Combining the evocative Emily Dickinson poem Before the ice and the familiar Latin responsory for Christmas day O magnum mysterium, this carol has beautifully rich textures and harmonies and a sensitive text setting that captures the mystery and wonder of Christmas. The final alleluias lift the carol from the minor to the major to bring the carol to a radiant and affirmatory conclusion. Before the ice features on the Naxos CD of Bob Chilcott's Christmas music, The Rose in the Middle of Winter.