Click on the item to read a description and hear the MP3 sound sample for that item. Almost all browsers are capable of playing MP3s with the appropriate plugin.
Rich arrangement of the famous hymn for baritone soloist with TTBB choir.
This hymn is so ubiquitous as to possibly be the most recognizable piece of Christian music ever. A simple pentatonic tune in common meter carries a weighty lyric that marvels at the grace of a loving God to people who deserve only His wrath.
The choir begins with ooo-ing for two stanzas, providing a rich backdrop for the baritone soloist. The third stanza features the choir alone at a somewhat faster tempo.
The fourth stanza stays at the faster tempo, and has the baritone accompanied by a rhythmic figure in the choir.
The final stanza has the choir taking the lead with the baritone signing a descant. A surprise ending leads to a triple Alleluia! to finish the piece strong.
+ + +
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
As long as life endures.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come.
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
--- John Newton
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.
--- John P. Rees
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
+ + +
MP3 sound sample: midi/synthesizer
This video is of the SATB version from which this version is derived.
AMAZING GRACE, an American melody with lyrics by John Newton and John P. Rees, arranged by Tom Kirkland for baritone solo with unaccompanied TTTB choir, comes in a pdf file of 184K, with a nine-page score and a license page, ten pages in all. Performance time should be about four minutes.
The famous Sunday School song set for SATB choir with optional slide whistle by David Hepburn.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
David arranged this famous Sunday School song for SATB choir with optional slide whistle in 1976 for a concert depicting scenes from the Bible.
+ + +
Only a little boy David,
And only a babbling brook, babbling brook, babbling brook.
Only a little boy David,
And five little stones that he took, stones that he took, stones that he took, stones that he took out of the brook.
One little stone went in the sling, the sling went around and around.
One little stone went in the sling, the sling went around and round.
Round and around and around and around and around and around and around...
One little stone went up
And the giant came tumbling down. (down down down down down...)
+ + +
MP3 sound sample: Synthesizer/midi.
LITTLE DAVID arranged by David Hepburn for unaccompanied SATB choir with otional slide whistle comes in a pdf file of 170K, with one four-page score and a license page, five pages in all. Performance time should be about 1:20.
A sparkling little piece by David Hepburn for his musical "Philippians - A Love Letter" for unaccompanied SATB choir.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
Some time around 1977, David said, "I've been writing a lot more songs lately with scripture for lyrics, and it's been working very well. You know, God said 'My word shall not return void,' not, 'your lyrics shall not return void.' If you want to write music that changes people's hearts, why would you try to improve on scripture?"
This piece is a Mozart-like setting of Philippians 4:4, in which Paul urges Christians to "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice!" This song appears twice in the musical Philippians - A Love Letter. The full version of about one minute duration appears as song number 6, while an abbreviated version may be used as a prologue to the entire musical. Both are included in the pdf file. Rejoice in the Lord is also available packaged with another short anthem by David Hepburn.
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers (1976).
REJOICE IN THE LORD by David Hepburn for unaccompanied SATB choir comes in a pdf file of 173K, with one four-page score one one two page score and a license page, seven pages in all. Performance time should be about one minute.
Another great selection from the musical "Philippians - A Love Letter" by David Hepburn.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
By the Spirit of God, I have been born again.
For me to live is Christ,
Oh praise His holy name.
The work of His Spirit will continue in my heart.
He will never leave me, our ways will never part, never part, never part.
By the Spirit of God, I have been born again.
For me to live is Christ,
Oh praise His holy name!
Praise His holy name! Praise His holy name!
Now I live in eager expectation,
Born again, praise God, a new creation,
In life and death, in every situation,
Born again! Born again! Born again!
Praise His name!
+ + +
This song appears in the musical with two slightly different endings. The pdf file contains both. Either may be used for stand-alone performance.
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1976.
A NEW LIFE by David Hepburn for SATB choir with piano comes in a pdf file of 494K, twelve pages of music and a license page, thirteen pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 1:30.
David Hepburn's wonderful song taken from Philippians 2:5 and featured in his musical "Philippians: A Love Letter."
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
Let your life be outgoing with concern that is growing
Every day for your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Let your heart be tender and willing to render
Acts of love to your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Let the mind of Christ be in you, brother.
He did not demand or cling to His rights as God and King,
But died that we might have the very life He came to bring,
Life lived in power, life in abundance, life everlasting.
Do not seek to make impression, do not count your posessions,
Rather share with your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Be a person who cares about the affairs
Of the family of brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Let the mind of Christ be in you, brother.
He did not demand or cling to His rights as God and King,
But died that we might have the very life He came to bring,
Life lived in power, life in abundance, life everlasting,
Life in Christ.
+ + +
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1976.
THE MIND OF CHRIST by David Hepburn for SATB choir with piano comes in a pdf file of 217K, six pages of music and a license page, seven pages in all. Performance time should be approximately three minutes.
A song about what it is that is really important, by David Hepburn. From "Philippians - A Love Letter."
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
Some things are worthless,
Some things are priceless,
And I must do the things I feel are best for me.
Things of momentary satisfaction have attraction,
But they draw my mind away from God's eternity.
If I seek the priceless things, the things of Christ, what joy it brings,
Then suddenly I feel I'm what I ought to be.
I'll put aside the worthless things, the momentary joy they bring,
In order that I might be one with Christ.
Oh, the joy, the real joy of knowing Je-sus Christ as Lord,
And trusting Him alone, and living by His word.
I don't mean to say I'm perfect- God's not finished yet.
But He's working in my heart my friend, and I have no regret.
My yesterdays are all behind, tomorrow's a brand new day!
With confidence I smile and sing;
With joy, I now can say:
Things of momentary satisfaction have attraction,
But they draw my mind away from God's eternity.
If I seek the priceless things, the things of Christ, what joy it brings,
Then suddenly I feel I'm what I ought to be.
I'll put aside the worthless things, the momentary joy they bring,
In order that I might be one with Christ.
Oh, the joy, the real joy of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord,
And trusting Him alone, and living by His word.
+ + +
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1976.
THE THINGS OF CHRIST by David Hepburn for SATB choir with piano comes in a pdf file of 228K, eight pages of music and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be approximately three minutes.
David Hepburn's setting of Philippians 2:14-16 for SATB choir with piano, from the musical "Philippians - A Love Letter."
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
This song, part of David's musical Philippians - A Love Letter, is a great reminder of how we are to live our lives.
+ + +
Shine out like beacons, like beacons of light.
Shine out like beacons, shining through the night.
Shine out like beacon lights; shine for the Lord.
+ + +
This arrangement includes guitar chords.
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1976.
SHINE OUT LIKE BEACONS by David Hepburn for SATB choir with piano comes in a pdf file of 205K, seven pages of music and a license page, eight pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 1:40.
A great southern-gospel-style song which appears in David Hepburn's musical "Philippians - A Love Letter"
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
This song, part of David's musical Philippians - A Love Letter, is a great praise song about the Name above all names. In the sound sample, narrator Brian Bjorklund reads Philippians 2:9-11 to lead in the song.
+ + +
There's a name above all names; that name is Jesus.
There's a joy above all joy; it comes from Jesus.
There's a power greater than all the power man has ever known;
It works within the hearts of men when Jesus takes control.
There's a satisfying sensation when you triumph in his name.
There's a change in your outlook of life; it can never be the same.
Your life is lifted; Spirit-gifted, you'll find new happiness the day
You come to Jesus. He is the way.
+ + +
This arrangement includes guitar chords. For vocal solo, sing the tenor part, then switch to the soprano part for the last line "You come to Jesus..."
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1976.
THE NAME OF JESUS by David Hepburn for SATB (or solo voice) with piano comes in a pdf file of 194K, five pages of music and a license page, six pages in all. Performance time should be approximately two minutes.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
This song is scored for SATB choir, with a section written as a violin solo, which could be played on any concert-pitched instrument, and a vocal solo suitable for male or female voice with choir ahhs for the final chorus.
This piece could also be used as a vocal solo with piano and a solo concert-pitched instrument.
+ + +
The love of God is real and I've experienced it,
His touch is as real as the warm morning sun.
His peace is as real as the evening's quiet waters,
His joy is as real as the wind's happy song.
It's real, it's real, I know that He loves me.
It's real, so real, t'will span eternity.
No more days of doubting,
My heart will go on shouting
It's real, God's love is real to me!
It's real, it's real, I know that He loves me.
It's real, so real, t'will span eternity.
No more days of doubting,
My heart will go on shouting
It's real, God's love is real to me!
GOD'S LOVE IS REAL TO ME by David Hepburn for SATB with violin, vocal solo, and piano comes in a pdf file of 198K, eight pages of music and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 2:35.
"The Love of God is Real to Me" an uplifting song of faith by David Hepburn.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
This is yet another song of faith from David Hepburn, originally written in 1979.
+ + +
The love of God is real to me,
It's deeper than the ocean,
Wider than the widest sea, and it set me free.
I've left the past behind-
What joy there was to find-
A friend so good and kind-
Oh, praise His name, I love Him much,
And He's never out of touch.
The love of God is real to me,
It's deeper than the ocean,
Wider than the widest sea, and it set me free.
I've left the past behind-
What joy there was to find-
A friend so good and kind-
Oh, praise His name, I love Him so,
And I want the world to know,
The love of God is real to me.
A REASON TO SING by David Hepburn for SATB with piano comes in a pdf file of 154K, with a one-page score and a license page, two pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 1:30.
A simple little piece that is more of a worship chorus with introduction for SATB choir, from Psalm 32:11.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
This song, sort of a worship chorus with and introduction by SATB choir, is based on Psalm 32:11.
The choral introduction is intended to be unaccompanied, but all four parts are on two staves, so is it easy to double with piano. The chorus is just two-part call and answer.
+ + +
Oh, what a change in my life there has been,
Oh, what a joy I have found!
Since Christ became my redeemer and friend,
New pleasures of life now abound!
Be glad in the Lord!
Raise your voice and sing praise!
Be glad in the Lord!
He'll fill all your days with gladness and joy
as you walk in His way!
So clap your hands, raise up your voice,
Be glad in the Lord!
BE GLAD IN THE LORD! by David Hepburn for SATB with piano comes in a pdf file of 172K, with a four-page score and a license page, five pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 1:30.
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata recast as a choral arrangement.
This is a more or less straight transcription of Beethoven's famous piano solo "Moonlight Sonata" for unaccompanied choir. The piece has been raised from C# minor to G minor to accommodate the range of human voices. Even still, there is a need for sopranos with a high Bb and basses with a low E. The most difficult part by far is given to the the second sopranos.
The major difficulty of this piece lies with the arpeggio part. Through most of the piece the second sopranos carry the arpeggio, but they will get help in one section from altos, first sopranos, and baritones, owing to the large range of even the "reduced range version" of the original piano score. The other parts are not nearly as difficult, but it will be hard to execute this piece with even a very good small ensemble because of the need for stagger breathing almost completely throughout.
There is only one word in the lyrics: "Amen." The second sopranos only make the full word twice, while the baritones go for a world record by repeating the word 45 times, about once every seven seconds through the entire piece. The word is sung slowly, quickly, loudly, softly, and everything in between. At the end, the meaning "so be it" is well expressed.
With a larger choir of good singers, and particularly some excellent second sopranos, this piece will have amazing effect. It is, however, well above the capabilities of the average casual church choir.
AMEN by Ludwig von Beethoven, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SAATBB choir, comes in a pdf file of 346K, with a twelve-page score and a license page, thirteen pages in all. Performance time should be about 5:30.
Another song from the musical play A GIANT INFLATABLE CHRISTMAS. In this song, Mary sings about the bittersweet situation of raising a child of importance, who she will one day have to give up to his role as Messiah.
"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." --Luke 2:17-19 NIV
This is a song about what Mary might have thought while singing her baby boy to sleep a night or two after the visit of the shepherds. The most striking dimension is the emphasis on a mother's conflicting desires to see her child grow up, but also to see her child remain a little baby just a while longer.
This song is written for a mezzo soprano soloist with high tenor (highest note A). It could be incorporated into a Christmas program as a song sung by Mary and Joseph beside the manger, as is it set within the musical play A GIANT INFLATABLE CHRISTMAS. This is the only song that is not a traditional Christmas song that was not written specifically for the musical, but rather had a scene in the musical written around it.
