Update on Free Piano Arrangement of Haven of Rest Medley:

Just put the first two handwritten pages into Finale today….took about 30 minutes.  I have three pages to go 🙂

 

Sorry I haven’t posted much lately but have battled different sicknesses since January and now I have the shingles 🙁

I’m working on an advanced sacred piano solo that will be available for FREE.

Medleys are my favorite piano specials and looking forward to sharing this particular arrangement entitled “Haven of Rest w/ Wonderful Peace”.

The hand-written version is almost complete!

Just wanted to alert my readers that I just posted two new books for sale on my “used music for sale” page.

I have accumulated so many books over the last couple of years and just parting with some of them. I will post a few more for sale soon.

Click on this link to see sample pages of each book

 

I found out today by accident that the melody of “I’d Rather Have Jesus” that I’m  using in my piano solo… is copyrighted.  I always check to make sure hymns are public domain before arranging them and had checked this one out as well.

I verified that the tune and melody were public domain and didn’t click on the music image to view the song and later discovered the tune was different than the one I was arranging.  Guess it’s better to find out BEFORE publishing!

So…I’ve been online with Music Services (provides a variety of ‘a la carte’ services to music publishers – song registration, licensing, royalty collections, royalty accounting) to obtain a “print” license for this arrangement.  This is my first time to deal with a copyrighted work.  I won’t do too many of these for the sake of added expense but will try this with “I’d Rather Have Jesus” since I had already promised it to my readers.

The downside is…there will be a delay in publishing until I get the clearance from Music Services.  I will keep you all posted and sorry for the delay but I want to be above board!

 

I (hope) to publish the advanced sacred piano solo of “I’d Rather Have Jesus” by this Monday, February 2, 2015.

Just thought I’d share a sneak preview of the advanced piano solo I’m working on of “I’d Rather Have Jesus”.

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Just came across a song I had forgotten about… entitled “My Hope is Jesus” by Ron Hamilton.

Ben Everson did a great job singing along with this wonderful choir!  A well written piece…words and music go hand in hand!

I think this song would make an excellent choir piece for Easter…or any time of year for that matter!

 

Done! Finally!  I was extra picky with this collection and hope it’s useful to many church pianists.

I tried to create exciting accompaniments to enhance the congregational singing. Each arrangement contains an introduction as well as a couple verses/choruses worth of accompaniment.  Three of the arrangements even have key changes!

But relax 🙂  The arrangements are written in a lower key than the hymnal (at least two to three half steps lower). We have discovered that the congregation sings out even more when they can  sing in a reasonable key 😉

 

10 Late intermediate to early advanced piano congregational arrangements. (All Hail the Power, Are you Washed, Blessed Assurance, Does Jesus Care, Dwelling in Beulah Land, I Love to Tell the Story, Praise Him! Praise Him!, Rock of Ages, Sweet By and By, Sweet Hour of Prayer) 34 pages

The arrangements in this booklet are in lower keys; making it easier for the average congregation to sing. *Three of the arrangements have key changes!

Each arrangement contains an introduction and at least two verses & choruses…several of the hymns contain three verses worth of accompaniment.

*Special note: The arrangements in this booklet do not support the four-part singing found in most hymnals. *Other suggested uses: vocal solos, violin specials, unison choir specials. **Another special note: These arrangements can not stand alone as piano solos since some of the melody is absent during the piano accompaniment. *Complete audios not included with collections.

I just published an early advanced Christmas piano solo of “Away in a Manger Medley”.

I call this my homespun style….just wrote straight from my heart.  Hope it’s a blessing to you.

 

*CD Giveaway!  Enter below to get a chance to win this CD!

I love finding resources for church pianists!  One of my music composer friends, Mary Lynn Van Gelderen, recently published a  CD of  devotional piano music entitled “I’d Rather Have Jesus“.  Several of the selections are beautifully orchestrated by composer Samuel Joshua.

Hear samples of “I’d Rather Have Jesus CD” HERE

See Mary Lynn Van Gelderen play “Life Again!, ” featured on the CD…written by Mary Lynn and her husband John R. Van Gelderen. Click HERE

Here is a list of each piano solo arrangement (Special note:  Three of the selections are available as choral arrangements only) *All of the printed piano arrangements can be purchased through Gentle Praise.

Life Again!  (choral or free pdf of hymnal version)

I’d Rather Have Jesus (pdf instant download)

No Not One (pdf instant download)

Were You There? (pdf instant download)

Jesus Paid it All (available in the future)

Help Me Win the Lost (choral)

It Is Well (pdf instant download)

The Old Fashioned Way/Whiter Than Snow Medley (coming soon as a free download)

Pentecostal Power (available in the book  “Have Thine Own Way” by Mary Lynn Van Gelderen)

Great is Thy Faithfulness (not available at this time)

Little is Much (pdf instant download)

Have Thine Own Way (available in the book “Have Thine Own Way” by Mary Lynn Van Gelderen)

Knowing Christ (choral)

My Country Tis of Thee (available soon in a new collection by Mary Lynn Van Gelderen and Samuel Joshua)

How to enter contest drawing for FREE CD of I’d Rather Have Jesus:

Copy and paste the link to this article to facebook, twitter (or other social media)… and copy and paste your link with your comment here to validate your posting.

Your name will then be automatically entered in the drawing for a FREE copy of I’d Rather Have Jesus CD. (Please note: comments are moderated but will be posted as soon as I see them throughout the day)

This CD giveaway contest will expire on November 28, 2014 at 8pm EST.  The winner will be contacted via email that same evening and announced in this article.

 **Only available for residents within the continental US

Gentle Praise is an excellent resource for the church pianist!