During the years I served as church-organist, I was constantly searching for organ music to play at services. I subscribed to several organ journals that published quarterly volumes of hymn-arrangements that provided some nice arrangements of pieces appropriate for the liturgical calendar. Over the years, I realized that I had a very strong affinity for many early American folk-hymns whose arrangements I encountered. At that time, I made a note that I would like to, in the future, identify and record the favorites of ones I previously performed.
Several years ago (actually, November, 2012), I unpacked all of my organ literature stored in my hall-closet and scoured all of the volumes to find the folk-hymn pieces I had most liked. At that time, I made note of each piece to record. Earlier this year, after finishing my 4th of July (Stars and Stripes Forever) project, I decided to finally begin this project — to record all of my favorite early American folk hymns arranged for pipe-organ. My goal was to finish this project well before Thanksgiving to allow me sufficient time for this year’s Christmas project. I have done that.
The organ I used is a multi-historical-period pipe-organ-instrument, living in my computer and composed of organ audio-samples from Baroque, Renaissance, Classical, and Modern-Period organs that are part of Garritan’s Classical Organ product. Additionally, I used a few pipe-organ programs from my Kurzweil PC3K8.
This turned out to be the largest project that I have done since the multi-year Nutcracker. The twenty-three arrangements are fifty-three+ minutes of music. The tunes range from very soft to very loud and very slow to quite lively. I have allowed both very soft and very loud sections to remain unaltered — without making soft louder and loud softer. Respectfully, if the volume hurts your ears or you can’t hear it — please use your volume knob (veiled attempt at humor).
I hope you enjoy listening, maybe a little bit at a time…
| Title | mp3 Audio | Loud |
Composer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come O Thou Traveler Unknown | Traditional Scottish Folk Tune. Arr, James Mansfield. | ||
| Beach Spring | Sacred Harp, Philadelphia, 1844 | ||
| Land Of Rest | Appalachian Tune. Arr. Wilbur Held. | ||
| Foundation | |
Arr. Wilbur Held | |
| Simple Gifts | Shaker Tune. Arr. Wilbur Held. | ||
| Detroit | |
Sacred Harp. Arr. Wilbur Held. | |
| Wedlock | Sacred Harp. Arr. Wilbur Held. | ||
| Kedron | |
William Walker, Southern Harmony, 1835. Arr. Wilbur Held. | |
| My Soul Forsakes Her Vain Delight | (Leander). Arr. Gardner Reed. | ||
| Thou Man Of Grief, Remember Me | Arr. Gardner Reed | ||
| David The King Was Greatly Grieved And Moved | (David’s Lamentation). Arr. Gardner Reed. | ||
| On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand | |
(The Promised Land). Arr. Gardner Reed. | |
| Alas, And Did My Savior Bleed? | Arr. Gardner Reed | ||
| Fight On, My Soul | |
Arr. Gardner Reed | |
| Do Not I Love Thee, O My Lord? | Arr. Gardner Reed | ||
| Once More, My Soul The Rising Day | |
(Consolation). Arr. Gardner Reed. | |
| My Comfort By Day, My Song In The Night | From Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, 1813. Arr. Gilbert M. Martin. | ||
| What Wondrous Love? (Version 1) | Sarah Douglas, Southern Harmony | ||
| What Wondrous Love? (Version 2) | Southern Harmony | ||
| What Wondrous Love? (Version 3) | Southern Harmony | ||
| Saints Bound For Heaven | |
E.J. King and William Walker (1809-1874) | |
| Interlude On Resignation | Southern Harmony | ||
| Sing To The Lord | |
(Dunlap’s Creek). Freeman Lewis. |
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