Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Hymn Book 3: Piano
By Willard A. Palmer, Morton Manus, and Amanda Vick Lethco
Level: 3
Item: 00-PB-0002579
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Description
The 22 well-known hymns presented in this book will provide enjoyable material that will reinforce each new principle and concept introduced in the Level 3 Lesson Book of Alfred's Basic Piano Library. For those who are particularly motivated by sacred music, this book should provide many hours of musical enjoyment that will result in improvement in the performance of music of all types. Titles: Almost Persuaded * Blessed Assurance * Break Thou the Bread of Life * God Will Take Care of You * Holy God, We Praise Thy Name * I Am Resolved * In the Sweet By and By * Jesus Is All the World to Me * Jesus Shall Reign * The Little Brown Church * More Love to Thee * My Faith Looks Up to Thee * Near the Cross * Onward, Christian Soldiers * Praise to the Lord, the Almighty * Softly and Tenderly * Stand Up! Stand Up for Jesus * The Wayfaring Stranger * We Gather Together * What a Friend * What Wondrous Love * When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred's Basic Piano Library
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
32
SKU:
00-PB-0002579
More about this title
About the Composer: Willard A. Palmer
Dr. Willard A. Palmer shaped music education across multiple instruments through prolific composition and pedagogical innovation. His output of 789 published works spans accordion methods, piano curricula, guitar instruction books, and choral pieces, many translated into German, Japanese, French, Dutch, and Spanish. Palmer began as a child prodigy performing piano on radio at thirteen, studied at the Leipzig Conservatory on scholarship, and later joined the University of Houston faculty where he taught the first successful college accordion courses for eighteen years.
Beyond his compositional reach, Palmer earned recognition as a leading authority on Baroque music ornamentation, research that became foundational to the acclaimed Alfred Masterworks series. His scholarly rigor and pedagogical vision were honored with a Doctor of Humanities degree in 1971 and a Doctor of Music degree in 1983. For decades, Palmer served as director of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute and maintained his connection to sacred music as choir director of Memorial Lutheran Church in Houston.
Why we love this
Palmer and his colleagues crafted this collection specifically to reinforce Level 3 concepts without asking students to learn unfamiliar material. Each hymn sits at the intersection of familiarity and technique building, so students encounter music they may already know from church or family while practicing hand position, interval reading, and pedal work. For studios where sacred repertoire holds cultural or spiritual weight, this book delivers genuine musical substance rather than simplified arrangements that feel hollow.
What to expect
These arrangements carry the warmth of familiar hymn melodies without pretense. They sit comfortably under the hand while offering enough harmonic richness to feel substantial, creating the rewarding sensation of playing "real music" rather than etudes.
Who it's for
Level 3 piano students in the Alfred's Basic system who are ready to apply newly learned concepts to recognizable repertoire. This collection serves equally well students motivated by sacred music or those whose families and communities emphasize hymn singing.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melody line clearly when hymns move between hands; resist the temptation to rush through inner voices just to keep the left hand moving steadily.
- Pay attention to phrase breathing. Hymns have natural hymn text rhythms built into them; honor the line structure even at the instrument.
- If a hymn feels overly familiar, work on dynamic shaping and tonal color rather than playing it straight. Familiarity is not permission for careless execution.
- Approach the pedal with intention. Level 3 students are refining pedal control; change with the harmony rather than holding it throughout entire phrases.
How to use it
Integrate hymns throughout the lesson year as reinforcement material rather than assigning them all at once. A single hymn every few weeks aligns new technical skills with immediate musical application. Students preparing for community performances, church recitals, or family events will find ready material here that carries both musical and personal meaning.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing simple four-part harmony
- Sustaining even hand independence across both staves
- Identifying and playing phrases with consistent phrasing
- Applying beginning pedal technique to extended passages
- Interpreting familiar melodic material with dynamic variation
- Building sight-reading fluency across 22 pieces with consistent harmonic language