This is, literally, my musical diary–notes fresh from my pen and recorded in a few hours. You can find my finished works elsewhere; here, it's all about capturing the moment!
Update 3/16/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
Speaking of Kristen Zoeteway (I was in yesterday’s post), here’s another arrangement I wrote on a day that I knew Kristen was playing at COS. I know she’s always up for a challenge and that she’ll always have a full complement of flutes on hand: flute, piccolo, and alto flute.
In this case we employed the piccolo in the South African song “Sanna, Sannanina.” I tried to imitate an African flute style I’ve heard in which the flute/picc improvises rhythmic lines on top of singing or a band. We used it as a prelude on Palm Sunday with just djembe and piccolo, and it was pretty cool: MP3
Last Sunday was our Lessons & Carols service at Church of the Servant. As we got closer to the date, I decided that we needed a little musical bon bon for the orchestra to play for a prelude. (You know me and my musical bon bons…) So I wrote a descant for flutist Kristen Zoeteway to play on the second verse while the strings accompanied her pizzicato. It’s just a short little thing, but I really liked the way it came out: MP3.
I try to do a little something special each Christmas season here at Church of the Servant, and that often includes writing something new to fit the exact instrumentation we have available for specific services. So, hot of the press is this new arrangement of We Three Kings.
I wrote the original arrangement for choir and piano back in 1994 (I was 6*) and just added string orchestra for my fine players at COS. The great thing about this anthem is that it sounds full and festive, but it’s easy enough to learn in one rehearsal. (I verified that fact last night at choir practice.)
Listen to the quick and dirty demo (MP3) while perusing the score (PDF). If you like it (and I know you will) and use it in your church before the end of this Epiphany, I’ll cut you a special deal on the choral octavo and string parts. I haven’t decided what the deal will be, but I know it will be good.
My son, Theo, drew this during a worship service while “Be Not Afraid” was sung. He was 6 at the time. And yes, he is an exceptionally talented lad.
Even though I spend lots of energy trying to get my own music to discerning ears, I’m humble enough to know that I can’t write all the good songs. One great song that I didn’t write is Bruce Benedict and Ray Mill’s “Come, Holy Ghost/Be Not Afraid.” It has traveled pretty widely in some circles and will be included in the forthcoming Lift Up Your Hearts hymnal. Built on an 8th century Pentecost hymn, I fully expect that this new version will be around for many years to come. Below are all the different arrangements that I and others have written of the song. Feel free to link to other arrangements and recordings in the comment section.
Greg Scheer: SATB choir and piano – I wrote this for the Sunday on which I introduced the song at Church of the Servant. There are aspects of this arrangement that I really like, but it’s probably a bit too much for everyday use.
Greg Scheer: simple(r) piano – Given the fact that COS’s pianists had to patch together a part from the above arrangement, I decided to write a new one that was sturdier and simpler. This is the version that will be used in Lift Up Your Hearts.
Sarah Majorins: strings – Sarah has written a super-tasty string arrangement that I’m itching to try the next time I lead worship with strings. How about a recording, Sarah?
Naaman Wood: piano accompaniment with a strong 2 against 3 feel (and a hint of “Mad World”).
E minor leadsheet – It’s entirely singable in the higher key, and this version also notates the song in 6/8, which makes a lot of sense.
COS Guitarchestra: MP3 – Nothing definitive. I just thought you might want to hear the song.
I’m a song maven. When I find a song I like, I make a point of sharing it with as many people as possible. If the song comes from a pop or global context, the sharing process often includes arranging it so that the pianists in my own church can lead it.
A while back I wrote two piano arrangements (one hard, one easy, plus SATB) of Bruce Benedict’s setting of Psalm 120 (via Isaac Watts), Thou God of Love. I’m pleased to say that Bruce’s song (and my arrangement) ended up in Psalms for All Seasons and the Choral Scholar CD, Cry Out to God.
Recently we sang the song at Church of the Servant on a Sunday that included a string quartet, so I whipped up a string arrangement. It’s simple, but it worked really well.
Update 10/6/20: Sheet music for my arrangement of this song can be downloaded here.
This is one of my favorite hymns. Ever. I found it in the old maroon Presbyterian Hymnbook in my first church position back in Pittsburgh, but have only had the opportunity to use it a few times over the last 20 years.
We sang it a few months ago at COS when Jack preached the “blessed are the peacemakers” part of the Sermon on the Mount, and it is sadly relevant again this weekend in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings.
Update 12/11/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
I don’t know how I forgot to post this earlier, but a few weeks ago I finished a string orchestra arrangement of the hymn tune ST THOMAS, using the text “O Bless the Lord, My Soul.” These hymn tune arrangements give me the opportunity to squeeze as much counterpoint and harmonic variation as I can from an 8 measure tune. It’s both challenging and satisfying, and I was quite happy with how this turned out.
Update 10/2/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.
Here’s a little something I arranged for the October 7 BES Combo service at COS.
Everyone knows “God Is So Good” and everyone hears it in a Black Gospel style (don’t they?), but hymnals only have a boring four-part version. I took it upon myself to right this wrong. Opinions varied on the worship team whether this was just right or so wrong (it’s a fine line). I’ll probably do another draft in the near future, so contact me if you’re thinking of using it; I’ll get you the latest version.
Today’s post swerves from the musical valley of last week’s deacon dance ditty into the higher ground of a majestic orchestral arrangement. Aesthetic whiplash? You betcha.
One Generation is one of my big hits. “Big,” “hit,” and perhaps even “one of” are relative, of course, but it has been published a few times and even sung at weddings, so I count it as my “Freebird.” In any case, there are a few events coming up where they plan to sing One Generation and have large ensembles on hand, so I thought it was time to orchestrate it. I wanted to dress it up so that it felt more majestic than the everyday praise song, so I added a fanfare and splashes of color throughout. Also, knowing that most people won’t have full orchestra, I created multiple options (choir/piano, congregation/strings/piano, etc).
Here’s a rough demo as performed by Finn Alley: MP3. If you want the score and parts, just let me know.
Update 12/11/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
Just a quick post to show how mean I am. When I found out I had two really fine violinists lined up for our Sunday services a few weeks ago, I decided to give them a little challenge. I wrote a descant for the hymn “God Himself Is with Us” so that they could provided counterpoint to the congregation’s a cappella singing on the last verse. It turns out they had to *practice*, which made me feel really bad when I found out about it later…
Eventually, I’ll turn this into a full-fledged orchestral arrangement–perhaps a theme and variations with violin solo. For now, listen to how it sounded in worship: MP3.
