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Busy times…but still here 🙂 I’d like to share a free patriotic piano arrangement with my church pianist readers. My Country Tis of Thee is a very old hymn. The author of the melody is unknown but the words were written by Samuel Francis Smith.
I had did have good intentions to post this week but it’s just not going to happen 🙁
Hopefully, I will be able to post an article next week sometime amongst my annual spring recital preparations.
Have a wonderful Lord’s Day tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Jenifer
To start with…I will show you a page of hymn arrangement samples containing scales. Scales are used to embellish a melody or simply as a fill-in. In the following examples…both functions are utlizied.
Editor notes for Scale Variations in Hymns
Count Your Blessings (the opening scale is added as extra filler to an introduction)
Jesus Loves Me (the scale creates a nice dress-up for the melody)
Let the Lower Lights Be Burning (this scale creates a nice filler on the syllable “more” and blends into the next two words “But to”)
Editor Notes for final page “Practical Scale Exercises”
When trying to master technical passages in hymn arrangements…I will isolate the passage and master it. Sometimes I create or embellish upon the passage making it more fun to practice. Hope the following scale exercises will stimulate other church pianist’s creativity.
This free piano hymn arrangement of “I Feel Like Travelling On” is geared for the beginning church pianist at an early elementary level.
My piano student featured in this video, is a church pianist who plays by ear but is learning to read music. She’s doing quite well! I’m writing arrangements with her level in mind.
Maybe some of you church pianists can share this with your students or use this free piano hymn arrangement for yourself.
I plan to post part three of scales in hymns by the end of this week.
Some church pianists may not understand where to insert a scale in a hymn.
Scales can be placed in several different places in a hymn. The upcoming article will show the church pianist how to add a scale to the very first measure of a hymn!
Looking forward to sharing the examples with you!
Click on the following titles to see examples of scale passages in hymn arrangements:
Blessed Assurance (two octave scale) arr. by Marilynn Ham
A Child of the King (one octave scale) arr. by Marilynn Ham
Count Your Blessings (mainly one octave scale) arr. by Faye Lopez
There is a Fountain (one octave scale) arr. by Jenifer Cook
Wonderful Peace (1 and 1/2 octave scale) arr. by Jenifer Cook
Where to insert scales when improvising hymns:
(not an exhaustive list)
1. End of a phrase or held word elsewhere (Wonderful Peace, A Child of the King, Count Your Blessings) *Notice how these runs cover the held word plus glide through the next word without really playing the true note…it’s just kind of understood.
2. To dress up the melody (There is a Fountain)
3. Key changes (Blessed Assurance) adds zest!
Application!
Now…it’s time for you as a church pianist to try inserting scales into your hymn playing. It works best to add scales to your solo offertories or when accompanying a vocalist or instrumentalist. Why? Because the tempo is more flexible when working as a soloist or when accompanying another soloist.
Start with a slow hymn; allowing you time to work a scale in at a comfortable speed.
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.
One of my piano students asked me today how long I had taken piano. She was surprised to hear me say…only six (accumulative) years. I had a total of about six different piano teachers in that time frame. I thank the Lord for each one of them.
As I mentioned on my “about” page…the turning point for my hymnplaying occured for me in fifth grade. My piano teacher at the time, showed me how to double the bass in the left hand and add the tenor note to the right hand. (referring to playing from a church hymnal).
In eighth grade, another piano teacher taught me how to improvise hymns by demonstration. I would listen to her play in church and then go home and try to copy what I heard. I loved her style so much that I just worked hard to play like her. I’m so thankful the Lord led her my way.
The Lord called my piano teacher and her husband to another ministry two years later. In 10th grade, the Lord led another wonderful piano teacher my way. She strenghthened me in the area of technique by assigning me classical music. I noticed such a difference! My finger strength increased; allowing me to move through busy note passages with greater ease. The most favorite thing she taught me was how to add runs to hymns. What a difference it can make to add even one “run” toward the end of a hymn. I will have to share some “runs” with you in another article.
I know six years really wasn’t a long time to take piano lessons. But….what made the difference for me was having a reason “to practice”. I was thrust into the position of “church pianist” in fifth grade. Now…that was motivation! I began practicing every choir arrangement I could get my hands on.
I’m sure other church pianists have had similar situations where they had to fill the role of church pianist… and just learn as they went. Keep it up! God will honor your efforts 🙂
