This ever-popular piece is often performed at weddings, funerals and many other solemn

ceremonial events. It has always been a favorite among instrumental players and often used in

recitals or concert encores. This arrangement by Colin Kirkpatrick has been transposed into B

flat to feature the middle to upper range of the saxophone. In is ideal for the intermediate

player who can manage a top ?b? with confidence.
In 1853, the well-known French composer Charles Gounod added his own melody over a rippling

keyboard accompaniment which was a slightly adapted version of the Prelude No. 1 in C major,

BWV846, from Book I of J. S. Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier, published in 1722. The title of

the ?combined? piece was Méditation sur le Premier Prélude de Piano de S. Bach. Gounod?s

original arrangement transposed Bach?s keyboard part from C major into F major and it was

scored for violin (or cello), organ and piano. In 1859, the French music publishing company

Jacques-Léopold Heugel brought out a vocal version based on the familiar Latin text. Ave Maria

(Hail Mary) is a traditional Catholic prayer addressed to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The version of Bach's prelude which Gounod used included the so-called "Schwencke measure" (m.

27 in this arrangement), a measure (bar) allegedly added by the German composer and pianist

Christian Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke (1767-1822) in an attempt to correct what was considered

a harmonic weakness in the original. Whether there actually was a ?harmonic weakness? (or

possibly an error in the manuscript) remains a matter of conjecture but the fact remains that

the most familiar-sounding version of this piece, recorded countless times by both singers and

instrumentalists includes this Schwencke measure. It is therefore included in this arrangement.
Some published arrangements show minor inconsistencies in the rhythm of the melody. This

arrangement uses the familiar rhythm of the Ave Maria version as it appeared in the 1859

edition.

O God, Beyond All Praising (Thaxted) (Bb) (Saxophone Quintet) - Intermediate - Digital Download. This marvelous arrangement of "O God, Beyond All Praising", a hymn tune based on the "Andante Maestoso" section from "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, would be a fabulous addition to any music library and could be performed for church services, especially Weddings and Funerals, but would be appropriate any time during the church year. However, if you are looking to perform this selection for concerts or recitals, I would suggest you look for the arrangement of "Jupiter" (Andante Maestoso from "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from The Planets), also by Regis Bookshar. These arrangements are suitable for high school and college students but professional musicians would also enjoy playing these selections as well. Included are a score and a complete set of parts (9 pages). This selection is one of the many arrangements from The Regis Bookshar Trumpet Ensemble's extensive music library which are being made available for the first time. We have performed the Trumpet Quintet version of this composition quite often for numerous weddings and other special occasions.
The Planets, written between 1914 and 1917 by the English composer Gustav Holst, premiered at the Queen's Hall in London, on September 29, 1918 for an invited audience of about 250 people. In the fourth movement, "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity", Holst portrays Jupiter's supposedly characteristic abundance of life and vitality. Nobility and generosity are allegedly characteristics of those born under Jupiter, and in the slower, middle section marked "Andante Maestoso", perhaps the most well-known theme from The Planets (and the theme on which this arrangement is based), Holst provides a broad tune embodying these traits. In 1921, Holst adapted the theme to fit the patriotic poem "I Vow to Thee, My Country" by Cecil Spring Rice, and was written as a unison song with orchestra. It did not appear as the hymn tune until 1926, when Holst harmonized this melody, named "Thaxted", named after the English village where he had lived for many years. Holst's friend Ralph Vaughan Williams included it in Songs of Praise. It has since been performed at numerous occasions, most notably for the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981, and also at the funerals of Princess Diana in 1997, Margaret Thatcher in 2013 and Senator John McCain where it was performed at the Washington National Cathedral on September 1, 2018. In addition to being used as the melody for the solemn, patriotic hymn "I Vow to The, My Country", other settings of this hymn tune also include "O God, Beyond All Praising", by Michael Perry in 1982 and "We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God", a paraphrase of the "Te Deum Laudemus" by Stephen P. Starke in 1999.
Regis Bookshar thought that it would be wonderful if other instrumentalists could have the opportunity to play this beautiful melody, so, in addition to the Trumpet Quintet version and this version for a Saxophone Quintet, consisting of 2 Alto Saxophones, 2 Tenor Saxophones (one of which has the lead) and 1 Baritone Saxophone, he has made quite a few other arrangements of this selection. There are Quintets readily available for a wide variety of instrumental ensembles. Please take the time to look for other versions of this composition. You may find something else that may also suit your needs. I would also encourage you to search for other arrangements by Regis Bookshar, as well, as there are numerous arrangements in a variety of styles, also available for purchase. You may find something else which might interest you. Please continue to check periodically because new arrangements are added as often as possible. I'm certain that this beautiful arrangement of "O God, Beyond All Praising" based on the "Andante Maestoso" section from "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, will continue to entertain both performers and audiences alike for years to come.

