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.

Song List: Come Peace Of God

This is a medley of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Angels from the Realms of Glory, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night, Infant Holy. Some of the lyrics are changed and it is in SATB choir cello with parts included and piano. There is optional narration before each song change that can be sung with the intro. cdboss@cvalley.net See Lyrics below:
Hear the Angels Sing

?God sent the angels from heaven down to earth to proclaim the message of His son?s birth?

*It came upon the midnight clear

That glorious song of old

From angels bending near the earth

To touch their harps of god

Peace on the earth, good will to men

From heaven?s all gracious king

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing

?The angels proclaimed - Come and worship, Christ the newborn King!?

*Angels from the realms of glory

Wing your flight o?er all the earth

You who sang creations story

Now proclaim Messiah?s birth

Come and worship, come and worship

Worship Christ the newborn King

?The angels spread God?s message all around; In the country and in the town. The sight of the angels sent fear in some of the people?

*While shepherds watched their flocks by night

All seated on the ground

The angel of the Lord came down

And glory shown around, and glory shown around

?The angels and all of the people in the area followed a bright star. It shown it?s great light upon a stable. There they found Mary, Joseph and the newborn King?

*Star is shining, in the night sky

Lighting up the stable walls

Baby?s lying in a manger

Where His bed?s a cattle stall

Mary?s rocking, Joseph?s walking

Angels singing, Bells are ringing

For the babe, was born for all.

?You could hear the angels beautiful voices all over the land. Proclaiming songs about His birth?

*Still through the cloven skies they come

With peaceful wings unfurled

And still their heav?nly music floats

O?er all the weary world

Peace on the earth good will to men

From heaven?s all gracious King

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing???.