A specially-crafted treatment is needful for one of the most beloved hymns in our repertoire, and this arrangement is just that. The piano opens with a simple broken arpeggiated pattern for the first stanza, skipping the refrain, and as the piano instruments continue to develop its gradual crescendo into the second and third stanza with simple instrumental parts, the texture thickens and the dynamics crescendo. A satisfying and brilliant key change follows the third refrain and voices soar on, “And Lord, haste the day.” All instruments decrescendo as the refrain closes, and repeats with an optional acapella moment. Voices and instruments tag after a deceptive cadence: “It is well, it is well with my soul.” Complete set includes piano, winds, brass, strings, and percussion.
Real Responses from Congregations
Molly plays for the church my mother-in-law attends. The congregation becomes like a big choir with her arrangements. I’ve enjoyed the music when we’ve visited!
The beautiful accompaniment and the unison congregation could be used both congregationally and chorally (as we did)… For small to medium-sized choirs on low attendance Sundays these could be effective choral pieces or as a way to develop choir and orchestra when (as is our case) some choir members are also instrumentalists. We used three pieces as part of our Easter celebration. All were very well received. We were able to include our developing orchestra with all of it. So, thank you!
We love using these arrangements at Valley Community Baptist Church in our worship setting, regardless if we are using just piano and organ on a particular Sunday, or our full orchestra with choir and congregation. As the organist, the conductors score offers a great organ score option as an asset for churches using organ with these settings without revamping the piano score, making it quite easy… Thank you, Molly!
Molly’s congregational accompaniments add a freshness to treasured hymns of the past that enables a cross-generational congregation to join together in passionate worship of a great God.
