NEW MUSIC FOR CHURCH ORCHESTRAS – Part 1

Over the past few years, I have been working with the media department of 1st Baptist Church, Dallas, creating music for their specific needs. This involved writing several short film scores, music for their radio and television broadcasts, and orchestral music for the church’s fountain.

Wait. Did you say music for a fountain???    I did indeed.

As part of their recent rebuilding campaign, FBC Dallas constructed an absolutely gorgeous outdoor fountain on the plaza of their campus facing N. St. Paul Street in downtown Dallas. The church’s media department commissioned four orchestra recordings of well-known hymns to which the fountain’s water features could be programmed to operate. The result is really quite terrific (What is it about moving water that is so captivating to the eye???).

Each of the arrangements is about 2 ½ minutes long. Combined, they create a 10-minute program that plays at specific times on the church plaza. The arrangements fit the setting and the scale of the fountain – symphonic and fairly grand.

When finished, it dawned on me these arrangements might be of use to other church orchestras. At 2 ½ minutes each, they are ideal for calls-to-worship, offertories, and orchestra features. Each is a classic hymn, with lyrics so familiar the words will leap to people’s hearts. And now, these four arrangements are part of the initial offering of Robert Matthew Sterling Music (RMS) launching on June 10th.

The four hymns are: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (Diadem); Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing; Holy, Holy, Holy; Crown Him With Many Crowns.

Click here to give them a listen.

They are scored for traditional symphonic orchestra: woodwinds, brass, percussion, harp & strings. I have provided supplemental parts for bass clarinet, alto & tenor sax, optional piano, and a keyboard string reduction for those who need them.

For you church orchestra directors, I hope you like these new arrangements, and I trust they can be of service to you and your orchestra. Thanks for listening!

RMS Music is coming soon! Sign up below to receive a special discount on launch day–June 10th!