| The Church Pianist |
| A help ministry for church pianists all over the world! |
One of my viewers recently requested fingering suggestions for my free arrangement of “The Old Rugged Cross.”
I added the suggested fingering by hand. This is just the fingering that’s most comfortable for me.
Here are two different free PDFs for The Old Rugged Cross…
The Old Rugged Cross without fingering
The Old Rugged Cross WITH fingering
I recently published fill-in ideas for The Old Rugged Cross.
One of my readers asked me today if I could include the fill-ins on the printed hymnal version for ease of use.
I had to cut and paste and resize the fill-ins to fit the printed copy of the hymnal version so it’s kind of rough looking but it’s the best I could do with time allowed in my schedule.
Thanks for the suggestion Becky! 🙂
Click on following titles to download your free copies of the following:
Family coming into town any minute and just finished a quickie for church pianists to use for Easter…fill-in ideas for The Old Rugged Cross when playing for congregational singing.
Sorry I didn’t have time to share more!
Happy Easter!
Click on title to download your free copy of fill-in ideas for: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
Click here to download fill-ins included on sheet music of the hymnal version for this hymn.
The next post will be a video of me being critiqued in Hymn Playing Master Class at the recent Wild’s Music Conference.
Just don’t feel sorry for me 😉 We all need a work over at times!
I played my free piano arrangement of “The Old Rugged Cross” for this class. So…you may want to have a copy of it handy during the video for reference.
Before you click to download your free copy of The Old Rugged Cross, you may want to wait until I provide the edited version based on the critique I received in this Hymn Playing Master Class. It’s all up to you.
Click here to print your free copy of “The Old Rugged Cross”. (original version)
One of my church pianist readers recently asked me for some help on measures 29 and 30 of the free piano arrangement for “The Old Rugged Cross”.
In measure #29…The right hand has to reposition on the second beat in order to compensate for the upcoming busy movement. I created a quickie video demonstrating a suggested fingering to make this area feel more comfortable to the hand.
Several months ago, I offered a free piano solo arrangement of “The Old Rugged Cross”; written in loving memory of one of my students who has gone home to heaven.
This free piano solo arrangement of The Old Rugged Cross can be downloaded at the following link: More Free Hymn Arrangements!
Here is a video of me playing the arrangement:
As promised….here’s a free piano arrangement of “The Old Rugged Cross”. I wrote it in memory of Letha Snodgrass, my piano student and friend. Sorry I didn’t post this sooner for those who would have used it for Easter. I just haven’t been in the writing mood lately until now.
Click on this link to download: The Old Rugged Cross
Audio of The Old Rugged Cross:
The hymn entitled “The Old Rugged Cross” has stood the test of time. As a church pianist, I enjoy reading the stories behind the hymns. Knowing the story behind the hymn enriches the meaning…making the hymn even more personal to me.
God used George Bennard, an evangelist of the early 1900’s to write this soul-stirring hymn.
The melody of “The Old Rugged Cross” came quite easy to George. He tried to think of words but they didn’t flow until several months later. George had been preaching a series of evangelistic meetings on “the cross”. Many people came forward to be saved during those meetings.
George was thrilled with the number of souls that were saved during those meetings. He reflected on how the message of the cross was so important!
He went home after the meetings and the words to “The Old Rugged Cross” flowed from his pen as he wrote the words to a hymn we all love and cherish.
The full story to this beautiful hymn can be found in Al Smith’s Hymn Histories. Al Smith met George Bennard many years ago and heard the firsthand account of how George wrote “The Old Rugged Cross”.
I just came across another excellent article written about George Bennard. Hope you enjoy it as well as I did.
As a church pianist, I encourage other pianists to read the stories behind the hymns that they play. It will instill a deeper appreciation of the great hymns of faith.