+++
Be still and sleep my Yeshua, my little baby son,
Close your eyes and dream of times when better things will come.
What little can we give you: Life as a carpenter's son,
And in the hills of Galilee, you will learn to run.
What a nurs'ry for Messiah, this stable where we stay!
You've nothing but these well-worn blankets, and this fragrant bed of hay...
The hills were ringing with the song sung by the angel choir,
(Glory in the highest, and on earth his peace!)
Start'ling all the shepherds there, all huddling by the fire.
Then those shepherds came and honor'd you, a most amazing sight,
And I heard the praises on their lips, saw the wonder in their eyes.
(Wonderful! Counselor! Prince of Peace! Mighty God!
Everlasting Father! Messiah!)
But in the quiet of the night, my dearest pride and joy,
Messiah seems so far away, you're just my little boy...
One day you will leave our home to do Jehovah's will,
Wear your crown and purple robe, ascend the holy hill!
Then when it's time to take your throne they all will sing your praise,
And ev'ryone will bow the knee and Lord will be your name!
But in the time I watch you grow, while you still need me near,
Just be my precious little one, the son I love so dear,
Your working time is yet to come: Messiah your birthright,
But in this moment Yeshua,
My dearest precious Yeshua,
Just be my little Yeshua,
For one more silent night.
(Wonderful! Counselor! Messiah! Prince of Peace!)
+++
Parts in the rehearsal score are: mezzo soprano, tenor, SATB chorus, and piano.
Orchestral parts are:
Flute 1 & 2
Clarinet 1 & 2
Trumpet 1 & 2
F Horn 1 & 2
Trombone 1 & 2
Violin 1 & 2
Cello
Piano
The remainder of the pit orchestra for the show is tacet for this song.
LULLABY FOR THE MESSIAH, by Tom Kirkland, a mezzo soprano solo with tenor, chorus, and orchestra, comes in a pdf file of 673K, with a ten-page practice score, twenty-one page full score, seven two-page parts, one three-page, part, and a license page, forty-nine pages in all. Performance time should be about four minutes.
Moving hymn tune set for various combinations of brass sextet (two trumpets, horn or euphonium, two trombones, tuba), organ, and tympani. Very easy to add choir or congregational singing.
Thine is the Glory (JUDAS MACCABAEUS) is a fantastic Easter hymn set to a tune from Handel's opera Judas Maccabaeus (See the Conquering Hero Comes). It is a stately, moving, very baroque chorus with tremendous harmonies and is easy to sing.
This version is a rewrite of our brass quintet version. The thought that some churches might wish to use it with organ instead of or along with the brass quintet led to the creation of an organ part that doubles the brass parts. Finally, since many churches will try to do something larger and different for Easter services, the addition of a tympani part was a natural fit for the tune.
The tune here appears as it is most commonly harmonized, so adding a choir or using this with congregational singing is very easy. We did not include choral parts, as the lyrics do not go public domain until 2040, and we desired to avoid copyright issues. Each of the three stanzas can be sung directly out of a hymnal, and if desired, the final two measures can be sung as an Amen! or Alleluia! with ease, the choir singers picking a part out of the simple harmony.
The piece is introduced and the stanzas are connected by a brass bridge, each time ending in the same way to easily cue the choir or congregation.
The brass sextet can stand alone, or the organ can stand alone, or the tympani can be added to either, organ can play with just one or two trumpets, or all can play together, and again, adding singers is also very easy. So this is a sort of a one-size-fits-many piece. The brass sextet is two trumpets, F horn (a euphonium part is included if needed to substitute), two trombones, and tuba. The first trumpet part has two high Ds in it, but a B can be easily substituted without much loss of effect. We also created an alternate first trumpet part (pdf) that stays at or below a G, if you want to play this on a straight Bb trumpet without a cheater mouthpiece and just don't have the lip to consistently get a quality sound out of the higher notes.
+ + +
Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment
Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes
Where Thy body lay.
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Lo, Jesus meets thee,
Risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets thee,
Scatters fear and gloom;
Let His church with gladness
Hymns of triumph sing,
For the Lord now liveth,
Death has lost its sting,
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
No more we doubt Thee,
Glorious Prince of Life;
Life is nought without Thee;
Aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors,
Through Thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan
To Thy home above.
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
THINE IS THE GLORY by G. F. Handel, arranged by Tom Kirkland for two trumpets, F horn or euphonium, two trombones, tuba, organ, and tympani, comes in a pdf file of 1208K, with a ten-page score, eight two-page parts, one six-page (organ) part, and a license page, thirty-three pages in all. Performance time should be about 3:40.
A new arrangement of a standard hymn, is very nice for a solid baritone soloist with a college choir.
This hymn is so ubiquitous as to possibly be the most recognizable piece of Christian music ever. A simple pentatonic tune in common meter carries a weighty lyric that marvels at the grace of a loving God to people who deserve only His wrath.
The choir begins with ooo-ing for two stanzas, providing a rich backdrop for the baritone soloist. The third stanza features the choir alone at a somewhat faster tempo.
The fourth stanza stays at the faster tempo, and has the baritone accompanied by a rhythmic figure in the choir.
The final stanza has the choir taking the lead with the baritone signing a descant. A surprise ending leads to a triple Alleluia! to finish the piece strong.
+ + +
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
As long as life endures.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come.
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
--- John Newton
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.
--- John P. Rees
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
+ + +
M4A sound sample: Les Loriots de Cap-Rouge
Baritone: Timothy Vermilyea
Cap-Rouge, Quebec Canada
Recorded live at Seminaire St-François, Cap-Rouge, May 18, 2013
AMAZING GRACE, an American melody with lyrics by John Newton and John P. Rees, arranged by Tom Kirkland for baritone solo with unaccompanied SATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 212K, with a nine-page score and a license page, ten pages in all. Performance time should be about four minutes.
Sparkling and rhythmic arrangement of a favorite spiritual for unaccompanied large choir.
The old slave spirituals are always fun songs to listen to as well as perform, since they usually have a strong rhythm and tell a story. This song is one of the greatest.
This arrangement begins with a bass line that swings along in 12/8 time. When the full chorus then appears over it, we find that we have a contrapuntal happening going on. The tenors carry the melody for the first verse, and the chorus repeats. Again, the tenors carry the melody for the second verse. After a chorus repeat and a simple key-change device, the tenors again carry the melody, and the treble voices have a three-part counter melody part.
The men's voices then do a half-chorus in four-part harmony. The treble voices join in and we finish with a complete chorus, which ends quite dramatically.
All four parts divide at some points, and all have challenging ranges, including the need for one soprano with a high B (but probably not more than one). This is possibly destined to become some college choir's favorite number.
+ + +
Mornin'! Gonna get up in the mornin'!
Mornin'! Gonna get up in the mornin'!
Mornin'! Gonna get up in the mornin'!
God's got a place for me!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
I'm gonna tell you 'bout the comin' of the judgement, fare thee well, fare thee well!
I'm gonna tell you 'bout the comin' of the judgement, fare thee well, fare thee well!
God's gonna up and talk with Gabr'el, fare thee well, fare thee well!
God's gonna tell him go and get your trumpet, fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
Woh!
For His glory blow that trumpet Gabr'el, fare thee well, fare thee well!
O glory blow that trumpet Gabr'el, fare thee well, fare thee well!
O wake up all God's children, fare thee well, fare thee well!
O wake up all God's children, fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
In that great gettin' up mornin' fare thee well, fare thee well!
IN THAT GREAT GETTIN' UP MORNIN', an American Spiritual arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 244K, with a seventeen-page score and a license page, eighteen pages in all. Performance time should be about three minutes.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
This piece is a unique choral piece in that is is not bound by structure, but rather fully expresses an irregular lyric that throws light on the contrasts present on Calvary on the day of crucifixion and in the garden on the morning of the resurrection.
This piece opens with a very expressive organ introduction, followed by a smooth and harmonious treatment of the opening several lines. The women's voices then take over for a few lines. The men then come back and deliver a strident interpretation of the guarding of the tomb, with the full choir carrying the rest of the piece to its conclusion.
This piece was clearly written and intended to be sung with organ, and there are no good workarounds for piano.
+ + +
Though the timbers were rugged that formed
Mount Calv'ry's cross,
Upon which the Savior painf'ly suffered and died,
The heart of the Lord remained tender, compassionate
For those who conspired to have Him crucified.
Though the skies clouded strangely and darkness prevailed,
And the earth shook and trembled in the darkness as night.
Yet the face of the Savior though scarred by a crown of thorns,
Rebuffed evil's darkness,
Revealed heaven's light!
Though the tomb sealed and guarded by
Rome's mighty army seemed to say to the people,
"It is over, death has won!"
God the Father was Victor, He showed His mighty power,
On the third day resurrecting the Messiah, God's Son!
He is risen, triumphant o'er the old rugged cross.
He is risen redeeming those captive to sin.
He is risen victorious over death as sin's penalty,
He is risen, He is risen, He is risen, Amen! Amen!
CONTRASTS ON CALVARY by David Hepburn for SATB choir and organ comes in a pdf file of 213K, with an eight-page score and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be about 4:30.
Another treasure from David Hepburn: A Spanish-influenced praise anthem.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
David once said, "I've been writing a lot more songs lately with scripture for lyrics, and it's been working very well. You know, God said 'My word shall not return void,' not, 'your lyrics shall not return void.' If you want to write music that changes people's hearts, why would you try to improve on scripture?"
This piece opens with a brass fanfare, followed by a spoken opening over held chords by the brass. Then comes a Spanish-influenced gallop through the penultimate praise Psalm.
This piece is easily accomplished by choir with just piano, or with any part of the small orchestra for which it is scored. The lyric specifically mentions most of the instruments called for, so whether to use a partial orchestra is left to the director.
The orchestra is two to three trumpets, two to three trombones, one or two cellos, one or two flutes, and percussion (tambourine and suspended cymbal - one player can handle both), and as a bonus option, harp. The piano part (not optional) doubles all of these.
+ + +
Spoken:
Praise ye the Lord!
Praise Him in His sanctuary!
Praise Him in the firmament of His power!
Prasie Him for His mighty acts!
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Sung:
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet!
Praise Him with the psaltery and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and the dance!
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute!
Praise Him upon the loud-sounding cymbal!
Praise Him upon the high-sounding cymbal!
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord!
+ + +
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1975.
PSALM 150 by David Hepburn for SATB choir, piano, and optional small orchestra consisting of flute, three trumpets, three trombones, cello, and percussion, comes in a pdf file of 221K, with a twelve-page full score, a six-page choral/piano score, five one-page instrumental parts, and a license page, twenty-four pages in all. Performance time should be about two minutes.
David Hepburn is a retired minister-of-music, choir director, band director, missionary, teacher, and school president, and a fine tenor and trumpeter. His many compositions are a testament to the works of Jesus he has seen in the lives of others and in his own life.
Some time around 1977, David said, "I've been writing a lot more songs lately with scripture for lyrics, and it's been working very well. You know, God said 'My word shall not return void,' not, 'your lyrics shall not return void.' If you want to write music that changes people's hearts, why would you try to improve on scripture?"
The first of the two short pieces here is a Mozart-like setting of Philippians 4:4, in which Paul urges Christians to "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice!" David wrote this for his musical production of the book of Philippians, and the joyful encouragement of the verse comes out in this playful song for unaccompanied SATB choir. Rejoice in the Lord packaged differently for use in the musical.
The second piece is joyful treatment of the word Hallelujah, which is Hebrew for "joyous praise to God." Scored for SATB choir and piano, the meaning of this phrase is well-explored in brief.
MP3 sound sample: Both pieces in entirety (synthesizer/midi).
REJOICE IN THE LORD and HALLELUJAH by David Hepburn for SATB choir comes in a pdf file of 221K, with two four-page scores and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be about one minute each.
Built on the Rock, the church doth stand (KIRKEN) is a Danish hymn that came into use in Lutheran churches in the United States through the translation efforts of Rev. Carl Doving. With a melody in a minor key, it is in the minority among hymns in general, and especially among hymns of Scandinavian origin. The tune well fits the subject matter, however, and it has became a favorite among many denominations.
