Solo Guitar - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1101385 Composed by Gustav Holst. Arranged by Simon James. 20th Century,Christmas,Classical,Contemporary,Instructional. Individual part. 5 pages. DML #704780. Published by DML (A0.1101385). In the Bleak Midwinter is a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti, commonly performed as a Christmas carol. The poem was published, under the title A Christmas Carol, in the January 1872 issue of Scribners Monthly and was first collected in book form in Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress and Other Poems (Macmillan, 1875). In 1906, Gustav Holst composed a setting of Rossetti's words (titled Cranham) in The English Hymnal which is sung throughout the world and is the basis of this arrangement. A wonderful tune that works well on the guitar as a solo piece. The arrangement makes extensive use of open strings and I have indicated this wherever it is important.