Holiday Pops Music ~
Chorus & Orchestra
“See Amid the Winter's Snow” (arrangement)
(An arrangement of the melody by John Goss, 1871)
See Description, Instrumentation, and Text Info at bottom of page.
STATUS: Re-formatting into Sibelius — should be available in summer 2026
PRINT PRICE: $250 + S/H (This includes string parts up to 12, 12, 10, 8, 6.)
PDF PRICE: $185 for a set of PDFs of the full score and all the parts
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FULL SCORE EXCERPT / CHORAL SCORE EXCERPT
SOUND CLIPS:
♦ If you're considering this piece, please contact me to request a demo.
♦ You can hear this piece in the chamber orchestra version by clicking here.
♦ You can watch a video of the chamber orchestra version by clicking here.
SCORING: Large SATB chorus, accompanied by a full orchestra —
See the “Instrumentation” tab below. / DURATION: ca. 4:30
DIFFICULTY: The choral parts are fairly easy, and the instrumental parts are only moderately challenging.
NOTES:
♦ This arrangement is also available with chamber orch. acc.
♦ I also wrote an original composition using the same text.
DESCRIPTION
This arrangement presents the well-loved melody by John Goss in a lush, tranquil setting.
The mostly-gentle piece swells briefly to a grand climax the third time the refrain is sung (“Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!”), but the music soon returns to a mood of tranquility as the chorus sings their concluding phrase (“Christ is born in Bethlehem“) in a hushed tone.
An extended orchestral ending features a horn solo and lush strings, and ends the piece most effectively.
INSTRUMENTATION
CHOIR: Large SATB chorus
WOODWINDS:
2 Flutes
1 Oboe + 1 English Horn
2 Clarinets in Bb
2 Bassoons
BRASS:
4 Horns
PERCUSSION:
1 timpanist (2 timps), plus 3 percussionists on the following instruments: Glockenspiel, Chimes, Piatti, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Mark Tree
HARP: 1 Harp
KEYBOARD: 1 Piano (acoustic or synth)
STRINGS: Ideally, a minimum of 10, 10, 8, 8, 6, but slightly less than this is also doable.
TEXT INFO
See, Amid the Winter's Snow
Words by Edward Caswall, 1858
Complete text:
See, amid the winter’s snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.
Hail, thou ever blessèd morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies,
He who, throned in height sublime,
Sits amid the cherubim.
(Refrain)
As we watched at dead of night,
Lo! we saw a wondrous light:
Angels singing, “Peace on earth,”
Told us of the Savior’s birth.
(Refrain)
