This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Blow, blow thou winter wind
Staff Notation • Secular, Glees
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Blow, blow thou winter wind by Richard John Samuel Stevens — Lyrics
Blow, blow, thou winter wind.
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.
Heighho! sing, heighho!
unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning,
most loving meere folly:
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About Blow, blow thou winter wind
Richard John Samuel Stevens sets these familiar words from Shakespeare's As You Like It. The text contrasts the harshness of winter with the deeper chill of human ingratitude and forgotten friendship. Stevens' SATB setting captures the folk-like, slightly melancholic mood of the poem, particularly in the refrain with its 'Heigh-ho!' calls. This glees style of unaccompanied part-singing was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, often performed in social gatherings. The music reflects the poem's simple yet profound message about nature's honesty compared to fickle human relationships, creating a memorable and thoughtful anthem for mixed voice choirs.
