Virtual accompanist

Play “Winter”

Free same-meter accompaniment for Winter (Anne Steele): organ, piano or guitar playing the tune ST. ANNE (William Croft) in four-part harmony, 5 verses, with the words on screen. Choose the key and speed, add an introduction, project the words on a TV, or practice your own choir part. Made for churches and home groups without a musician.

Sung here to ST. ANNE (William Croft), a Common Meter (8.6.8.6) tune — not necessarily the tune usually paired with this text. Any tune in the same meter fits the words.

Choir part trainer (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)

Solo or mute a part, raise your own part, slow it down, or loop one line until you have it.

Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass

Press Play once to choose a line to loop.

  1. 1Stern winter throws his icy chains
  2. Encircling nature round;
  3. How bleak, how comfortless the plains,
  4. Late with gay verdure crowned.
  5. 2The sun withdraws his vital beams,
  6. And light and warmth depart;
  7. And drooping, lifeless nature seems
  8. An emblem of my heart.
  9. 3Return, O blissful Sun, and bring
  10. Thy soul-reviving ray:
  11. This mental winter shall be spring,
  12. This darkness turn to day.
  13. 4Oh, happy state! divine abode!
  14. Where spring eternal reigns,
  15. And perfect day, the smile of God,
  16. Fills all the heavenly plains.
  17. 5Great Source of light, thy beams display,
  18. My drooping joys restore!
  19. And guide me to the seats of day,
  20. Where winter frowns no more.

About this music

ST. ANNE — William Croft. Setting: composite found in "The Lutheran Hymnary", 1913.. The score is from the Open Hymnal Project, copied from 'The Lutheran Hymnary', 1913, Hymn 261. Arrangement is composite, first half from "Hymns Ancient and Modern", 1869, Hymn 231. ed William Henry Monk Second half is from "The Hymnal Companion to the Book of Common Prayer", 1890, Hymn 279. ed. Charles Vincent, D.J. Wood, John Stainer; music and setting are in the public domain. The words above are from the hymnal cited on the Winter page.

Played in your browser with instrument sounds from the FluidR3 soundfont by Frank Wen (MIT license). No recordings are used.

← Back to the words and chords