Day 39 - In the bleak midwinter

I was watching the BBC morning news this morning and heard the story of 5 young boys who have gone viral on social media following their "carolling" being caught on someone's doorbell camera. Cameron. Jack, Liam, Ollie and Dylan from Falkirk rang the bell and when they didn't receive an answer broke out into song anyway and it was all captured on film.

And their carol of choice to share with an unsuspecting public? Last Christmas - the well-known popular song originally sung by Wham in 1984.

And it got me thinking... Last Christmas? A Carol??

Those of us who attend church think of carols as Once in Royal David's City, or O Little town of Bethlehem or any of the myriad of other traditional carols that have been around for 150+ years and which we have all been singing at carol service and church events ever since. Even in the category of more modern carols (and I don't intend to date myself here by disclosing what I might consider "modern"!) we usually have a tune we sing them to or an expected style.

One of my favourite carols is In the Bleak Midwinter with words by Christina Rosetti. I very much like both of the tunes we often sing this carol to Cranham by Gustav Holst (1906) and the setting written by Harold Darke (1909), but I was surprised to discover there are at least another 7 tunes written by composers including Benjamin Britten and Leonard Lehrman which can be used.

And then I set off to YouTube to see if I could find any other versions and I came across the one on this post and have fallen in love again - this time with a goth-rock inspired version.

How wonderful that God has given us the gift of music to enjoy and how glorious that our tastes are all so different that we can enjoy lovely words in so many varied ways!

Psalm 96 reminds us to:

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

So maybe give this a listen and if you don't like it, that's absolutely fine - I'm sure there is a setting to this carol out there that you will enjoy, whether that is one of the well-known traditional tunes or something new (or new to you!)

Who knows what “new songs” will be added to the carol books in the future? And what praises we will be able to give to the Lord through the singing we do!

Catherine Booton