Hymn Arrangements & Sacred Works

I am currently working  on more arrangements for ward choirs, ones that would be beautiful but not excessively challenging to allow choirs of varying talents and abilities to invite the Spirit with their singing.  Here are a few that I have so far completed:




  • Fear Not, For the Lord Thy God is With Thee
This is an original hymn I wrote describing both the trials Christians sometimes may face in serving the Lord, but with the reassurance that He's there for us.  Written for some of my friends who were about to serve missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it later become something for me personally, as I continued my struggle with an anxiety disorder.  This is the free PDF file:

PDF Download:


  • We Three Kings of Orient Are

This is an arrangement of the Christmas song "We Three Kings of Orient Are," written by John Henry Hopkins Jr.  Arranged for Piano, this sheet music is free to download and use as long as you "Share Alike," under a Creative Commons Copyright.
PDF Download:
Creative Commons License
We Three Kings of Orient Are by Timothy Rohwer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.


  • Abide With Me
Now Available for Purchase at Lulu.com!!
Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.

This arrangement was written for a group to put together in only a few weeks.  We were a little weaker on those who could sing harmony, so I made most of it unison, especially in the men's section (which we were greatly lacking in), which sings only the melody throughout.  There is a section with the women in harmony 'ooh' s that adds quite a beautiful touch.  The piano is where most of the color comes for this piece, using some unique harmonies (add 2 chords and 9 chords) that give the piano a shimmering quality at times, and at others a biting quality that I feel describes the anguish felt as one petitioning the Lord to stay with us in dark times.

Soprano, Alto, and Men with Piano



  • Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy
This is a choir arrangement with Violin or Viola and Piano Accompaniment.  Beginning starts out with some complex rhythmic things (starts out in 5/4), and goes has the Violin part with a partial hemiola against the piano.  Thick textured throughout, this is a beautiful arrangement.  It goes from very complex and almost turbulent to more subtle and beautiful, so that by the end, it is as if the storms at sea are finally calmed.

SATB with Soprano ranged instrument and Piano



  • Come Follow Me
This is an arrangement for children's choir (or adult choir or solo singer if desired) and violin obligato with piano accompaniment.  It was written for a student so she could play her violin with the children in her Sunday School class.

Melody line with Violin obligato and Piano Accompaniment

Here are the free downloadable files for this arrangement:
Score
Violin

Come Follow Me for Children's Choir and Violin

  • Come Thou Fount
Simple harmonies for the most part with some beautiful piano motives, this is an arrangement I'm very proud of.  It's pretty easy to sing, though a few things to listen for in the harmonies.  the accompaniment is enjoyable to listen to, and I feel that this overall has a very beautiful sound to it.

SATB with Piano



  • I am a Child of God
A duet with piano accompaniment, this arrangement has 2 violins (or other instruments - I played my viola with my wife on oboe for a sacrament meeting), with simple parts, but beautiful harmonies.  Piano part a little more challenging, but still overall quite manageable.  An excellent choice for a short musical number.  Comments from the congregation were, in fact, mostly that they wished there were more of it.  Written most especially for younger players.

2 Violins and Piano (Violin parts easily transfer to other instruments)

Here is a free download of the violin/viola version:
Score
Piano
Violin
Viola



  • I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
A new arrangement, or more like a re-arrangement, I took an old arrangement I did of this and completely did the piano accompaniment with one exception:  the first 7 and a half bars.  Not having much practice at arranging, my old arrangement sounded OK, but for my ward choir I wanted something beautiful that they could be very happy to sing and that they felt was beautiful.  The result was this arrangement, with a simple enough choir part to learn by Christmas and a beautiful piano part.

SATB with Piano

Score
MP3

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Harmony Postlude: Mary Had a Little Lamb in Minor

First Composition: Concerto No. 1

Playing with Legos: My approach to teaching the major scale pattern