Blow, blow, thou winter wind

Charles Wood sets Shakespeare's familiar words from "As You Like It" with a vivid response to the text's contrast between nature's harshness and human cruelty. The SATB choir is employed to capture both the boisterous and the more reflective moments. Wood’s setting opens with a robust depiction of the winter wind, with active vocal lines and a clear, forthright harmonic language. The music then turns inward for the reflections on friendship and love, before returning to a more robust, declamatory style for the final stanza. This is a resourceful and engaging setting of a well-loved text, suitable for concert performance.