'Tis winter now

This is a short, skilful song setting, a typical English Christmas carol with an Advent text: the cold winter as symbol of the frozen world, waiting for Christ. The setting, through-composed in verses, in five-four time, captivates through its sparse use of diatonic formations of dissonances, cantabile imitations and wide-arching melodic lines. This little gem encourages a beautiful, expressive legato interpretation and makes an excellent counterpart to “Deilig” (Carus 9.664) in an Advent concert program.