Blow, blow thou winter wind (When Icicles Hang) - John Rutter, Cambridge Singers

‘Blow, blow thou winter wind' (When Icicles Hang)
From the album 'Fancies'
Composer John Rutter
Conductor John Rutter
Choir The Cambridge Singers
Orchestra City of London Sinfonia
Buy, download or stream: lnk.to/Fancies
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LYRICS:
Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.
Then heigh-ho! the holly!
This life is most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember’d not.
(William Shakespeare, from As you like it)
Fancies
This album explores the secular works of John Rutter. Fancies is a cycle of six settings of Elizabethan poetry, described by the composer as ‘music for a summer’s evening.’ When Icicles Hang, another choral cycle with orchestra, is a winter piece, best known for its bitter-sweet setting of Shakespeare’s Blow, blow, thou winter wind. The Five Childhood Lyrics, for unaccompanied choir, take a group of simple rhymes and set them in a spirit of fun and fairytale. The Suite Antique for flute, harpsichord and strings, consists of six short movements ranging from a simple, classic ‘aria’ to an upbeat ‘jazz waltz’.
“… A must have for lovers of good choral music…” The Northern Echo
“…Rutter means good music, splendidly played and sung and excellent recordings …” Evening Star
John Rutter, English composer and conductor, is associated with choral music throughout the world. His recordings with the Cambridge Singers (the professional chamber choir he set up in 1983) have reached a wide global audience, many of them featuring his own music in definitive versions. Among John’s best-known choral works are Gloria, Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, and Visions, together with many church anthems, choral songs and Christmas carols.
Contact
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[@bobbyevans9427]

I remember performing this in the mid 1980’s
Beautiful arrangement

[@susanpeck4705]

One of my all-time favorite choral works. Sang it in high school all-state choir in 1978, have conducted it many times since then. I get goose-bumps every time when the tenors come in on the second chorus. And those chilly suspensions in the upper voices in verse 2!

[@pilipalanda6990]

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man’s ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning; most loving, mere folly.
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot;
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remembered not.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning; most loving, mere folly.
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.
(W. Shakespeare)

[@glibbergloop]

Thank you for this excellently performed recording.

[@zoefang4563]

We sang this in chorus in high school some 15-16 years ago.

[@sudjata21]

Very beautiful!