In the Bleak Midwinter (Darke)

by Ace Gangoso

Here we are at the end of 2020.  Good riddance, as many say, alongside high hopes for the year ahead.  Today’s musical offering is perhaps not the first Christmas tune that comes to mind.  You probably won’t hear it playing over the loudspeakers inside department stores.  There are no bells, no fa la las, Glorias or Hallelujahs, nor are there any descants and melismatic vocal fireworks—appropriately so, given the year we have had, full of the unusual and unexpected, to put it mildly.  And if “In the Bleak Midwinter” does happen to be one of your go-to carols, I would be willing to bet that you are most familiar with the choral setting by Gustav Holst.

Our setting of choice is by another English composer, Harold Darke.  There are striking similarities between the two settings, both rhythmically and melodically, particularly in the opening phrases.  Both are simple, strophic, and beautifully capture the somber and pensive mood of the poem by Christina Rossetti.  Using words like bleak, cold, and hard to describe the nativity scene, she highlights the ironic nature of the savior of the world being born into such humble conditions.

This is not “Joy to the World,” but to be clear, this is not a sad song, either.  For me, the key word is “enough.”  If I have learned anything this year, it is that I can afford to restructure my own concept of “enough” and how it relates to basic necessities, finances, health, relationships, and more.  I love songs that challenge, and the challenge presented here is for us to redirect our foci:  away from that which we currently lack to that which we have and take for granted, away from where we aren’t in order to be fully present where we are—and in spite of hardship, to find ways to give and show love.

So please accept this gift from Sarah, Bridget, Dave, and me in the form of a brand new virtual performance from the comfort and safety of our own homes.  Thank you for your continued support and loyalty to us, and for helping us to get through this year.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Author

Tenor Ace Gangoso recently completed his first season with Fourth Coast Ensemble.  His various other musical affiliations, including the CSO and Grant Park Choruses, Chicago a cappella, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the Chicago Black Catholics Choir, hint at his interests in different musical genres and styles.  He believes good songs are like onions: they come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, have many layers, and take on the unique flavors added by those entrusted to their care.