The Best Hymns of All Time
Arranged for Strings by Colin Kirkpatrick

Book 3

We?re really excited to present the third and last book of our collection of sixty of the best-loved hymns ever composed. The hymns are scored in four parts and could be used with virtually any combination of stringed instruments: string quartet or quintet or any size string ensemble. They are presented in a set of three books and include full four-part instrumental scores plus four separate parts for 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola and cello (and double bass). The bass part is also optional because it doubles the cello part an octave lower. There?s also an optional but useful simplified keyboard part intended for less experienced keyboard players. The left hand plays only the bass part most of the time, with the right hand part kept as simple as possible. The piano part too means that you can use the arrangements as solos, duets or trios. To make the music accessible to less experienced players, the range of the notes has been kept fairly low so that many of the arrangements can be played in first position. However, to produce a brighter and richer sound, a few of the more experienced violinists could play an octave higher. You can hear this effect in the audio samples.

These arrangements are intended either as stand-alone pieces that could be used as interludes in a service, or they could be used to accompany solo, choral or congregational singing. This is essential music for schools and many churches and contains probably all the hymns you?ll ever need. The scores and all the parts of Book 2 are contained in a single 65-page PDF file.

Book 3 contains the following twenty popular hymns: All Hail the Power of Jesus? Name (Miles Lane); All things Bright and Beautiful (Bright and Beautiful); Alleluia, Sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol); Blessed Assurance (Assurance); Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (St George?s Windsor); Father, Hear the Prayer we Offer (Sussex & Gott Will's Machen); For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix); Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken (Austrian hymn); How Firm a Foundation (Foundation); Jesu, Lover of my Soul (Hollingside); Jesus Loves Me, This I Know (Jesus Loves Me); Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Hymn to Joy); Kum Ba Yah (Afro-American folksong); Mine Eyes have Seen the Glory (Battle Hymn of the Republic); O God, Our Help In Ages Past (St. Anne); Morning has Broken (Bunessan); Praise to the Lord the Almighty (Lob den Herren); Shall We Gather at the River? (Hanson Place); The God of Abraham Praise (Leoni); When Peace Like a River (Ville du Havre).

The audio samples include (1) All things Bright and Beautiful, (2) How Firm a Foundation, (3) Kum Ba Yah and (4) Morning has Broken. The music has been set in string-friendly keys so they are not compatible with the brass collection of the same name.

This unique version of Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now" was performed by Dallas String Quartet in their latest music video, and is now available to your ensemble as well!

"If you don't wanna see me dancing with..." some random person's iPod speaker instead of listening to your amazing string quartet, then Don't Start buying shoddy arrangements from free-gig-whatevers dot com. Instead, make the right choice for your ensemble and invest in high quality charts from real, professional arrangers. What you're getting here is not a 72% accurate transcription of someone's Dua Lipa YouTube piano cover that has been laid out "legibly enough" on 4 staves. This is a tasteful setting of one of the sexiest disco grooves to hit radio since the Beegee's untimely decline, and it highlights all those hip string parts from Dua's original track while adding some original figures to really make this tune pop as an instrumental version.

Within the pages of this fantastically funky fresh score, you'll find some simple (but effective) chopping, slapping & extended string techniques to help your ensemble get their groove on, an extendable outro solo where players can stretch their creative legs on a dull gig, and enough sneaky reharminizations to earn an oh-so-satisfying nod of approval from that one guy in the back of the audience who used to be in a jazz band.

This version of the score includes optional RHYTHM SECTION PARTS for guitar, bass, & drum set in addition to the standard string quartet. While this arrangement is more than capable of moving, grooving and soothing with just the string parts, there are a variety of scenarios in which you may find adding some of those "loud" instruments may benefit your ensemble, such as:

- Cool collaborations with non-classical musicians.

- Making peace and finally finding common ground with those heathens who use frets to play in tune.

- Performing at outdoor events... or anywhere where alcohol is served. Small talk doesn't stand a chance against drums!

- You just got the stage plot for the gig and are concerned people won't take you seriously if you have less than 7 inputs on your rider.

- You carpooled to the wedding with the band, and figured you guys might as well play something together during the reception rather than spend all night starting at the appetizers that you aren't allowed to eat.

... and the list goes on.

Help take your ensemble to a new level when expanding your gig repertoire this year. This chart will keep your musicians inspired and your audience's insatiable need to consume brand new music in alternative instrumentations satisfied. To be clear, some practice and/or rehearsal will likely be required, so sight reading is not recommended, but with just a little bit of effort this arrangement will be FUN for your group to play!

Performance time - approximately 3:00, longer if you want to vamp the outro

Questions? Feel free to contact me via my website, www.kylepudenz.com/ or on the 'Insta @theviolinvagabond.