The men handle most of the first stanza, and after a simple key change device, the treble voices sing the most of the melody of the second stanza over a hummed accompaniment by the men.
The third stanza follows yet another key change device. The text chosen here is not in common use by very many churches, but led to ending this arrangement in quiet contemplation.
+ + +
Built on the Rock the Church doth stand,
Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in ev'ry land-
Bells still are chiming and calling,
Calling the young and old to rest,
Calling the souls of men distressed,
Longing for life everlasting.
Surely in temples made with hands
God the Most High is not dwelling;
High in the heav'ns His temple stands,
All earthly temples excelling;
Yet He who dwells in heav'n above
Deigns to abide with us in love,
Making our bodies His temple.
Making our bodies His temple.
Through all the passing years, O Lord,
Grant that when church-bells are ringing
Many may come to hear Your word,
Where You this promise are bringing:
"I know My own, My own know Me,
You, not the world, My face will see;
My peace I leave with you.
My peace I leave with you."
Amen.
BUILT ON THE ROCK by Ludwig Lindeman, lyrics by Nicolai Grundtvig, translated by Carl Doving revised by Fred C. M. Hansen, arranged by Tom Kirkland for SATBB choir, comes in a pdf file of 226K, with an nine-page score and a license page, ten pages in all. Performance time should be about 3:30.
Thine is the Glory (JUDAS MACCABAEUS) is a fantastic Easter hymn set to a tune from Handel's opera Judas Maccabaeus (See the Conquering Hero Comes). It is a stately, moving, very baroque chorus with tremendous harmonies and is easy to sing.
This version was originally conceived for brass quintet, but the thought that some churches might wish to use it with organ instead of or along with the brass quintet led to the creation of an organ part that doubles the brass parts. Finally, since many churches will try to do something larger and different for Easter services, the addition of a tympani part was a natural fit for the tune.
The tune here appears as it is most commonly harmonized, so adding a choir or using this with congregational singing is very easy. We did not include choral parts, as the lyrics do not go public domain until 2040, and we desired to avoid copyright issues. Each of the three stanzas can be sung directly out of a hymnal, and if desired, the final two measures can be sung as an Amen! or Alleluia! with ease, the choir singers picking a part out of the simple harmony.
The piece is introduced and the stanzas are connected by a brass bridge, each time ending in the same way to easily cue the choir or congregation.
The brass quintet can stand alone, or the organ can stand alone, or the tympani can be added to either, organ can play with just one or two trumpets, or all can play together, and again, adding singers is also very easy. So this is a sort of a one-size-fits-many piece. The brass quintet is two trumpets, F horn (a euphonium part is included if needed to substitute), trombone, and tuba. The first trumpet part has two high Ds in it, but a B can be easily substituted without much loss of effect. We also created an alternate first trumpet part (pdf) that stays at or below a G, if you want to play this on a straight Bb trumpet without a cheater mouthpiece and just don't have the lip to consistently get a quality sound out of the higher notes.
+ + +
Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment
Rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes
Where Thy body lay.
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
Lo, Jesus meets thee,
Risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets thee,
Scatters fear and gloom;
Let His church with gladness
Hymns of triumph sing,
For the Lord now liveth,
Death has lost its sting,
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
No more we doubt Thee,
Glorious Prince of Life;
Life is nought without Thee;
Aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors,
Through Thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan
To Thy home above.
Thine is the glory,
Risen conquering son;
Endless is the victory
Thou o'er death hast won.
THINE IS THE GLORY by G. F. Handel, arranged by Tom Kirkland for two trumpets, F horn or euphonium, trombone, tuba, organ, and tympani, comes in a pdf file of 454K, with an eleven-page score, seven two-page parts, one six-page (organ) part, and a license page, thirty-two pages in all. Performance time should be about 3:40.
This 17th century German hymn is well known in a few denominations in recent years, but may be unfamiliar to many.
It combines a very singable, if rangy, melody with a lyric of personal devotion.
The first stanza is done quite simply, followed by the second with a traditional-style harmonization. The third stanza is reminiscent of plainsong chant. The fourth stanza returns to traditional-style harmonization, as does the fifth.
It may seem that five stanzas would either make this piece unusually long or unusually repetitive, but it successfully avoids both traps.
+ + +
Open now thy gates of beauty,
Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty
Waits on Him who answers prayer;
O how blessed is this place,
Filled with solace, light, and grace.
Here, O God, I come before Thee,
Come Thou also down to me;
Where we find Thee and adore Thee,
There a heaven on earth must be;
To my heart, O enter Thou,
Let it be Thy temple now.
Here Thy praise is gladly chanted,
Here Thy seed is duly sown;
Let my soul, where it is planted,
Bring forth precious sheaves alone;
So that all I hear may be
Fruitful unto life in me.
Thou my faith increase and quicken,
Let me keep Thy gift divine;
Howsoe'er temptations thicken,
May Thy word still o'er me shine,
As my guiding star through life,
As my comfort in my strife.
Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee,
Let Thy will be done indeed;
May I undisturbed draw near Thee
While Thou dost Thy people feed;
Here of life the fountain flows,
Here is balm for all our woes.
OPEN NOW THY GATES OF BEAUTY by Joachim Neander, lyrics by Benjamin Schmolck translated by Catherine Winkworth, arranged by Tom Kirkland for Male Chorus TTBB, comes in a pdf file of 192K, with a nine-page score and a license page, ten pages in all. Performance time should be about 3:20.
Two more movements from J. S. Bach's majestic choral motet "Jesu Priceless Treasure."
The first score in this pdf is from Bach's motet Jesu Meine Freude, BWV 227 Number VIII, So aber Christus in euch ist.
The text of this movement is Romans 8:10-- "If now Christ Jesus lives in ye, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
Bach gets more out of three-part writing than most composers ever get from five- or six-part writing. Movement VIII is for alto, tenor, and bass, and is the first movement in the motet in which the sopranos are tacet.
The second score in this pdf is movement IX, Gute Nacht, o Wesen. It is a chorale fantasy using the lyrics of stanza 5 of the Johann Crueger hymn tune, Jesu Meine Freude.
This movement is scored for soprano I and II, alto and tenor, and is the second movement in the motet in which the basses are tacet. If you listen carefully, you will hear the altos come in with a line from the hymn from time to time, in the midst of all the "fantasy" of the other three parts.
+++
Fare thee well that errest,
Thou that earth preferest,
Thou wilt tempt in vain.
Fare thee well, transgression,
Hence, abhorred posession,
Come not forth again!
Past your hour, O pride and power,
Worldly life thy bonds I sever,
Fare thee well forever.
English lyrics by Catherine Winkworth, from the German by Johann Frank.
IF NOW CHRIST - FARE THEE WELL, by J. S. Bach for unaccompanied SSATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 830k, with a five-page score (No. VIII), an eleven-page score (No. IX), and a license page, seventeen pages in all. Performance time should be about 2:25 for No. VIII and about 2:40 for No. IX.
This piece is based on material from Bach's motet Jesu Meine Freude, BWV 227 Number VIII, So aber Christus in euch ist.
The text of this movement is Romans 8:10-- "If now Christ Jesus lives in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
In the motet, this piece appears in C major, voiced for alto, tenor, and bass. It ends with an E major chord to set up the chorale fantasy that follows. This means that it would be almost useless to present this as a straight transcription as the ending would be quite unsettling to the listener. The "fix" was to remove the final phrase and splice a modification of the opening phrases in its place returning the piece to its starting key. This version is written in Eb major to accommodate the vocal range of the three parts.
IF NOW CHRIST JESUS LIVES IN YOU, by J. S. Bach, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SAB choir, comes in a pdf file of 499K, a six-page score and a license page, seven pages in all. Performance time should be about 2:15.
A new choral anthem based on an ancient Hebrew tune.
A simple treatment of a famous Christian hymn based directly on the Sephardic version of the Hebrew Yigdal.
The tune LEONI was penned by Meyer Lyon in the late 1700s as a Christian adaptation of the Yigdal as sung in the great synagogue of London at that time. The ancient feeling of the Hebrew melody is strongly featured in this anthem.
The lyric is by Thomas Olivers, and contains a reference to the rapture, as well as scenes from the throne room of Jesus as depicted in the book of Revelation.
+ + +
The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days,
And God of love;
To Him lift up your voice,
At whose supreme command
From earth we rise, and seek the joys
At His right hand.
There dwells the Lord our King.
The Lord our righteousness,
Triumphant o'er the world and sin,
The Prince of Peace;
On Zion's sacred height
His kingdom He maintains,
And glorious with His saints in light
Forever reigns!
(Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy!)
The God who reigns on high
The great archangels sing,
And 'Holy! Holy! Holy!' cry,
'Almighty King,
Who was, and is, the same,
And evermore shall be;
Eternal Father, great I AM,
We worship Thee.'
The whole triumphant host
Give thanks to God on high,
'Hail Father, Son and Holy Ghost!'
They ever cry;
Hail, Abraham's God and mine!
I join the heav'nly lays,
All might and majesty are Thine,
And endless praise!
All might and majesty are Thine,
And endless praise!
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM PRAISE, by Olivers and Lyon, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 331K, with a nine-page score and a license page, ten pages in all. Performance time is approximately three minutes.
Bob Latham's new original lyrics set to a tune that is reminiscent of a "great revival" hymn.
Bob Latham wrote a terrific song lyric that does not pull any punches and is strongly in the tradition of revivial songs of the early 20th century. It is fitting then, that these words are married with music that could easily have been from that period.
This song is presented in SATB format with two parts per staff, hymnal-style, so is easily adapted to choir, quartet, or congregational singing.
+++
There are those whose journey is long,
Who at the outset are weak, not strong;
Each day's a struggle because of past sin,
But Jesus says, come enter in.
He came to earth to die you see.
Because of His love He can set you free.
He paid the price we could not pay.
Please don't wait another day.
Unlike the world, He came with love
To provide a home in heaven above.
He is a God of righteousness.
He gave His life to save all of us.
Will you call on Him, accept His grace,
He who died to take our place?
He says repent and turn to Him.
Call on Jesus to forgive your sin.
So bow your heart and come today!
God's word says Jesus is the only way.
Jesus said He would make all things new,
He'll come into your life and change you, too!
Call on Jesus,
Cry out to Jesus,
He loves you so.
CALL ON JESUS, lyrics by Bob Latham, music by Tom Kirkland for SATB or congregational singing, comes in a pdf file of 450K, with a three-page score and a license page, four pages in all. Performance time is approximately 2:40.
The composer of the original tune is not known, the connection between Bach and the figured bass is somewhat tenuous, and the author of the German lyric may be one of two or more people, nobody today knows for sure. This is still an incredible piece of music.
The form of this piece most familiar today is probably the Stokowski transcription for string orchestra. While it is a wonderful piece, the original German hymn is so steeped with wonderful meaning for passion week it is sad that more people are not familiar with it.
For this version, the arranger went back to the original figured bass and "re-figured" it, changing the harmony slightly in a few places. It is also presented here with a new English lyric by the arranger based loosely on several stanzas of the German.
It is intended this piece be performed slowly in a conemplative mood, possibly during distribution of communion during a tenebrae service on Good Friday, or a Maundy Thursday service.
+++
My Jesus! Deep grief and bitter pain
Falls on You in dark Gethsemane.
Mine alone was the transgression.
Oh, Savior! My debt on You is lain.
To You is given this burden of grief.
Willingly You bear my condemnation.
My Lord! You weep!
You tremble in Your anguish,
All alone You languish,
Praying to the Father on high.
For our wretched race You are sent to die.
My Jesus! You sweat great drops of blood!
Human frailty overwhelming,
Your heart breaks from heavy sorrow.
Oh, Savior! You face the waiting cross of wood,
The crowd with curses railing,
The thorns You'll wear tomorrow.
Your arms outstretched,
In Your bitter pain
Hanging in the rain,
You will pay the awful debt.
Such great love Your people can not forget.
MY JESUS - BWV 487, attributed to J. S. Bach, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 392K, with an eight-page score and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be just under five minutes.
A magnificent hymn arranged as a choral anthem by Jeremy Glaser.
Different arrangement of the same tune for brass sextet.
Beautiful Savior is one of the most beloved hymns in many languages. Here Jeremy Glaser has treated this hymn with much respect, but in a truly unique setting that causes the old gem to sparkle like new.
