Four Hymn Trios

Four Hymn Trios for three horns or trumpets arranged by John Jay Hilfiger. Wehr's Music House, 3533 Baxter drive, Winter Park, FL 32792; wehrs-music-house.com. WM #15, 2005, $8.50.

This set of hymns arranged in three parts consists of "Oh, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing," "Lead On, O King Eternal," "We Gather Together," and "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth." These arrangements by Hilfiger are very similar to those described in previous issues of The Horn Call, both in quality (good for middle school/high school levels, shared workload, some stylistic variety) and quantity (1-2 verses with occasional introductions, interludes). The overall range is a little higher to accomodate adaptations to trios of trumpets or clarinets that are also available, though these are trios for like instruments, not mixed, at least so far. These are good and applicable to a few performance circumstances for the same reasons given above, and can easily be expanded if desired by mutual agreement on repetitions, even just individual verses. This is more useful music for younger players. JS

THE HORN CALL, May 2007

Four Hymn Trios arranged for three trombones (euphoniums) by John Jay Hilfiger. Wehr’s Music House. 3533 Baxter Dr., Winter Park, Florida 32792-1704. www.wehrs-music-house.com. WM#353. 4:30. $8.50.

This collection of four short hymn tunes, arranged for three trombones or euphoniums could work quite well as pre-music as a congregation is collectively fumbling for the right page in their hymnals. As any church musician knows, hymns frequently use the same tune with different words; this arrangement has four short (approximately one minute each) hymn tunes in interesting settings, each of which could stand alone. The four tunes, Azmon, Lancashire, Kremser, and Duke Street, are quite common in the English Ecclesiastical tradition, and may be better known for some of the titles of their hymns: “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” or “O for a World;” “Lead On, O King Eternal” or “The Day of Resurrection;” “We Gather Together” or “We Praise You, O God, Our Redeemer, Creator;” “I Know that my Redeemer Lives” or “Fight the Good Fight.” All three parts span two octaves, from F to f1, and are in the friendly keys of B-flat, E-flat, and F major. These could all be successfully performed by advanced high school level musicians.