IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

Missing her usual seasonal sing-songs, Helen explores the origins of her favourite carol…

Ilove getting together with family, friends, even strangers for a bit of a sing-song. Alas, this seems a distant memor y since it’s been cited as a potential super-spreader of Covid- 19!

Singing together will be sorely missed during the festive season as it’s a lovely way to share the spirit of Christmas with others, be it rattling through the jolly, cheer y ones or full-voiced for the resounding carols we seem to remember despite their once-a-year airing.

My personal favourite is In The Bleak Midwinter. The beautifully simple melody, composed in 1906 by Gustav verse about “frosty winds”, and “snow on snow”, but at its hear t is the traditional Nativity scene and of all the gifts on offer there, the greatest gift is love. If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my par t; Yet what can I give Him: Give my hear t.

I’ve loved it since my schooldays and relish hearing it year on year. Then last December, my producer from Radio 4’s Open Countr y asked if I’d like to make a programme about it – well, it was a yes before she’d finished her sentence!

So, on a par ticularly bleak midwinter’s day, we met in between 1914 and 1916. Even if you don’t listen to classical music, you’ll probably recognise elements such as Jupiter which stirs endeavour in the listener, and is probably why it’s played before Rugby World Cup matches.

Back in Cranham, we heard how his mother had died when he was just seven and that the family moved to Cheltenham. This village, though, is a special par t of his stor y and he was surely thinking of it, and his mother, when he chose “Cranham” as the name for his composition for In The Bleak Midwinter. Since then it’s