Playing Hymns: How I arranged, “Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart.”
Photo: Jeunesses Musicales International Youth Choir
Once a month I play the piano for a local church. I enjoy arranging the hymns, collaborating with the other musicians, and worshipping with the congregation in song. Arranging hymns is something I’ve done intuitively through my piano practice time at home. Since the age of eleven, I was incorporating the things I was learning in Classical literature, as well as what I listened to on the radio, and applying it to my hymn arranging.
Here are 8 things that you can also do when preparing to accompany congregational singing.
- Ask yourself, “What Key is the song in?”
The key signature can be figured out as follows:
For sharps, they go in this order: Frank Can Go Down And Eat Breakfast or, Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Bread. The first letter of each word is the name of the sharp.
The order of sharps is: F# C# G# D# A# E# B#. If it has sharps, usually 1, 2, or 3 sharps, then go to the last sharp and go up a ½ step. This is the key that you’re in. For example, if there is one sharp, F#, then go up ½ step, and you’re in the key of G Major, which has only one sharp. If there are two sharps, F# and C#, then go up ½ step from C# and you get the key of D Major.
For flats, the order is: Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb Fb or BEAD Go Call Frank. The rule for flats is to go to the second to the last flat, and that is the Major key that you’re in. For example, if there are two flats, Bb and Eb, go to the second to the last flat, which is Bb, and that is the key you’re in. If there are 3 flats, Bb Eb and Ab, then you’re in the key of Eb Major.
For minor keys, first figure out the Major key, then go down a minor 3rd, or a whole step, plus a half step. For example, in the key of C Major, no sharps and no flats, going down a minor third is the note A. Thus, A minor is the relative minor key.
The easy way to figure out the key of a song, typically, is to look at the ending note. The ending note is typically the key that the song is in, but not always.
Look up the Circle of Fifths, print it out. This will be your handy dandy sheet to quickly figure out your key signatures.
Eventually, you will want to practice going around the Circle of Fifth’s or Circle 5 as Contemporary pianists call it. This will help you with modulations in transposing from one key to another.
2. Practice your scales, cadences, and arpeggios in the key that the hymn is written in.
I go through a series of 4 octaves in: octaves, thirds, sixths, and tenths in parallel and contrary motion. This usually takes me about 10 minutes.
3. Label the Chord letters and Roman numerals.
See my example at the end of this article.
4. Plan Ahead.
Write down a few words to remind yourself what to do for each verse. This reminds me of what to play for each verse. For example, for the passing tones, this means that I will play notes in between the bass or melody notes as they move naturally in their respective lines. For 8va, this means that I will play both my Right and Left hands one octave higher. Making these changes adds variety to the sound. Here is what I wrote for this particular hymn:
Verse 1: As written: Play the notes as they read on the page.
Verse 2: Passing tones: Add notes in between the bass and melody lines.
Verse 3: 8va: Play both hands one octave higher.
Verse 4: As written: Play the notes as they read on the page.
Verse 5: Arpeggios: Play broken chords in the Right-Hand Melody.
Verse 6: Baroque: Play in an ornate style, within the parameters of the Baroque Period, like Johann Sebastian Bach.
5. Write in phrase marks.
This is when the singers will take a breath naturally, usually in two-bar phrases, but not always. Sometimes they are in 4 bar phrases. It helps a lot to know the shape of a phrase. For example, you never want to accent the pick-up note to the hymn. Instead, emphasize the down beat, which is the strongest beat of the measure. In 4/4 time, the first beat is the strongest, and the 3rd beat next strongest. The second and fourth beats are weaker beats. So, don’t emphasize the weaker beats when playing. In ¾ time, only the first beat is the strongest.
6. Cross out notes that don’t make sense.
Many times, the distance between the notes in the left hand will be too far apart to reach comfortably, so I cross off the top note in the left hand and draw that note into the right hand, which fits nicely into the right hand.
7. Emphasize the bass line and the melody line.
The middle notes are nice for harmony, but not essential for congregational singing. As long you can play the bass line and the melody line, then you’re good to go. Once those are solid, then add in the middle, harmony notes. But don’t stress if you aren’t able to play every single note written on the page. In fact, I purposely do not play every single note written because many notes are repeated in the lines, and duplicated in both hands. It’s overkill. Keep it simple.
8. Practice makes perfect.
Practice the hymn slowly at first, making sure that you are playing your notes correctly with the right phrasing. Then, gradually speed it up to a tempo that you can sing with comfortably. (not too fast or too slow)
Once you’ve done these 8 things, you’ll be more ready to accompany your church with their congregational singing. I’ve found that by actually accompanying others in song, whether I feel confident or not, has made me a better pianist.
In congregational singing, this is a sweet experience. It’s a time of worship, in the Holy Spirit, together with people from all races, tongues and languages, in song to God, the creator of heaven and earth.
In the movie, “Chariots of Fire,” Eric Liddell told his sister, Jenny, “When I run, I feel His pleasure.” I feel the same way when I accompany church services. When I play the piano, I feel God’s Holy Spirit affirming my playing.
I hope that this article has encouraged you to try new ways of arranging hymns. Here are some interesting hymn arrangements to get you started in this hymn arranging journey. https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/search?Ntt=grace+joy+reid
Remember that it not only takes finger memory, but also an analysis of the chords, as well as writing in notes, in pencil, to help you in your congregational singing and playing.
My chord analysis of Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart:
