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As we prepare for Easter, wanted to share three arrangements of possible solos for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, or Easter Services. Each of the arrangements is new to me, yet have been around for a bit.
Amazing Grace by John Newton is a story of a man who decided to let his and other slaves free. His lyrics are universal, expressing the amazing grace God gives every single person. The arrangement by Jerry Ray, from the book Hymns With Styles by Alfred Music, is labeled as Intermediate Level. Ray keeps the familiar, gorgeous melody in the keys of G, C, and Eb Major, yet the intro and outro breathe new life into the song. Ray's simplicity of the melody keeps the listener pondering what will occur next. He utilizes a variety of dynamics from p to ff, which is always great to play when you have various volumes in a song. In the beginning motif, Ray implements 6ths in the Treble Clefs, throughout each of the key signatures. If you looking for a dramatic piece, please consider this song.
El Shaddai, performed by Amy Grant, and written by Michael Card and John Thompson is a definite favorite growing up in the church. Phillip Keveren arranged the music from the book Shout to the Lord by Hal Leonard for Late Intermediate and Early Advanced. He creates a melody in the keys of F minor, C minor, and E minor. I love key changes. His use of extreme dynamics, crescendos, decrescendos, legatos, arpeggios piu mosso, and a section at the end that includes "Broaden" make this a new favorite of mine. Hopefully I can teach this arrangement to a student at some point. The first section in the key of F minor implements block chording and parallelism in both clefs. As he prepares for the key of C minor, Keveren uses arpeggios in the Bass Clef and octaves in the Treble Clef. The climax is the best with ff to p to mf to pp, ending with an E Major Chord, a Picardy Third. Genius. Thanks Phillip for beginning a song as delineated as "andante, in reverent chorale style". My new favorite.
Jerry Ray makes an arrangement of Fairest Lord Jesus in the keys of Eb to C, with a simple motif, yet you definitely want the solo to be in the tempo of "with much feeling." Ray's use of accidentals in the song is beautiful, adding more color and residence. Arpeggios and block chords create a lovely sound for this song, plus the dynamics go up to mf. Ray, I love the intro and outro, which is my new favorite part of this song. I love this entire piece and hopefully one day I can teach this song.
I love the Easter Season and playing music during this time makes my heart full of joy. What are some of your favorite Easter Worship songs? I would like to know. Thanks for your support. Blessings.