The piano introduction could be called Chopin-like, but the chord progression and harmonies are more modern. The introduction is in C minor which finds its way to E-flat major by the time the choir comes in and sings the first stanza in unison.
The piano interlude transports us to the key of B-flat major, where the men sing the melody accompanied by a complimentary part by the women in an a cappella stanza.
An immediate segue to C-minor for the next stanza, accompanied by the piano, changes the mood considerably. The lyric is listing the celestial creation, and the minor setting adds to a sense of mystery and wonder.
The piano then does a one-bar transition to E-flat major for the final stanza, which ends with a triumphant repeat of the final phrase.
+++
Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I'd love Thee, Truly I'd serve Thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in flowers of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels in the sky.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration
Now and forevermore be Thine!
BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR, choral anthem arranged by Jeremy Glaser for SATB with piano, comes in a pdf file of 1978K, with a twelve-page score and a license page, thirteen pages in all. Performance time should be about five minutes.
J. S. Bach did some truly amazing things in his lifetime, not the least of which was writing a significant number of motets for use throughout the church year. These motets were typically for four-part choir, sometimes four-part-plus-four-part double choir, and sometimes five-part choir. These were generally accompanied by a small string orchestra or by organ, but since all the accompaniment typically did was double the vocal parts, these pieces are equally effective, some would say more effective, when sung unaccompanied.
What has happened here is to take a couple of small sections of Bach's best-known five-part motet, Jesu Meine Freude, BWV 227, and rearrange them to create a piece that is musically complete and more suited in length to concert performance or use in a worship service.
Bach's work was for a choir with two soprano sections, alto, tenor and bass. Our string orchestra arrangement can be used with this piece to provide accompaniment for a larger choir if desired (other instrumental arrangements on this site are not in the same key).
The lyric of the fugue and adagio chorale (BWV 227, No. IV) are from the writings of Paul: "Ye are not of the flesh, but of the Spirit, if in your heart the Spirit abideth. If Jesu's Spirit be not yours, ye are not His." Romans 8:9.
This is one of the occasions on which the original German of BWV 227, "Jesu Meine Freude," translates very well to English.
Bach is probably best known today for writing fugues. Perhaps he was the best ever at it, perhaps he elevated it to an unprecedented realm, perhaps he just managed to pack so much into a fugue that it was almost overwhelming. Whatever the reason, Bach fugues are really something special. In this one, he expounds on the text, bringing forth subject and answer, second theme and answer, and then mixing the stew thoroughly and adding pedal point approaching the ritard.
It is interesting to listen to Bach while reading a score, as you keep finding neat new things in his works. In this fugue, for example, the altos have a couple of very slick synchopated sections, and the tenors do some truly amazing acrobatics to keep part motion up to Bach's standards. The second soprano part is also intersting because it keeps emerging as the lead line, that is, once it gets started in the twelfth measure.
The adagio chorale is notable for its use of connecting lines where one after another part will solo while the rest of the choir rests between phrases. It is quite expressive, and produces an amazing effect if performed thoughtfully.
The tune and lyric for the chorale (BWV 227, No. III) are from a hymn by Johann Crueger.
+ + +
In Thine arm I rest me, Foes who would molest me
Cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking, Ev'ry heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fears.
Fires may flash and thunders crash,
Yea, and sin and hell assail me,
Jesus will not fail me.
+ + +
The words used here are an English transliteration. I do not call it a translation, as a literal translation would not have a reasonable syllable count and could not possibly convey the meaning in a muscially expressive way, as compared to these lyrics. This particlar set of lyrics is completely unmodernized from the oldest English translation of which I am aware, probably by Catherine Winkworth in 1863 (the original German text appears to have been penned by J. Franck in 1655). It is as it appears in several hymnals of about a century ago.
MP3 sound sample: Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1977
Since the singers performed the motet in movement-number order in this single-microphone live-concert recording, the chorale (III) was performed before the fugue and adagio chorale (IV). The fugue was pitched by the tenors themselves from the last chord of the chorale. This MP3 was created with the movements rearranged as they appear in this piece of sheet music. This means that in this MP3, the first note in this piece was literally pitched from the last note in this piece, and the new splice is between the adagio chorale and the hymn stanza. It is a testimony to Harry Opel's teaching of choral singing that there is no perceptible pitch difference between the movements. The Singers are students at Minnehaha Academy's high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
FUGUE AND TWO CHORALES OF J. S. BACH, arranged as a concert piece for SSATB choir by Tom Kirkland, comes in a pdf file of 761K, with an eleven-page score and a license page, twelve pages in all. Performance time should be about 4:20.
An easy-to-sing arrangement of a favorite, if not well known, hymn for soprano, alto, and baritone with piano accompaniment.
George Mathewson penned a lyric about the strength available in a life fully yielded to God. It was matched to a simple hymn tune by George Martin, and in the version that was the source material for this arrangement, the harmonization was by Arthur Sullivan. Yes, the Sullivan who worked with a man named Gilbert. The hymn tune is strong and simple and the harmonization is as moving as the lyric. That this hymn never became more popular is a mystery.
+++
Make me a captive, Lord,
And then I shall be free;
Force me to render up my sword,
And I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life's alarms
When by myself I stand;
Imprison me within thine arms,
And strong shall be my hand.
My heart is weak and poor
Until it master find;
It has no spring of action sure,
It varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move
Till Thou hast wrought its chain;
Enslave it with Thy matchless love,
And deathless it shall reign.
My pow'r is weak and low
Till I have learned to serve;
It wants the needed fire to glow,
It wants the breeze to nerve;
It cannot drive the world
Until itself be driv'n;
Its flag can only be un-furled
When Thou shalt breathe from heav'n.
My will is not my own
Till Thou hast made it Thine;
If it would reach a monarch's throne
It must its crown resign:
It only stands unbent
Amid the clashing strife,
When on Thy bosom it has leant
And found in Thee its life.
Make me a captive, Lord!
+++
This arrangement can be sung by large choirs or by as few as just three singers. All three vocal parts are very moderate in range. The piano accompaniment is also relatively easy to play, so this is a great youth anthem or for use by almost any mixed group of singers.
MAKE ME A CAPTIVE, LORD, a hymn by George Martin with lyric by George Mathewson, arranged by Tom Kirkland for SAB choir with piano, comes in a pdf file of 326K, with an eight-page score and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be about 3:40.
The origins of this tune are lost, but it one of the few popular modal hymns in modern use. It is set in the dorian mode, perhaps the most often heard of the old modes. The casual listener might think it is in a minor key, but many of the tones that would complete the minor scale are absent. Even a casual listener can identify that the melody is not in a major key.
Set in the dorian mode with D as its home pitch, the signature has no sharps or flats. The opening phrases, however, are more or less in g minor. The most commonly used chords are d, e, a, C, F, G, b(dim), sometimes g, and a few other surprises, including the ending chord of Gmaj7. Much of the time, the tune begins and ends on unisons, octaves, or open fifths. It could possibly be said that harmonically at least this arrangement has no key at all, and that's a big part of what makes it sound mysterious.
The love that sent Jesus to the cross is in fact one of the great mysteries of all existence.
+++
What wondrous love?
What wondrous love?
What wondrous love?
What wondrous love?
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!
When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath Gods righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.
While millions join the theme, I will sing.
WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS?, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SATBB choir, comes in a pdf file of 274K, with an eight-page score and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be about 3:30.
In this hymn of consecration, John Ernest Bode's uncompromising lyric is paired with a wonderful humn tune by Arthur Henry Mann. The harmony as Mann originally penned it is so interesting and compelling that there was very little need to tinker with it to create this anthem. A few minor adjustments, writing some transitions, and adjusting the voicing to create variety was all that was needed.
That is not to say the this piece is trivial in any way. A very good choir will still be challenged by its phrasing and complex harmonies.
+++
O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my friend.
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my guide.
Dear Jesus, be my guide.
O let me feel Thee near me, the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within,
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.
Lord, shield my soul from sin.
O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory, there shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow my Master and my friend.
Lord, give me grace to follow my Master and my friend.
O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED, by Bode and Mann, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 317K, with an eight-page score and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be about three minutes.
When Swedes arrived in the new world in relatively large numbers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they brought a musical tradition that added several standards to American evangelical Christian tradition. Among them is this hymn by Lina Sandell, translated to English by A. L. Skoog, set to music by Oscar Ahnfelt. It is hard to say exactly what makes a Swedish hymn tune distinctive, but whatever it is you can learn to hear it.
+ + +
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.
All my days, a pledge He made.
Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
'Til I reach the promised land.
DAY BY DAY, by Carolina Sandell Berg, translated by A. L. Skoog, music by Oscar Ahnfelt, arranged by Tom Kirkland for unaccompanied SATB choir, comes in a pdf file of 256K, with a nine-page score, and a license page, ten pages in all. Performance time should be about three minutes.
DEEP RIVER, an American spiritual arranged by Tom Kirkland, for SSATBB choir a cappella, comes in a pdf file of 320K, with a three-page score, and a license page, four pages in all. Performance time should be about two minutes.
Setting of these two beloved hymns for congregation with brass choir, or organ, could be played as an organ solo, or solo instrument with organ or brass choir.
The brass choir at our church found itself with four trumpets, two cornets, two tenor trombones, and a bass trombone available for a Sunday morning. Rather than try to arrange a brass anthem, and especially with that mass of trumpets and cornets, we decided to use all that brass to lead the congregation in song. Two well-known hymns were included along with the trumpets and cornets working in antiphonal fashion most of the way. It made sense that if we turned on all six high brass players at the same time the effect would be dramatic, if not stunning, so this arrangement for the most part uses all the trumpets and cornets at the same time sparingly.
This piece includes all six stanzas of the hymn "Oh, For a Thousand Tongues" by Charles Wesley with music by Carl Glazer and harmony adapted from Lowell Mason, as well as Thomas Ken's Doxology, set to Louis Bourgeois' Old Hundredth from the Genevan Psalter.
After an introduction, the hymn stanzas are framed by brass fanfares, and accompanied by various combinations of instruments. A coda gives the brass one final fanfare.
The brass choir specified consists of three trumpets, three cornets, two trombones, and a tuba. Our group used a bass trombone for the tuba part, and we ended up one cornet short, so dropped the third cornet part entirely. If fewer players are available, the third trumpet could be omitted as well with little ill effect. For much of the piece, only two trumpet lines and two cornet lines are written, to allow different players to lay out and save the lips for the really dramatic sections.
The realization of the brass parts for organ came out of the need for a rehearsal score for piano to work with the vocalists leading the singing. It certainly could be used as a stand-alone organ solo.
The vocal line could also be played on a solo instrument (trumpet? transpose yourself) with either the brass choir or organ.
It would be ill advised to use both brass choir and organ or piano, unless the organ or piano were used primarily to support the congregational singing, leaving the transitional fanfare sections and the introduction and coda to the brass alone. If led by a strong conductor, the trumpets, cornets, and trombones can be located at the corners of the sanctuary to heighten the antiphonal effect.
Apologies to the trumpet and cornet players for putting all three parts on a single staff. Both tenor trombone parts also appear on a single staff.
MP3 sound sample: Entire Piece, congregation with brass (synthesizer/midi).
OH, FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES/DOXOLOGY, arranged by Tom Kirkland, for congregation with brass choir or organ, solo instrument with brass choir or organ, or organ solo, comes in a pdf file of 982K, with a fourteen-page congregation/brass score, a ten-page congregation/organ score, four three-page instrumental parts, and a license page, thirty-seven pages in all. Performance time should be about five minutes.
Mendelssohn's Oratorio Elijah is full of great choral pieces. This has always been a favorite.
The text is taken from Psalm 121:4 "He, watching over Israel, slumbers not nor sleeps," and Psalm 138:7 "Shouldst thou, walking in grief, languish, He will quicken thee."
These two phrases are interwoven to great effect in Mendelssohn's soaring style.
This edition indicates a tempo of about 80 bpm, though some prefer to perform it a bit faster.
HE WATCHING OVER ISRAEL, by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, for SATB choir with piano, comes in a pdf file of 958K, with a thirteen-page score, and a license page, fourteen pages in all. Performance time should be about four minutes.
