Special note to my readers:  This advanced sacred piano solo of The Haven of Rest & Wonderful Peace is available in our music store. (It was available for a short time after publication but now for sale in our music store.)

Last week, a church pianist friend of mine who I met through my website was asking if I would write another advanced devotional piano solo.  She couldn’t have asked at a better time since I was wanting to start a new advanced piano arrangement.

I began thinking about The Haven of Rest and tried to think of a song that would go with it. The chorus of “Wonderful Peace” just seemed to flow in thought and rhythm at the end of Haven of Rest chorus.

What a blessing to know as a Christian that…”I’ve anchored my soul in the haven of rest” and now I have “Peace, peace, wonderful peace…coming down from the Father above…”

The Haven of Rest was written (unsurprisingly) by an Irish sailor, Henry Gilmour, who came to America at an early age. (more on Henry’s life)

 Purchase Here

Click below for audio of this free vocal arrangment:

The Haven of Rest (part one two three)

Click here to print copy of music:  Haven_ of _Rest _Vocal_ arrangement_part_three

The Haven of Rest (part three)

 The Haven of Rest is such a comforting hymn.  Part two of this vocal arrangement contains the first part of  the chorus. 

(It would be beneficial to print the music (both pages) so you can see it as I describe the piano accompaniment.)

Special note: I forgot to include the last word and notes on page one.

I have included page one (part one) again with the correction…as well as page two (part two).

Click here to print: The Haven of Rest part one and two

Description of the piano accompaniment for page two:

The chorus reveals the result of salvation…the sweet assurance that comes from asking Jesus to be your Saviour.

The beginning of the chorus begins with an upward movement in the right hand on the word “I’ve”…to portray an overwhelming sense of joy as the lost soul accepts Christ as their Saviour.

Then…a full chord in the right hand on the word “anchored” to depict a steadfast, secure sound.

Notice the upward sweep of sixteenth notes in measure___for a vivid picture of the word “sail”.

Part three will start with a troubled tone…”The tempest may sweep o’er the wild stormy deep–In Jesus, I’m safe evermore.”

 I can’t wait to share this contrast in part three of “The Haven of Rest”.

It’s fun making the old hymns come to life with descriptive accompaniment.

“The Haven of Rest” is one of my favorite hymns. I usually hear this hymn performed as a vocal solo.

As a pianist, we must learn to make the text come to life by animated accompaniment…making the message even more real and meaningful.

The first verse begins with a troubled scene of a lost soul but ends with the rescue by the Saviour!

So…we begin with a mood of turmoil. I use an up and down pattern in the right hand to depict the boistrous waves of the sea.

Then…the waves suddenly grow calm…when I hear the sweet voice of my Saviour. ( Notice the movement lessens in the accompaniment.)

I just want to keep going and explain the next part of the accompaniment because the mood of happiness increases… creating a cascading wave of crescendo as Jesus floods the ‘saved’ soul with unexplainable peace!

You’ll have to wait…part two will reveal this joyous picture of salvation.

Click here for Haven of Rest (piano accompaniment~~~part one)