Composer

:

Alfred S. Burt

Genre

:

Miscellaneous

Style

:

Miscellaneous

Compose Date

:

1945

Publication Date

:

1957

Average_duration

:

1:55

Ah, Bleak and Chill the Wintry Wind is a Christmas carol composed by Alfred S. Burt in 1942. It was the third carol in a series of fifteen that he composed between 1942 and 1954, known as the "Burt Carols". The carol was premiered in December 1942 by the choir of the Church of the Advent in Boston, Massachusetts. The carol is written in a minor key, which gives it a melancholic and haunting quality. It is a four-part choral arrangement, with the melody carried by the soprano and tenor voices. The lyrics describe the bleakness and coldness of winter, but also the warmth and comfort of being with loved ones during the holiday season. The first movement of the carol begins with the line "Ah, bleak and chill the wintry wind", which sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The melody is slow and mournful, with the choir singing in unison. The second movement picks up the pace slightly, with the choir singing in harmony and the melody shifting between the different voices. The lyrics describe the snow falling and the wind howling, but also the joy of being with family and friends. The third movement is the most upbeat and joyful, with the choir singing in a major key and the melody soaring. The lyrics describe the warmth of the fire and the happiness of being together during the holiday season. The final movement returns to the minor key and the slower tempo, with the choir singing in unison once again. The lyrics describe the end of the holiday season and the return of the bleak and chill wintry wind. Overall, Ah, Bleak and Chill the Wintry Wind is a beautiful and haunting Christmas carol that captures the melancholic beauty of winter and the warmth of being with loved ones during the holiday season.

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