"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." --Luke 2:17-19 NIV
This is a song about what Mary might have thought while singing her baby boy to sleep a night or two after the visit of the shepherds. The most striking dimension is the emphasis on a mother's conflicting desires to see her child grow up, but also to see her child remain a little baby just a while longer.
This song is written for a mezzo soprano soloist with (or without) alto or possibly high tenor (highest note A). If performed with a male singing the "alto" part, it could be incorporated into a Christmas program as a song sung by Mary and Joseph beside the manger. Also very effective performed by a women's chorus, where it is suggested to sing unison except for those points where the alto part appears.
+++
Be still and sleep my Yeshua, my little baby son,
Close your eyes and dream of times when better things will come.
What little can we give you: Life as a carpenter's son,
And in the hills of Galilee, you will learn to run.
What a nurs'ry for Messiah, this stable where we stay!
You've nothing but these well-worn blankets, and this fragrant bed of hay...
The hills were ringing with the song sung by the angel choir,
(Glory in the highest, and on earth his peace!)
Start'ling all the shepherds there, all huddling by the fire.
Then those shepherds came and honor'd you, a most amazing sight,
And I heard the praises on their lips, saw the wonder in their eyes.
(Wonderful! Counselor! Prince of Peace! Mighty God!
Everlasting Father! Messiah!)
But in the quiet of the night, my dearest pride and joy,
Messiah seems so far away, you're just my little boy...
One day you will leave our home to do Jehovah's will,
Wear your crown and purple robe, ascend the holy hill!
Then when it's time to take your throne they all will sing your praise,
And ev'ryone will bow the knee and Lord will be your name!
But in the time I watch you grow, while you still need me near,
Just be my precious little one, the son I love so dear,
Your working time is yet to come: Messiah your birthright,
But in this moment Yeshua,
My dearest precious Yeshua,
Just be my little Yeshua,
For one more silent night.
(Wonderful! Counselor! Messiah! Prince of Peace!)
LULLABY FOR THE MESSIAH, by Tom Kirkland, a mezzo soprano solo with alto (or tenor) or for women's chorus, with piano accompaniment, comes in a pdf file of 525K, eight pages of music and a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be about four minutes.
Isaac Watts penned beautiful lyrics for a passion hymn focused on man's relationship to the cross of Christ. Lowell Mason adapted a plainsong chant and a classic Christian hymn entered the mainstream.
This new arrangement is very smooth and focuses on harmonies and putting an understanding of the hymn lyric first. The anthem encompasses all four stanzas commonly sung.
The piece begins with an alto-tenor-baritone trio, with the alto carrying the melody in a rather low key. The bass and soprano soon join and set the tone for the piece. The second stanza is introduced a minor third higher by the soprano, alto and tenor. The baritone and then bass later join to once again add depth.
The third stanza carries the piece back to its plainsong roots with unison men singing the first two verses, then breaking into three parts to complete the stanza. The full ensemble then enters a half step higher with more volume for a broad, rich rendering of the fourth stanza. A simple coda finishes the work.
This piece can actually be done well with just five singers, but if done with a small group it needs to keep moving along or the singers will find themselves breathless. With a larger choir and staggered breathing, one could go somewhat slower, but the director should not become so fascinated with the sound of the choir that the piece drags and loses its meaning and impact. The arrangement was specifically intended for Good Friday or a communion service, and the intent is smooth sonorous harmonies and great reverence for the sacrifice on the cross, and for this great hymn.
This selection is also available for string orchestra in the same key, which would allow for a choral performance with string accompaniment.
WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS, by Watts and Mason, arranged for SATBB a cappella, comes in a pdf file of 290K, with a six-page score and a license page, seven pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 3:10.
An arrangement of the famous hymn for three-voice male chorus or three men, with piano accompaniment.
Other than some Christmas hymns, this is possibly the most widely recognized hymn of the last 150 years. The text is adapted from the book of Revelation.
This arrangement starts with the first stanza sung in unison, which is intended to emulate the style of plainsong chant, then repeats the first stanza in three parts a capella. Many groups will be able to sing this long without significant pitch drift, and some others might find it difficult. If pitch drift is a problem, either the acapella unison or a capella parts stanza could be omitted.
The second stanza is accompanied by a flowing arpeggiated accompaniment. The third stanza is a variation on Dykes' tune set in minor key complemented by a somber accompaniment. It soon resolves into a stately final stanza with a moving bass line in the accompaniment.
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, an arrangement of a hymn by John B. Dykes with lyric by Reginal Heber, arranged by Tom Kirkland for TTB with piano accompaniment, comes in a pdf file of 416K, with a ten-page score and a license page, eleven pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 4:20.
Three pieces suitable for use in a worship service: Break Thou the Bread of Life, Lead Me Lord, and Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord.
Three pieces for the choir director's toolbox.
BREAK THOU THE BREAD OF LIFE, by Sherwin and Lathbury, two verses, performance time of approximately 1:25. This piece is often performed during a communion time, but does not actually refer to the communion bread but the Bible as the bread of life. Appropriate for a pre-sermon piece.
LEAD ME LORD, by Samuel S. Wesley, performance time of approximately 0:53. A setting of Psalms 5:8 and 4:8. A prayer for guidance, especially in a difficult time.
CAST THY BURDEN UPON THE LORD, by Felix Mendelssohn, performance time of approximately 1:10. A setting of Psalm 55:22 with a poetic addition. From "Elijah," written in 1846.
MP3 sound sample: All three pieces in entirety (synthesizer/midi).
THREE SERVICE PIECES FOR CHOIR comes in a pdf file of 634K, with three pages of music, each piece on its own page, all four parts written on two staves (therefore easier to to play on piano or organ) plus a license page, four pages in all.
SATB chorale-style anthem written for the words of Kipling's famous poem.
I have often thought that the task of the choral director in a public high school in the United States must be the most daunting of endeavors. Most of the really great choral music written over the centuries has come from the church, or at least from a religious perspective, and it is therefore a tightrope walk to try to teach good choral singing without running afoul of the "separation" crowd. Of course, there is more and more secular choral music all the time, but most of it has lyrics that are complete drivel.
I recall fondly my high school choral experience, and find that much of the lyrical content of that music is with me today, more than a quarter-century later. So it is critically important that the lyrics that young people are taught actually contribute to good character. Teaching love songs simply does not do much for building character. And so I thought I might try to make a contribution if I happened upon the right lyric.
I once attended a speech given by John Richards, head of Citigroup Asset Management, and possibly one of the greatest financial minds of our time. John is an incredibly compelling speaker with thoughtful commentary on our past, present, and future as a people.
In concluding his speech, John told the story of an extended convalescence in his pre-teen years. His mother, not wanting the time to be wasted, taught him, among other things, a great poem about strength of character written by one of the great authors of the English-speaking world. John Richards, much to my astonishment and delight, then proceeeded to recite, from memory with expression, and without pause or hesitation, the following words:
* * *
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build them up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And- which is more- you'll be a Man, my son!
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And- which is more- you'll be a Man, my son!
* * *
The last part of this poem, John recited with a bit of a tear in his eyes. I expect he, as I, was thanking his mother for placing this gem in his mind at an early age.
Perhaps some young people will be similarly gifted if given a chance to learn this anthem.
IF, with lyric by Rudyard Kipling and music by Tom Kirkland, for SATB a cappella choir, comes in a PDF file of 622K that contains an eleven page full score plus a license page, twelve pages in all. Performance time should be around 4:30.
A wonderful original choral piece by David Hepburn. For SATB with optional piano accompaniment.
This original piece is a classic example of David Hepburn's choral style, and a classic example of the very real love of God that David has always felt so strongly and written and spoken so movingly about.
The lyric is self-explanatory:
God made the mountains rise, placed ev'ry tree.
He fixed each star in the sky and filled the sea.
He guides the universe, the rain and the wind.
He is the Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Yet the Lord is my Shepherd, and He cares for me,
Like a father with his child He knows my ev'ry need.
And because He knows I'm weak, and because He loves me so,
He extends His grace and pardon and says, "Child, I love you so."
"I love you more than the mountains or the birds of the air,
More than the lilies of the fields in all their beauty."
"More than the flowers that bloom and are here for but a day,
I love you as My precious child, I love you as My precious child,
I love you as My precious child,
My child, I love you."
This piece can be performed by choirs of all sizes (be forewarned, however, that all four parts do split at times) with or without piano accompaniment. The basses need a low F and the sopranos need a high A. On the whole, a very effective and singable piece.
MY CHILD I LOVE YOU, an original choral anthem by David Hepburn, comes in a pdf file of 644K, with a seven-page score and a license page, eight pages in all. Performance time should be approximately 3:15.
A fresh SATB anthem setting of this old favorite English hymn.
This hymn tune has been associated with this particular set of lyrics for nearly 150 years. Despite the fact that in terms of the great sweep of history that is not a long time, neither the original composer of this hymn tune nor the circumstances of its composition are known. Thankfully, that does not change the fact that it has a wonderful melody and thoughtful lyric that made working it up into a choral anthem a true pleasure.
The lyric for the soprano line appears thus in the score (feel free to follow along as the midi "choir" sings):
+ + +
This is my Father's world,
And to my list'ning ears
All nature sings, and 'round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas-
His hand the wonders wrought.
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me ev'ry where.
He speaks to me. He speaks to me.
This is my Father's world,
O let me ne'er forget,
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
The battle is not done;
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and heav'n be one.
This is my Father's world.
+ + +
This anthem is written relatively low, so good low bass and alto sections will be a big help in making this work. It should be suitable for worship performance by a variety for groups.
THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD, a fresh SATB a cappella anthem setting of the traditional English hymn tune with lyrics by Maltbie D. Babcock, arranged by Tom Kirkland, comes in a PDF file of 553K that contains a seven page full score plus a license page, eight pages in all. Performance time should be around 2:55.
John Stainer's classic SATB anthem setting of John 3:16-17.
John Stainer's a capella anthem is a choral standard that will certainly stand the test of time. The setting of John 3:16-17 is both thoughtful and powerful.
The piece should be performed with feeling, and with considerable latitude in tempo and great dynamic variance. Since this item is offered for download and the choir director will make his or her own copies, it is easy enough to mark it the way you want it before distribution to your group.
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, John Stainer's SATB a cappella anthem, comes in a PDF file of 274K that contains an eight page score plus a license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be around 2:45.
The classic Russian Orthodox-style choral anthem by Pavel Tschesnokoff for SATTBB a cappella choir. Excellent for a choir with a deep bass section. Complete MP3 sound sample of a live performance.
Pavel Tschesnokoff (1877-1944) wrote a beautiful Russian Orthodox-style choral anthem titled "Salvation is Created." The somber feel of the anthem and long, soaring lines make it a wonderfully rich listening experience.
The common English text is included in this version. The rhythm has been "reformatted" to make it easier to read, and the meter was made somewhat more regular.
Also available as a piano solo, suitable for use with this version as a rehearsal accompanist's score.
+ + +
Salvation is created,
In midst of the earth,
O Most High.
Alleluia, Amen.
+ + +
The vocal range is quite challenging on this one. The second basses will need a quality low D, and the sopranos will have several opportunites at a high A. This is a very sonorous piece and is quite interesting to perform.
MP3 sound sample: Rifle High School Choir, Rifle, Colorado, directed by Daryl Gingrich, recorded at Cavalcade of Music 2008, Colorado Springs, Colorado by Ray Bell.
SALVATION IS CREATED, Pavel Tschesnokoff's SATTBB a cappella anthem, comes in a PDF file of 531K that contains a four page full score plus a license page, five pages in all. Performance time should be around 2:40.
Mozart's famous "Ave Verum Corpus" in English with organ accompaniment. Complete MP3 sound sample of a live performance.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began composing music as a child, and did not live to see his fortieth year, yet he was among the most prolific composers of all time. He wrote literally hundreds of pieces, a large number of them major works such as operas, masses, symphonies, and other works that would have taken a lesser man months to complete. Yet, for all its quantity, Mozart's work never suffered in quality.
That this piece bears the Koechel number of 618 would seem to indicate that it was a later piece, and indeed Mozart wrote this "Motette" only six months before his death in 1791.
