The Best Hymns of All Time
Arranged for strings by Colin Kirkpatrick

Book 2

We?re really excited to present 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 double bass part is 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 59-page PDF file.

Book 2 contains the following twenty popular hymns: A Mighty Fortress is our God (Ein Feste Burg); Awake my Soul (Morning Hymn); All Creatures of our God and King (Lasst uns Erfreuen); All People that on Earth do Dwell (Old Hundredth); Angels we have Heard on High (Gloria); Be thou my Vision (Slane); Come Thou Font of Every Blessing (Nettleton); Eternal Father, Strong to Save (Melita); God moves in a Mysterious Way (London New); Glory to Thee, My God, This Night (Tallis Canon); How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (St. Peter); Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (St. Denio); Onward, Christian Soldiers (St. Gertrude); Let us with a Gladsome Mind (Monkland)
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Beecher); Praise my Soul, the King of Heaven (Lauda Anima); The Day Thou Gavest (St. Clement); The King of Love my Shepherd is (St. Columba); We Plough the Fields and Scatter (Wir pflügen); Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us (Mannheim).

The audio samples include Angels we have Heard on High (Gloria); Be Thou my Vision (Slane) and Onward, Christian Soldiers (St. Gertrude). The music has been set in string-friendly keys so most of them are not compatible with the brass collection of the same name.

Thisnew collection of Thanksgiving and Harvest hymns contains all your favorites,or at least, most of them. It?s probably all you?ll ever need for thanksgivingand harvest festivals and the arrangements can be used for virtually anycombination of stringed instruments. This is an essential title for any stringlibrary or for any string ensembles that are called upon to provide music forschools, Thanksgiving events or churches.

Thearrangements can be used with string quartet, string quintet or string ensembleor performed as solo pieces. There?s also an optional but useful simplifiedkeyboard part intended for less experienced keyboard players. The piano parttoo means that you can use the arrangements as solos, duets or trios. Thesearrangements are intended either as stand-alone pieces that could be used asinterludes in a service, or they could be used to accompany solo, choral orcongregational singing. To make the music accessible to less experienced stringplayers, the range of the notes has been kept fairly low so that many of thearrangements can be played in first position. However, to produce a brighterand richer sound, a few of the more experienced violinists could play an octavehigher. You could also use the arrangements as flute or oboe solo pieces, with thewind instrument playing the 1st violin part. Each hymn has a four-staff scoreand parts are provided for Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello and optional Doublebass. The scores and all the parts are contained in a single PDF file. Becausestring-friendly keys are used, these arrangements are NOT compatible with thosein the wind collection of the same name.

Thefollowing 25 hymns are included: AllCreatures of our God and King (Lasst uns Erfreuen); As the Sun doth Daily Rise(Innocents); All Things Bright and Beautiful (Bright and Beautiful); Bringingin the Sheaves (Sowing in the Morning); Come Ye Thankful People Come (StGeorge?s Windsor); Fair Waved the Golden Corn (Holyrood); Fill your Hearts withJoy and Gladness (Ode to Joy); For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix); For theFruits of His Creation (Ar Hyd y Nos); Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken(Austrian Hymn); Immortal, Invisible (St Denio); Let all Things now Living (AshGrove); Let us with a Gladsome Mind (Monkland); Now Thank we all Our God (Nundanket); Praise and Thanksgiving (Bunessan); Praise God for the Harvest(Stowey); Praise my Soul the King of Heaven (Lauda anima); Praise to the Lordthe Almighty (Lob den herren); Rejoice the Lord is King (Darwall?s 148th);Sing to the Lord of Harvest (Wie lieblich ist der maien); This is my Father?s World(Terra Beata); To thee, O Lord, our Hearts we Raise (Golden Sheaves); We GatherTogether (Kremser); We Plough the Fields and Scatter (Wir pflügen) and PraiseGod from whom all Blessings Flow (Old Hundredth)