O God, Beyond All Praising (Thaxted) (Bb) (Tenor Saxophone Quintet) - Intermediate - Digital Download. This marvelous arrangement of "O God, Beyond All Praising", a hymn tune based on the "Andante Maestoso" section from "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, would be a fabulous addition to any music library and could be performed for church services, especially Weddings and Funerals, but would be appropriate any time during the church year. However, if you are looking to perform this selection for concerts or recitals, I would suggest you look for the arrangement of "Jupiter" (Andante Maestoso from "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from The Planets), also by Regis Bookshar. These arrangements are suitable for high school and college students but professional musicians would also enjoy playing these selections as well. Included are a score and a complete set of parts (9 pages). This selection is one of the many arrangements from The Regis Bookshar Trumpet Ensemble's extensive music library which are being made available for the first time. We have performed the Trumpet Quintet version of this composition quite often for numerous weddings and other special occasions.
The Planets, written between 1914 and 1917 by the English composer Gustav Holst, premiered at the Queen's Hall in London, on September 29, 1918 for an invited audience of about 250 people. In the fourth movement, "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity", Holst portrays Jupiter's supposedly characteristic abundance of life and vitality. Nobility and generosity are allegedly characteristics of those born under Jupiter, and in the slower, middle section marked "Andante Maestoso", perhaps the most well-known theme from The Planets (and the theme on which this arrangement is based), Holst provides a broad tune embodying these traits. In 1921, Holst adapted the theme to fit the patriotic poem "I Vow to Thee, My Country" by Cecil Spring Rice, and was written as a unison song with orchestra. It did not appear as the hymn tune until 1926, when Holst harmonized this melody, named "Thaxted", named after the English village where he had lived for many years. Holst's friend Ralph Vaughan Williams included it in Songs of Praise. It has since been performed at numerous occasions, most notably for the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981, and also at the funerals of Princess Diana in 1997, Margaret Thatcher in 2013 and Senator John McCain where it was performed at the Washington National Cathedral on September 1, 2018. In addition to being used as the melody for the solemn, patriotic hymn "I Vow to The, My Country", other settings of this hymn tune also include "O God, Beyond All Praising", by Michael Perry in 1982 and "We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God", a paraphrase of the "Te Deum Laudemus" by Stephen P. Starke in 1999.
Regis Bookshar thought that it would be wonderful if other instrumentalists could have the opportunity to play this beautiful melody, so, in addition to the Trumpet Quintet version and this version for a Tenor Saxophone Quintet, he has made quite a few other arrangements of this selection. There are Quintets readily available for a wide variety of instrumental ensembles. Please take the time to look for other versions of this composition. You may find something else that may also suit your needs. I would also encourage you to search for other arrangements by Regis Bookshar, as well, as there are numerous arrangements in a variety of styles, also available for purchase. You may find something else which might interest you. Please continue to check periodically because new arrangements are added as often as possible. I'm certain that this beautiful arrangement of "O God, Beyond All Praising" based on the "Andante Maestoso" section from "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from Gustav Holst's The Planets, will continue to entertain both performers and audiences alike for years to come.