Some musicologists have assigned nearly cosmic significance to the manner in which Mozart laid down his innovative harmonic progression, drawing metaphoric significance and sociological commentary from the unique and intensely moving texture of this work. Whether they are right is open for debate. What cannot be debated is that despite its apparent simplicity, this is among a few pieces at the pinnacle of all choral literature. Its beauty is uncontestable.
The original Latin lyric, Ave Verum Corpus, has a slightly different meaning than the English one used in this edition. The English is somewhat more affirming of the hope of faith in the hour of death, while the Latin is more oblique and introspective. The English only is presented in the downloadable file, but the Latin is readily available elsewhere on the internet.
+ + +
Jesu, Word of God incarnate
Of the virgin Mary born.
On the cross Thy sacred body
For us men with nails was torn.
Cleanse us by the blood and water
Streaming from Thy pierced side.
Feed us with Thy body broken
Now, and in death's agony.
Now, now and in death's agony.
+ + +
To sing this piece, or to play it on the organ with a choir, is to experience one of the highest points in music history, and to be part of man's endless struggle to express his relationship with God.
The choice to offer this piece only in English and to leave the string parts behind is deliberate. Purists may be able to find a string quartet to go with their choir, as Mozart intended, and to find an audience that prefers Latin, but this is an English-language site that seeks to serve choirs in the present day. Today, it is sometimes difficult enough to find a decent church organ.
Note that this piece may be performed a capella. Simply stay in rhythm and seque directly from one choral passage to another, omitting the brief organ interludes. There is no specific direction in the downloadable on how to do this, but since you are printing the music yourself, a little work with scissors and tape should be all that is needed.
MP3 sound sample: Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1977.
JESU, WORD OF GOD INCARNATE, (translated from the Latin "Ave Verum Corpus") by W. A. Mozart, for SATB choir and organ, comes in a PDF file of 551K that contains a five page full score plus a license page, six pages in all. Performance time should be around 2:30.
Jeremiah 31:35 set to a classic Russian Orthodox-style choral anthem by Pavel Tschesnokoff for SATTBB a cappella choir.
Pavel Tschesnokoff (1877-1944) wrote a beautiful Russian Orthodox-style choral anthem titled "Salvation is Created." The somber feel of the anthem and long, soaring lines make it a wonderfully rich listening experience.
This offering is the text from Jeremiah 31:35 set to Tschesnokoff's wonderful sonorous harmony. The rhythm has been "reformatted" to make it easier to read, and the meter was made somewhat more regular.
The full lyric is:
+ + +
He who appoints the sun, the sun to shine by day,
He who appoints the sun, the sun to shine by day,
He who appoints the sun, the sun to shine by day,
Decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, shine by night,
He who stirs up the sea, He who stirs up the sea,
He who stirs up the sea, He who stirs up the sea,
So that its waves roar, so that its waves roar,
The Lord Almighty is His name, is His name.
Lord Almighty.
+ + +
The vocal range is quite challenging on this one. The second basses will need a quality low D, and the sopranos will have several opportunites at a high A. This is a very sonorous piece and is quite interesting to perform.
HE WHO APPOINTS THE SUN, Jeremiah 31:35 set to Pavel Tschesnokoff's SATTBB a cappella anthem "Salvation is Created", comes in a PDF file of 952K that contains a four page full score plus a license page, five pages in all. Performance time should be around 2:40.
Peter C. Lutkin's famous "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" with the Amen sequence for SATB. Complete MP3 sound sample of a live performance.
Sooner or later every church choir ends up doing this one at least once. Peter C. Lutkin is virtually unknown as a composer outside of this one piece, his single incredible masterpiece.
The piece artfully expresses the text in a 19th-century romantic style that does not seem "smarmy" in the least. Never has this text sounded better.
The text is from Numbers 6:22-26, which reads:
"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."'"
This simple and common benediction is followed by a series of Amens that soar and then whisper. The effect is quite stunning, no matter how many times one has heard it.
MP3 sound sample: Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1977
CHORAL BENEDICTION, Peter C. Lutkin's "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" for SATB a cappella, comes in a PDF file of 928K that contains a three page full score plus a license page, four pages in all. Performance time should be around 1:30.
A male chorus setting of the old Danish hymn "Den Store Hvide Flok" in English, with a baritone soloist carrying the lead. The lyrics are here set to a Norwegian folk melody arranged by Edvard Greig.
Den store hvide flok vi se som tusind bjerge fuld af sne....
This old Danish hymn was originally penned by H. A. Brorson in 1765. There have been at least two tunes associated with these words in Denmark, but the tune that seems to have survived the hop across the Atlantic to North America is the one set to the Norwegian translation in 1906 by Edvard Greig. He used an old Norwegian folk tune with an appropriate meter and created a rich harmonization that survives in many hymnals to this day.
There seems to have been (or perhaps still is) a tradition of male choruses perfoming this piece in Norway. The male chorus is one of the most interesting of ensembles to arrange for, since the mature male voice can come in a variety of ranges which, when combined in a chorus, gives the composer nearly three usable octaves of vocal sound of similar timbre to work with. The sounds can be quite full and rich, as the harmonies are often of necessity quite close, but the range allows for a vast pallette of expression. It is not that a male chorus is necessarily better than any other vocal ensemble, it just offers a unique setting for any piece.
The text for this piece is from Revelation 7, where John describes a great crowd of the redeemed singing before the throne of God. While there are two additional stanzas of the Danish hymn that go on to more fully describe the scene, this edition contains only the first stanza, since it conveys the message and feeling quite well without undue repetition, and makes a complete short anthem with a concise message.
+ + +
Behold a host array'd in white,
Like a thousand snow-clad mountains bright.
With palms they stand, who are this band, before the throne of light?
Lo, these are they of glorious fame,
Who from the great affliction came,
And in the flood of Jesus blood, are cleansed from guilt and shame.
Now gather'd in the holy place,
Their voices they in worship raise.
Their anthems swell where God doth dwell 'mid angels' songs of praise.
+ + +
Mr. Oliver Mogck (1920-2000) was teaching music at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota when he performed the solo in this piece as director of the college's Male Chorus. It was a special number that he included in the repertoire during the Bethel Male Chorus' tour of northern Europe in 1978. The copy of this piece that was transcribed to produce this edition was in Mr. Mogck's own hand and there is a possibility that he re-voiced the original Greig or made some other adjustments, but since he did not credit himself as an arranger in his manuscript we elected to follow his lead. There is no intent on the part of the publisher to slight this great man or his memory in any way. He always enjoyed singing this piece, as he loved great sacred music his entire life.
BEHOLD A HOST The English translation of the first stanza of Brorson's Danish hymn "Den Store Hvide Flok" set to a Norwegian folk tune arranged by Edvard Greig for a cappella TTBB choir with a baritone soloist carrying the melody, comes in a PDF file of 960K that contains a three page full score plus a license page, four pages in all. Performance time should be around 2:15.
Gabriel Faure's peaceful "Cantique de Jean Racine" in English, arranged for SATB choir, with harp and clarinet. The accompaniment can also be played on the organ.
Gabriel Faure was among the last of the nineteenth-century French romantic composers, living from 1845 to 1924. His two most popular choral works are undoubtedly his REQUIEM and CANTIQUE DE JEAN RACINE.
The CANTIQUE DE JEAN RACINE is certainly beautiful when sung in French, especially when one understands French, but English-speaking audiences will miss the deeper spiritual dimension of the prayer if the piece is not rendered in English. For this edition, the most common English text is used, with some minor adjustments that might make the words flow a little more naturally.
The accompaniment is quite orchestral in construction and is commonly done with organ, though a piano would probably be a better choice. The difficulty with the piano is that the accompaniment has a solo voice in it that is hard to play while keeping the arpeggiated chords going (most pianists don't have enough spare fingers). The solution chosen here is to give the arpeggiated chords to the harp, arguably the insturment best suited for such, and to give the solo line to the clarinet. This produces a fine effect that is an excellent change of pace for choirs that usually perform a cappella or with piano or organ.
The lyric is a prayer:
+ + +
Oh Redeemer divine, our sole hope of salvation,
Eternal light of the earth and the sky,
We kneel in adoration.
Oh Savior, turn on us Thy loving eye.
Send down on us the fire of Thy grace all consuming,
Whose wondrous might dispersed the powers of hell,
And rouse our slumbering souls with Thine illumining radiance,
That they may waken Thy mercy to tell.
Oh Christ, bestow Thy blessing on us, we implore Thee,
Who here are gathered on penitent knee.
Accept the hymns we chant to Thine eternal glory,
And these Thy gifts we return unto thee.
OH REDEEMER DIVINE, Gabriel Faure's "Cantique de Jean Racine" in English, arranged for SATB choir with harp and clarinet. The accompaniment can also be played on the organ, or an oboe, flute, or violin can be substituted for the clarinet. Arranger is Tom Kirkland. Comes in a PDF file of 2304K that contains a fourteen page full score, an eight page accompaniment score with clarinet part in B-flat, and the same eight-page accompaniment score with the clarinet part in C for use with flute, oboe, or violin (or all three staffs can be played on the organ), plus a license page, 31 pages in all. Performance time should be around 4:30.
These three selections by David Hepburn are perfect for calls to worship, prayer responses, or service closers.
David Hepburn created these three pieces for SATB for those instances where a short choral piece is needed in a worship service.
The three pieces are "Sing Unto the Lord," a bright call to worship, "Hear Our Prayer," a thoughtful prayer response, and "This Lord, I Pray," which could precede or follow a missions prayer or close a service.
The three pieces follow in order in the midi sound sample. The lyrics of each are:
+ + +
SING UNTO THE LORD by David Hepburn
Give thanks unto the Lord, the Lord!
Call upon His name.
Give thanks unto the Lord, the Lord!
Call upon His name.
Sing unto him. Sing, sing psalms unto Him.
Sing psalms unto Him.
He is the Lord our God.
Sing unto the Lord all the earth!
Show forth from day to day His salvation!
+ + +
HEAR OUR PRAYER by David Hepburn
Hear, oh hear our prayer, oh Lord.
Hear, oh hear our prayer, oh Lord.
Incline Thine ear unto our prayer,
And grant us Thy peace. Amen.
+ + +
THIS, LORD I PRAY by David Hepburn
Fill me with compassion, send me to the harvest,
Use me for Thy service,
This, Lord I pray.
Let me know Thy power others to persuade, Lord,
Use me every hour,
This, Lord I pray.
In a world of conflict, give me faith to triumph,
To Thy calling faithful be,
This, Lord I pray. Amen.
THREE SHORT PIECES FOR CHOIR by David Hepburn, for SATB choir, a cappella, comes in a PDF file of 1376K that contains seven pages of complete score and a license page, eight pages in all. Each piece is approximately 1:00 in length.
J. S. Bach's amazing setting of Romans 8:9 is a wild five-part "simple" fugue followed by an adagio chorale. Complete MP3 sample of a live performance.
"Ye are not of the flesh, but of the Spirit, if in your heart the Spirit abideth. If Jesu's Spirit be not yours, ye are not His." Romans 8:9.
This is one of the occasions on which the original German of BWV 227, "Jesu Meine Freude," translates very well to English. This particular edition is published with English text only, as the original German is available elsewhere.
Bach is probably best known today for writing fugues. Perhaps he was the best ever at it, perhaps he elevated it to an unprecedented realm, perhaps he just managed to pack so much into a fugue that it was almost overwhelming. Whatever the reason, Bach fugues are really something special. In this one, he expounds on the text, bringing forth subject and answer, second theme and answer, and then mixing the stew thoroughly and adding pedal point approaching the ritard.
It is interesting to listen to Bach while reading a score, as you keep finding neat new things in his works. In this fugue, for example, the altos have a couple of very slick synchopated sections, and the tenors do some truly amazing acrobatics to keep part motion up to Bach's standards. The second soprano part is also intersting because it keeps emerging as the lead line, that is, once it gets started in the twelfth measure.
The adagio chorale is notable for its use of connecting lines where one after another part will solo while the rest of the choir rests between phrases. It is quite expressive, and produces an amazing effect if performed thoughtfully.
Unfortunately, this particular item will scarcely stand on its own. If the adagio chorale is lopped off, the fugue ends reasonably well, but that leaves the verse unfinished. If the chorale is performed, one needs to segue to one of the hymn tune chorales from BWV 227 (also sold on this site) to avoid leaving the listeners hanging. For a solution, see this piece.
