The frost is here

The frost is here,
And fuel is dear,
And woods are sear,
And fires burn clear,
And frost is here,
And has bitten the heel of the going year.
	
Bite, frost, bite!
You roll up away from the light.
The blue wood louse,
And the plump dormouse,
And the bees are still'd,
And the flies are kill'd,
And you bite far far into the heart of the house,
But not into mine,
And you bite far far into the heart of the house,
But not into mine.

Bite, frost, bite!
The woods are all the searer,
The fuel is all the dearer,
The fires are all the clearer,
My spring is all the nearer,
You have bitten into the heart of the earth,
But not into mine,
You have bitten into the heart of the earth,
But not, not into mine.

by Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) , no title, from The Windows, or The Loves of the Wrens, no. 4, published 1867, rev. 1870

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Arthur Henry Egerton (1891?-1957) , "The frost is here", published 1954. [unison voices and piano]
by Robin Humphrey Milford (1903-1959) , "Winter", published 1930 [unison voices and piano], from Rain, Wind, and Sunshine, no. ?
by Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) , "Winter", published 1871 [voice and piano], from The Window, or The Songs of the Wrens, no. 4.
by Sidney Thomson , "Winter", published 1893 [voice and piano], from The Window or the Song of the Wrens, no. ?
by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) , "Winter", 1896. [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2009-03-21.

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!      - Emily I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.

Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for The frost is here, Winter, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for The frost is here, Winter, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for The frost is here, Winter, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for The frost is here, Winter, art song, Lieder, or chansons

Books:

  The Art of the Song Recital [amazon.com]
  The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
  Search amazon.com for art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for art song, lieder, or chansons

Classical Vocal Repertoire