To all members of the wind studies (winds and percussion) and guitar programs,
As a "Blizzard Bag" activity for our snow day (which prevents us needing to make up the day at the end of the year), please consider the following activity:
Compare and contrast the following versions of "In The Bleak Midwinter."
The first is a setting by Gustav Holst:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6yevmluq2M
The second is a setting by Harold Edwin Darke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNdqF9XfMD0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Which do you think better encapsulates the title?
How do the moods and style of each arrangement differ?
"In The Bleak Midwinter" was originally a hymn (religious text) that those two composers based their compositions on. You can find the text here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Bleak_Midwinter
What symbolism can be found in the text? Is it a description of weather patterns (similar to the one outside today), or was the author using these images to describe a deeper meaning?
Enjoy your snow angels, sledding and hot chocolate!