This is a most amazing piece, and a very memorable sing for any skilled choir.
MP3 sound sample: Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1977
YE ARE NOT OF THE FLESH (BWV 227 No. VI) by J. S. Bach, for SSATB choir, a cappella, comes in a PDF file of 1192K that contains ten pages of complete score and license page, eleven pages in all. Performance time should be a little over three minutes.
The musical and spiritual heart and soul of Bach's "Jesu Meine Freude," sections IV and V, are presented here with lyrics in English. Complete MP3 sound sample of a live performance.
J. S. Bach's motet for SSATB choir, "Jesu, Priceless Treasure," is made up of eleven movements. Four of these, Nos. I, III, VII, and XI, are straight harmonizations of the Johann Crueger hymn "Jesu Meine Freude." The others, except for V and IX, are settings of verses from the eighth chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans. In Romans 8, Paul deals with the believer's relationship to the Spirit and to the sinful nature.
Bach treats Romans 8:2 in movement IV, "Thus then the law of the Spirit, in Christ abiding, now has made me free from the law of sin and death." The essential truth of this verse is mouthed by the treble voices (SSA) in flowing waves, as of a wheat field gently rippled by the wind. The short section, taking less than a minute to sing, ends with all three parts arriving at the end of the verse "...free from the law of sin and death."
As if to make sure this point was heard, Bach begins movement V with an empahtic sounding of the words "Death, I do not fear thee!" by all five parts of his SSATB choir. Movement V is loosely based on a stanza of the Crueger hymn, but very little of the hymn tune is recognizable. Rather, this movement is usually classified as a chorale fantasy, a complete outpouring of creative energy expounding on the lyric, rendered in this English-language edition as follows:
+++
Death, death I do not fear thee, though thou standest near me,
Grave, grave I calmly spurn thee, though to dust thou turn me,
Strong in hope and faith!
Rising up and singing I shall heav'nward winging,
Soar, and vanquish death, and without death shall forever rest.
He that reigns will rend my chains.
Earth may vanish, heaven may sever,
God is God forever.
+++
There are very few, if any, pieces of music that more emphatically and clearly state the sure hope of resurrection that is the source of the victorious Christian life. Therefore, these two movements are the spiritual and musical heart and soul of this motet, and quite possibly of Bach's entire body of work.
These two movements are presented with English lyrics only. The entire work is available elsewhere on the internet with the original German lyrics.
MP3 sound sample: Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1977
THUS THEN THE LAW and DEATH I DO NOT FEAR THEE from BWV 227 by J. S. Bach, an SSA setting of Romans 8:2 and an SSATB chorale fantasy, both a cappella, comes in a PDF file of 1296K that contains Eight pages of complete score and license page, nine pages in all. If both movements are performed sequentially (recommended), performance time should be around 3:20.
The second movement of J. S. Bach's motet "Jesu, Priceless Treasure" is a powerful SSATB setting of Romans 8:1. Complete MP3 sound sample of a live performance.
Romans 8:1 is one of the hinge pins of the victorious Christian faith. As the lyric of this piece renders it, "So there is now no condemnation unto them which are in Jesus Christ-- them who walk not by the flesh corruptly, but as the Spirit leads." The English is a bit cumbersome to modern ears, but this is the traditional transliteration of the original German Bach set to this music. The use of the original "King James" English adds to the feeling of seriousness conveyed by this work. The English text only is included (this piece is available elsewhere on the internet in its original German).
Throughout "Jesu, Priceless Treasure," Bach sets off the verses of the Johann Crueger hymn with contrapuntal sections set to the words of various verses written by St. Paul in what we now know as Chapter 8 of Romans.
In this movement Bach takes the opening two phrases of Romans 8 and frames them in a chorale-like opening that makes effective use of a few seconds of silence from time to time. The choir then weaves a tapestry around that theme and arrives at a resting point mid way. The opening theme is repeated in a different key, and then the weaving begins again, this time completing the thought of the verse.
Ultimately, the music complements the message of confidence, and the strong five-part writing fully develops the thought that in Christ, we are in fact heirs of an incorruptible promise and can live confidently in it.
Bach was always pretty free about crossing parts, but this particular movement is full of rising and falling lines that find many parts inverted. Some may wonder why he does this. Partly it is to maintain the singability of the parts, sometimes it is to give a part that has hung in the high range too long a bit of a break, but mostly it is because Bach had some firm ideas about part motion. One rule is that he never permits all of the parts to move in the same direction within a phrase, and he avoids having even four out of five moving in the same direction if he can help it. The result is the smooth sonority that Bach is noted for.
Also, while baroque music per se is not often thought of as being particularly rhythmic, Bach has a lot of fun with parts moving on the "back beat" in this piece. He also goes to the very edge of what a baroque ear would consider to be even a little bit conventional in terms of harmony, producing a tonal vocublary that would be in use for most of the classical period and a big chunk of the romantic period.
Willing and adventurous choirs will thoroughly enjoy singing this wonderful piece, and we're glad to be able to bring it to you.
MP3 sound sample: Minnehaha Academy Singers, 1977
SO THERE IS NOW (BWV 227 No. II) by J. S. Bach, for SSATB choir, a cappella, comes in a PDF file of 1112K that contains eleven pages of complete score and license page, twelve pages in all. Performance time should be a little over three minutes.
The four main chorales of BWV 227, "Jesu Meine Freude," by J. S. Bach, presented with lyrics in English.
Bach's motet, Jesu Meine Freude, BWV 227, is arguably one of the finest pieces of choral writing the world has ever known. Putting aside its obvious musical merit, the tremendous care with which the text is treated, from both the Johann Crueger hymn and Romans 8, make it a true gem of Christian music.
These four chorales are all settings of Crueger's hymn tune. They appear spaced throughout the motet, and so may be placed in their proper place in the larger work like building blocks, performed as a set of four, or perhaps just three would be performed if time is short. All four appear in the collection of chorales put together by C. P. E. Bach that have become known as the 371 chorales. The original motet was written and first performed in St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany, in the early 18th century.
The words used here are an English transliteration. I do not call it a translation, as a literal translation would not have a reasonable syllable count and could not possibly convey the meaning in a muscially expressive way, as compared to these lyrics. This particlar set of lyrics is completely unmodernized from the oldest English translation of which I am aware, probably by Catherine Winkworth in 1863 (the original German text appears to have been penned by J. Franck in 1655). It is as it appears in several hymnals of about a century ago, except for retaining the German name Jesu in a few phrases and some other very minor adjustments.
Since this is an English-language publisher, purists could kindly consider granting forgiveness for not publishing this in the original German, or for failing to at least publish a dual-language edition. This publisher believes strongly that English-language choirs need to sing this in English in order to fully express the message conveyed by both words and music, so the original German has been omitted. There is a faithful German edition available elsewhere on the internet for the purists. But if this work comes to be performed only in German, for someone to whom German is mere gibberish a great expression of Christian faith is reduced to mere "great music." What a tragedy it would be for anyone to miss the tremendous spiritual dimension of this work! This is the rationale for this English-language edition.
It is hoped that this work can be appreciated for its tremendous musical and spiritual depth, and we are pleased to offer up this collection.
A minor warning is in order. Three of the four chorales, including the most difficult one, are SATB, but one is SSATB. Please do not let that be a stumbling block as it is perhaps the most meaningful and beautiful of the four. It is worth the extra effort to rehearse five parts.
+ + + (No. I)
Jesu, priceless treasure, Source of purest pleasure,
Truest friend to me.
Ah, how long I've panted, and my heart hath fainted,
Thirsting, Lord, for Thee.
Thine I am, oh spotless Lamb!
I will suffer naught to hide Thee, Naught I ask beside Thee.
+ + + (No. III)
In Thine arm I rest me, Foes who would molest me
Cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking, Ev'ry heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fears.
Fires may flash and thunders crash,
Yea, and sin and hell assail me,
Jesus will not fail me.
+ + + (No. VII)
Hence with earthly treasure! Thou art all my pleasure,
Jesus, all my choice.
Hence, thou empty glory! Naught to me thy story
Told with tempting voice.
Pain, or loss, or shame, or cross,
Shall not from my Savior move me,
Since He deigns to love me.
+ + + (No. XI)
Hence all fear and sadness, For the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in.
They who love the Father, Though the storms may gather,
Still have peace within.
Yea, whate'er I here must bear, Still in Thee lies purest pleasure,
Jesu, priceless treasure.
+ + +
To hear a choir singing one of these chorales, visit this page and listen all the way to the end of the MP3.
MP3 sound sample: Entire piece
FOUR CHORALES FROM BWV 227 by J. S. Bach, a collection for SATB (and SSATB) choir, a cappella, comes in a PDF file of 1408K that contains fourteen pages of complete score and license page, fifteen pages in all. If all four chorales are performed sequentially, performance time should be around 4:00, maybe a little more.
This old Swedish hymn, "Bred Dina Vida Vingar" has been around long enough to bring fond memories, or perhaps tears to the eyes, for many who have heard it at some time in their lives when they most needed comfort. The tune itself is quite simple, having only two unique phrases arranged in AABA structure. The tune involves a lot of interval jumps, mostly arpeggios, which makes it a bit of a challenge to arrange in an interesting fashion. Perhaps this arrangement hits the mark for some choirs. It may be a bit more difficult to sing than some of the simpler arrangements, but the end result should be worth it.
I became familiar with this hymn as a result of contact with the Swedish hymn tradition as a student at Minnehaha Acacemy in Minneapolis. The choir director at that time was Harry P. Opel, a man who had dedicated his life to serving God and found his life's work teaching high schoolers the depth and richness of great Christian choral music. While this included the great works of Bach, Brahms, Beethoven, Handel, Faure, Saint-Seans, and many others too numerous to mention, it also included the discovery of the complete musicality and meaning of a great many hymns of various traditions. I had not heard this hymn in perhaps twenty-five years when the organist played an arrangement of it in the prelude to Mr. Opel's funeral, and it choked me up immediately.
The idea of writing something based on this hymn tune began to form over subsequent weeks, and I began in earnest searching for ideas. Finally, after almost three months, I sat down and started writing. The work was complete in less than a day. I will tell you that in my own strength I do not write music that quickly.
The inclusion of verses from Psalm 91 came from deep in my memory, not only of the words of that Psalm, but of something a friend had showed my many years ago. As a sophomore new to Minnehaha Academy, my friend let me look through his yearbook from the previous year. Mr. Opel had signed "Harry P. Opel -- Psalm 91" in my friend's yearbook. Thus, the idea for the work (and the audacity to dedicate it to Mr. Opel with the deepest affection and respect) came from my recollections of the completeness of that man's commitment to serving and honoring God with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Here is the complete lyric:
+ + +
Thy holy wings, dear Savior, spread gently over me,
And through the long night watches I'll rest secure in Thee.
Whatever may betide me, be Thou my hiding place,
And let me live and labor each day Lord, by Thy grace.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will rest in the shadow of His might.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will rest in the shadow of His might.
He is my refuge. He is my fortress.
He is my God in whom I trust.
He is my God in whom I trust.
Thy holy wings, dear Savior, spread gently over me,
And let me rest securely through good and ill in Thee.
Oh, be my strength and portion, my rock and hiding place,
And let my ev'ry moment be lived within Thy grace.
Thy holy wings, dear Savior, spread gently over me.
THY HOLY WINGS, an anthem for SATB choir, a cappella, arranged by Tom Kirkland, comes in a PDF file of 960K that contains eight pages of complete score and license page, nine pages in all. Performance time should be around 3:30.
Theodore DuBois' calming choral coda from his oratorio "The Seven Last Words of Christ."
Theodore DuBois penned perhaps one of the most beautiful chorales of all time as a closing to his oratorio "The Seven Last Words of Christ." The simplicity and purity of the chorale adds to the simple text with minimal embellishment. It has all the sonority of a Bach chorale without the ornamentation. In its own way, it simply says "less is more."
The lyric is quite simple:
+ + +
Christ, we do all adore Thee, and we do praise Thee forever.
For on the holy cross hast Thou the world from sin redeemed.
Christ, we do all adore Thee.
+ + +
The original lyric was in Latin, but we have included only the English version, as we expect most choirs will want it to be easily understood by English-speaking audiences.
