Pioneer Day Approaching

I just posted my SATB arrangement of Come, Come Ye Saints on http://freeldssheetmusic.org/ in time for Pioneer Day. It is also posted on www.freewardchoirmusic.com.

In addition, I have gotten some feedback that the m4a files sometimes appear in text form rather than playing an audio file, so I am converting them all into mP3 files.

I keep trying to make the site better and easier to use for all you Ward Choir Directors out there!

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

Faith of Our Fathers and Brothers

With Father's Day just a week away, I felt that the hymn "Faith of Our Fathers" would be especially appropriate last Sunday. My attempts at getting the three men together to learn an arrangement failed. Someone was always out of town on business.

OK, I thought, let's do this: You sing the tenor from the hymn book. You sing the bass. And you please sing the melody. The first verse will be all parts. The second verse the person with the melody sings the words while the tenor and bass ooh their parts until the chorus, then all join in again with parts. The third verse will be all singing unison until the chorus, when everyone will sing parts to the end.

We ran through the whole thing maybe twice all together before the performance, but I felt it worked out amazingly well.

The brother singing the melody came to me after the meeting and said, "I didn't realize I would be practically singing a solo on the second verse while the others were oohing! (Since he is originally from Spain, he said so with his wonderful accent.)

I said, "I told you they would do that!"

To which he replied "Well, I don't speak English!"

A New Extended Ending for Battle Hymn of the Republic

Our Ward Choir will be singing Battle Hymn of the Republic the last week in June just before the July 4th holiday. I decided to extend the ending and have the congregation join in on the last chorus. I think they will enjoy it.

What? Yes I am choosing music for June and July before we sing for Easter. We have been practicing Easter music since January. And we will begin Christmas music in September. I find it is more fun to sing when we are well prepared and confident with the music.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

Another Tweak

Our choir is learning the SAB of Be Still My Soul. Since the "F" in measure 11 was a little high for the Basses, I have written an alternate note in the score.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

New Recording of Be Still My Soul

Oh! It is so nice to be able play through my music and record it with feeling!

I am working down the list of arrangements and solos one at a time. I should get to your favorite - whatever it is - in the next few weeks.

In the mean time:

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

New and Improved Arrangement!

Yes! All Creatures of Our God and King is updated and is now posted. In my opinion it is going to be fun, fun fun to sing!

Let me know what you think.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

Why, Oh Why Do I Do This To Myself?

OK, So I'm going through all the hymn arrangements and making new audio files for the ones with the mechanical playbacks. I'm learning the new recording and editing equipment nicely, thank you. But as I'm playing through them, I think, "Oh, I need to extend this ending just a bit." and "Oh, I need to simplify this verse."

I just can't leave well enough alone!

However, having said that, I still like the new version of All Creatures of Our God and King better. Yes - an extended ending and a more interesting third verse. I think anyway.

So, give me a few days to finish the notation and the new recording and I will post it.

Sigh.
But anyway:
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!