This particular hymn has a festive quality, a sparkle that energizes singers. The piano styling and instruments for this hymn does just that! With a natural, fluid 4-bar entrance for each stanza, the voices (and instruments) will know when to sing on each entrance. As shown in this video, cues are clear and reliable. The arrangement offers 3 stanzas, with the chorus omitted after the first stanza but repeated after the last stanza and chorus. New, accented rhythms are notated in the final chorus for a final refrain and added variety. Final chorus is at the height of the dynamic level, yet decrescendos at the final line, “Oh, our hearts always hunger for.” Instrumentalists should note the rhythm variations in order to stay together as an ensemble. This arrangement is a great opener or works well as a final song in a package for any service. Includes a full score, piano, and individual instrumental parts: treble clef C instrument, treble clef B-flat instrument, horn, viola, and bass clef instrument.
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.