The chorale is almost completely a cappella, using the organ only for an introduction, a break, and the last chord. Many choirs find it easier to have the organ drop out all together (this deals with pitch drift) or simply sing the entire piece a cappella, in either case omitting the two bars of organ break.
CHRIST WE DO ALL ADORE THEE comes in a pdf file of 816K containing three pages of complete score and license page, four pages in all. Performance time should be around 1:30.
Felix Mendelssohn's lovely arioso from the oratorio "St. Paul." A terrific vocal solo with a memorable message. Complete MP3 sound sample.
Felix Mendelssohn was known for a flowing, lyrical style in all of his works. His oratorio "Saint Paul" stands as a singularly wonderful showcase for his talent as a composer.
The arioso "But the Lord is Mindful of His Own" is a tremendous comfort, and coming as it does between Saul "breathing threats and murder" and the conversion of Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus, it reminds us that no matter how bad things get, God has a plan.
The lyric has only two lines, repeated several times: "But the Lord is mindful of His own, He remembers His children. Bow down before Him, ye mighty, for the Lord is near us."
The piece is rather short, but it lingers in the memory for both its tremendous message and its inimitable beauty. The range is only an octave and a half, from a low A to a D, but if the one occurrence of the low A is worked around by popping it up an octave (this is quite often done, even by professionals, and detracts not at all from the flow of the piece) then the range becomes only a ninth, which makes this one of the most singable pieces of classic vocal literature.
If the low A workaround is done, this piece works very well for a children's choir singing in unison. In fact, that is where I first encountered it, at the age of nine, as a boy soprano. This little song has since held its own spot in my heart.
MP3 sound sample: Morris Nilsen Minneapolis Boys Choir, 1969, Director: David S. Van Fleet, Piano: Ann Ransom
BUT THE LORD IS MINDUL OF HIS OWN by Felix Mendelssohn, an alto solo with piano accompaniment, is presented for download as a pdf file of 880K, four pages of music plus a license page. Performance time will be approximately two minutes.
This traditional Good Friday hymn has been around a long, long time. There have been a great many anthems written around it in the past. So why this one?
The main "Were You There..." phrase becomes quite repetitious if more than one stanza is done, so this piece goes through only one stanza, but repeats other key phrases, Bach-like, to add depth of meaning to the words. In addition, the intent of this piece was to specifically focus on the crucifixion, not on other aspects of the passion story.
This piece makes complete use of the full capabilities of a good bass section, first by expanding to a full five parts, and second by making rich harmonic shifts of whole or half steps to accentuate the depth of tone of a choir singing in five parts, with most of them in the lower register.
In addition, since the crucifixion itself took place over several hours, and since it certainly gives Christians considerable pause to reflect on what actually happened there, the piece uses stretches of silence to draw the listener into a place where the message of the price that was paid on that day can be heard, and the weight of it can almost be felt.
For a believer the inescapable answer to the question, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" is emphatically yes. Each of us was not only there, but we participated in placing Jesus on the cross with our sin, and we died with him by joining with him in death to sin (Romans 3:21-26 and Romans 6:3-7).
Small choirs might have some difficulty doing this piece if there are not at least two or three very deep bass voices as well as two or three competent baritones on the roster. The alto and tenor parts are also quite low in spots, so keep your personnel in mind.
WERE YOU THERE? arranged by Tom Kirkland, comes in a PDF file of 241K containing a five page score, plus a license page, six pages in all. Performance time will be about 3:30.
A rich arrangement of this old Irish hymn tune for a large choir.
When my son asked if I could try to score something for his high school choir, a group of about seventy voices, I wondered at what to do. Finally, I hit upon the idea of arranging this old Irish hymn tune in a somewhat unusual and particularly rich fashion.
When writing for a larger choir, there are some things one can do that can't be done with a smaller choir. For example, in this piece there are some rather lengthy sections that are intended to be done with stagger breathing throughout. This compliments a tune which I have always wished could be sung with a tube in the back feeding an endless supply of air to the lungs so it could be done seamlessly and without a break.
Choir directors will appreciate that there are no dynamic markings, tempos, breath marks, etc., in this piece. I have left all interpretation completely up to the director. Since this is a download-and-print-your-own deal, it should be easy enough to mark up one copy the way you want to do it and distribute it to the group.
The vocal ranges are pretty moderate, though I will admit to writing too low for most sopranos in some spots. Fortunately, those passages are in places where it should be easy to get some help from the alto section. In one section, the altos and sopranos divide into two parts each, making that section six-part harmony. I did not feel this would be much of a hardship on most choirs, as women normally outnumber men about two to one anyway, especially in scholastic choirs.
The lyric used is the same four verses commonly associated with this hymn tune. Because of the techniques required and the vocal challenge of this piece, it should not be a problem to use it in a public school setting in most of the USA.
David Hepburn's wonderful gospel song continues to garner appreciation for its classic melody and timeless crystal-clear gospel message. You'll be glad you clicked on this one.
It is a real privilege to have this piece available here on www.tributek.com. This is a gospel song in the most classic tradition with a crystal-clear gospel message. It has been a personal favorite of the publisher for several decades now.
David Hepburn wrote this song in 1975 during his tenure as leader of the New Song Singers, based on Minneapolis. He personally performed it as a solo with piano, bass, guitar, drums, and four-part choral harmony on hundreds of occasions. Later, a different arrangement of this same song was performed for many years by the Covenant Four Quartet (of which David was a member), based in San Francisco.
We present here the original "New Song Singers" version, complete with the four-part mixed choir backup vocal. The brass parts heard in the sample are not included. The choral backup is quite simple and could be played on a synthesizer or by a string or brass quartet, or left out. The printed piano part is simplified significantly from what you hear in the sample, but few pianists can resist creating their own version with various runs and licks, and that's just fine with us.
We include here the entire lyric, as it is quite compelling and beautiful:
+++
There's a city, I've been told,
Where the streets are paved with gold,
Where sorrow and strife
Have no part in that new life,
And the gates were opened wide on the day that Jesus died,
And He paved the road to heaven with His love.
Oh, He paved the road to heaven with His love,
Condescending to come down from heaven above.
When He died on Calvary's tree
Redeeming men and setting free,
He paved the road to heaven with His love.
If to that city you would go
Then my Jesus you must know.
He alone is the way,
He alone the price did pay.
"Follow Me," He says in love, "I've a mansion up above,"
"And I paved the road to heaven with My love."
Oh, He paved the road to heaven with His love,
Condescending to come down from heaven above.
When He died on Calvary's tree
Redeeming men and setting free,
He paved the road to heaven with His love.
+++
MP3 Sound sample: David Hepburn and the New Song Singers, 1975.
THE ROAD TO HEAVEN by David Hepburn comes in a PDF file of 1096K, eleven pages in all, score with vocal line, four-part SATB backup, piano part, guitar chords. Range is B to E, almost an octave and a half. Performance time, about about 3:00.
A snappy opening song for a Christian choir, also includes a solo version. Words and music by David Hepburn.
Every group needs an opener, and it should be something that warms up those people who came to hear. This song has been used by both the old New Song Singers based in Minneapolis and the Covenant Four Quartet based in San Francisco for the best part of twenty-five years. It is consistent in its ability to be used to open a crowd up to hear what is about to come, and its snappy lyric is a real treat, with a real message.
+++
Singing songs of happiness,
Songs designed to tell you this:
There is joy when you're abiding
In God's love and there residing.
Singing, singing, singing of God's love!
There are songs of great romance,
Songs that make you want to dance,
Songs that keep your toes a tappin',
Songs that keep your fingers snappin'.
We are singing only of God's love.
Songs that tell us Jesus paid the price by which our lives are saved.
When we come in faith believing, God the Father is forgiving.
Singing songs of our redemption,
Songs of joy is our intention,
Songs of praise! To God the Glory!
Happy songs to tell our story.
Singing, singing, singing of God's love!
+++
Note that the brass parts heard in the sound sample are not included in the printed music. The piano part improvised by Tim Amstutz is only loosely based on David's manuscript. The sound sample also includes the transition into Todd Krause's trombone solo, whereas the printed music reprises the bridge and final chorus and has a big ending without going into "For God So Loved the World..."
MP3 sound sample: New Song Singers, 1975.
SINGING OF GOD'S LOVE by David Hepburn comes in a PDF file of 1288K, eight pages in all, including the SATB version with simple piano accompaniment, and a solo version with the same piano accompaniment and guitar chords. Performance time, about 1:15.
If your church choir uses a brief Call to Worship to open the service, you know how nice it is to have fresh short praise pieces on hand.
These two calls were written by a choir director. Psalm 135 is based on the opening verses of that Psalm (SATB with organ).
Rejoice the Lord is King! is a song of praise for the Lord of all (SATB a cappella or accompanied).
MP3 Sound sample: Both pieces complete (synthesizer/midi)
TWO CHORAL CALLS TO WORSHIP by Tom Kirkland comes in a PDF file of 1048K, including four pages of music and a license page, five pages in all. Performance time: approximately 1:00 each.
Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a large volume of four-part chorales during his career as a church organist and choirmaster. The six chorales presented here demonstrate the range and genius of this great man.
Johann Sebastian Bach lived his entire life, 1685 to 1750, in Germany. For most of his career he was a church musician-- an organist and choirmaster. While today we know him primarily as a composer, his contemporaries knew him as the best organist of his time.
During his church music career, Bach wrote countless pieces of music for worship, including literally hundreds of cantatas, oratorios, passions, and the like. He used the four-part chorale as a change of pace from the highly ornamented contrapuntal and fugal sections that dominated the larger works of the time. Almost always, such chorales were harmonizations of hymn tunes of the day.
While we recognize Bach as a significant figure in music history today, he probably did not share the same view. Like lesser composers, he left bits and pieces of compostitions and arrangements in dwellings and work places in the various cities in which he lived. He made no attempt to catalog his work, and much of it has since been lost.
It fell to one of his sons, C. P. E. Bach, to catalog and publish his father's four-part chorales. From 1784 to 1787, C. P. E. Bach published four volumes totalling 371 chorales (though there were a few duplicates). He lifted the vast majority intact out of the larger works of which they were part, and did not publish lyrics with any of these chorales. Music majors and conservatory students through the years have analyzed these chorales and wondered at the genius of the master.
The six chorales presented here are decended from that source. They represent the range and genius of J. S. Bach, from major to minor, from 3/4 to 4/4, from light to dark themes. The six chorales are:
To God Let All the Human Race (#164: "Old Hundredth" by Louis Bourgeois) (this tune is commonly used as a doxology)
All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall (#100: "Durch Adams Fall ist Ganz Verderbt" by Anonymous)
How Brightly Shines the Morning Star (#278: "Wie Schoenen Leuchtet der Morgenstern" by Philipp Nicolai)
O Sacred Head Now Wounded (#74: "O Haupt Voll Blut und Wunden" by Hans Leo Hassler)
Today the Lord in Triumph Reigns (#79: "Heut Triumphieret Gottes Sohn" by Bartholomaeus Gesius)
Jesu, Priceless Treasure (#263: "Jesu, Meine Freude" by Johann Crueger)
These chorales are complete and faithful to the original so far as we can determine. Only one stanza of lyric is included, so some research in old hymnals might be in order if choral performance is your goal. Or you could write your own lyrics. These chorales would also work nicely with brass or string quartet, or with a keyboard instrument. Whether used to teach music theory or keyboard, or for performance, we hope these chorales will bring you to the feet of Jesus, where Bach orignally laid these works.
MP3 sound sample: all six chorales in sequence listed above (synthesizer/midi).
SIX CHORALES OF J. S. BACH comes in a PDF file of approximately 1656K, including twelves pages of music and a license page, thirteen pages in all.
Do you want to have the most distinctive answering machine message in your area code?
Download this little song, get a choir or octet together to sing it, and you'll have the most distinctive outgoing message on an any answering machine in your area code. Your friends might start calling when they know you aren't in just to hear this. "Sorry that we could not answer the phone! We might be busy, we might not be home. In just a moment this will be your cue: Speak after the beep and we'll get back to you." Do some minor surgery on the lyrics to put your name in.
THE ANSWERING MACHINE SONG by Tom Kirkland comes in a PDF file of 896K, one page of music plus license page. Performance time: approximately 50 seconds.
Sample first page and license.
