This is “The Winter’s Rose,” which is a new musical setting of a text I wrote some years ago for a piece titled “The Winter and the Rose.” It springs from one of my favorite images of Christmas- that of Jesus as a beautiful rose blooming in the midst of the winter. The melody for that earlier piece was actually a Gaelic tune, but the music for this new setting is entirely my own. I added two brief elements to my original text – the refrain “Behold the Winter’s Rose” – and two brief interjections of “Light and Life to all He brings” to acknowledge the theme of this year’s Christmas Festival. One of my tenors, Christopher Wojciechowicz, is the flutist.
A wondrous Rose of glowing sheen – like none the world has ever seen –
is blooming in the frozen snow – But how? We do not know.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Behold the Winter’s Rose.
The precious Rose of Bethlehem – revives our wintery souls again –
It warms the cold and grieving earth – with promise of rebirth.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Behold the Winter’s Rose.
Light and Life to all He brings.
We kneel in awe before the sight – of such a rose on such a night.
Wherever there be doubt or fear – let brilliant blooms appear!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Behold the Winter’s Rose.
Light and Life He brings – the Winter’s Rose.
I am so enjoying your post. Would love just hearing you sing some time.
Thanks a lot. Some of my singing is elsewhere on the Listen page. And I’ll be putting some new things there soon. I’m glad to reconnect with you on Facebook! Merry Christmas to you and your husband.