light syncopations prevent the piece from settling into somber territory. There is movement and vitality here, a sense of processional grace that feels both reverent and alive.
Who it's for
This octavo works well for treble choirs, men's groups, and mixed ensembles looking for a Christmas piece with rhythmic sophistication and interpretive depth. Singers at the intermediate to advanced level will appreciate the syncopated writing and the chance to inhabit a minor-key carol that moves beyond traditional approaches.
How to get the most out of it
- Anchor the triadic harmony in your lower voices before layering the syncopations. A solid bass-and-baritone foundation makes the rhythmic playfulness in the treble voices land cleanly.
- If you add the drum part, introduce it gradually in rehearsal. Begin with the choir alone to establish the minor-key setting, then layer in percussion only for the final run-throughs and performance.
- Shape the processional quality by thinking of the piece as movement rather than stasis. Even at a deliberate tempo, slight dynamic growth through phrases will keep the music from feeling static.
How to use it
Open your Christmas concert with this piece as a formal processional, letting the choir process while singing. The rhythmic elements and optional drum part make it equally effective as a choral showcase nestled between more traditional seasonal fare, offering audiences a contemporary take on a nineteenth-century text.
Skills your students will build
- Singing rhythmic syncopations in a minor tonality
- Ensemble cohesion when navigating rhythmic displacement across voice parts
- Dynamic shaping and textural awareness for processional pacing
- Intonation in extended triadic harmony