A Mother's Hymn - How Great Thou Art: B-flat Tenor Saxophone
How Great Thou Art
Arranged by Robert W. Smith
Grade: 3
Item: 98-PC-RWS2028_TX1
$3.99
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Description
Simple, poignant and beautiful, A Mother's Hymn by Robert W. Smith is an artistic experience for both band and audience. Based on an old Swedish melody also known as "How Great Thou Art," this setting is appropriate for any concert or festival performance. An instant standard in the concert band repertoire.
Original Item#: RWS-2028-00
Original Item#: RWS-2028-00
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Additional Details
Series:
RWS - Concert Band
Publisher:
RWS Music Company
SKU:
98-PC-RWS2028_TX1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Robert W. Smith
Robert W. Smith has established himself as a leading voice in American concert band and orchestral composition, with over 400 published works that reach musicians and audiences worldwide. His education includes a Bachelor of Music Education from Troy State University and a Master of Music from the University of Miami. Smith's symphonies, including The Divine Comedy and The Odyssey, have resonated across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, while works like The Tempest have become foundational repertoire for developing ensembles.
Beyond the concert hall, Smith's compositions have appeared on major television broadcasts and at significant national events, from presidential ceremonies in Japan to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Olympic Games. His work as both conductor and clinician has taken him across the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and throughout Europe, where he continues to shape the concert band and orchestral landscape.
Why we love this
Smith's treatment of this Swedish hymn melody captures something rare: a setting that sounds effortlessly elegant without demanding virtuosity from your musicians. The Grade 3 scoring ensures accessibility across developing programs, yet the arrangement carries genuine emotional weight and concert-hall dignity. Your audience will recognize the beauty of the tune immediately, and your band will gain experience with hymn-based literature that rewards expressive, thoughtful playing.
What to expect
The arrangement unfolds with quiet reverence, rooted in the hymn tune most know by its English lyrics. Smith's scoring preserves the meditative quality of the original while adding subtle harmonic warmth through the concert band voices. The piece feels like a moment of reflection in any program, neither rushed nor sentimental, but genuinely moving.
Who it's for
Directors seeking accessible repertoire with genuine artistic substance will find this arrangement essential for any concert program. It fits naturally into the library of Grade 3 bands that are ready to move beyond march-dominated programming while maintaining musical confidence. Programs built around hymn texts, memorial concerts, or festivals celebrating classical religious music all have a place for this setting.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the phrasing as you would a vocal hymn, allowing phrases to breathe naturally rather than pushing straight through. The melody needs space to resonate.
- Balance the accompaniment voices so the main tune stands out clearly. In a Grade 3 setting, clarity of line often matters more than textural density.
- Take the conductor's tempo as a guide, not a constraint. A slightly broader tempo gives the piece room to sing and lets your audience absorb the melodic beauty.
- Pay attention to dynamics marked in the score. Hymn settings depend on subtle contrast to build emotional shape across the full arc.
How to use it
A Mother's Hymn works beautifully as a bridge between concert openers and more substantial works, offering your audience a moment of calm and connection. It also serves concert programming built around memorial services, graduation ceremonies, or thematic concerts exploring classical hymn literature. Festival competition programs often include a hymn setting as a way to demonstrate musical maturity and expressive control before moving into more technically demanding selections.
Skills your students will build
- Phrasing and breath control aligned to melodic shape
- Balance and blend within hymn harmony
- Expressive tone production with economic technique
- Reading four-part concert band scores with clarity of line