And Are We Yet Alive?: Choral Instrumental Pak

Purifoy's setting transforms Wesley's beloved text into something that feels both reverent and celebratory. The addition of brass and timpani elevates what could be a straightforward hymn arrangement into an anthem with real architectural presence, making it a smart choice for programs that need substance without excessive technical demands.

The music radiates gratitude and wonder without sentimentality. Brass and timpani give it ceremonial grandeur while the choral writing maintains an intimate connection to Wesley's words about grace and faith.

Any choir seeking a thanksgiving anthem with liturgical weight and concert appeal. This works equally well for experienced volunteer choirs, church music programs, and high school ensembles looking for sacred repertoire that includes brass instrumentation.

• Balance the choir against the brass section carefully during tutti passages; the timpani particularly can overwhelm voices if the ensemble doesn't support the text projection.
• Shape the harmonic movement through phrase breathing rather than tempo manipulation; this text deserves space to breathe between its theological statements.
• Consider the weight of the brass entrance as a moment of revelation in the text, not merely as added volume.

Position this as a centerpiece anthem for a spring or fall program focused on thanksgiving and praise. It pairs naturally with other Wesley texts and provides a substantial closer or anchor piece that audiences remember leaving the concert hall.

• Balancing vocal lines with brass accompaniment
• Sustaining clear text projection in tutti sections
• Responding to harmonic movement and phrase architecture
• Singing with conviction in sacred, celebratory contexts