Christ, The Solid Rock: Choral Instrumental Pak
By Keith Christopher / By Edward Mote / By William Bradbury
Item: 35-PK00188792
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Description
This anthem was commissioned by Jefferson Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Alan Shoumaker, Minister of Music. A new melody to familiar words and a quote of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" are combined into this anthem of commitment and dedication. Duration: ca. 3:30.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00188792
More about this title
About the Composer: Keith Christopher
Keith Christopher has built a prolific career as a composer and arranger with deep roots in both sacred and secular music. Since 1992, he has received consecutive ASCAP awards for his publications, and his work has earned recognition including a Gold Record for "A Merry Christmas with Brass" and a Dove Award for the choral collection "More Songs for Praise and Worship."
With hundreds of pieces for choir, band, and orchestra currently in print across multiple publishers, Christopher's music reaches ensembles worldwide. He has also produced over a thousand recordings for music publishers and authored the children's book "The First Christmas Night." He lives in the Nashville area with his wife, Tammy.
Why we love this
Christopher's treatment of familiar hymn text with a fresh melody keeps the theology intact while offering your singers something musically engaging to invest in. The integrated quote of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" arrives with musicality rather than arrangement cleverness, giving the piece an organic feel that congregations and concert audiences both respond to with recognition and reverence.
What to expect
Grounded and purposeful. The new melody sits comfortably in a singer's voice while the harmonic language feels familiar enough to settle into quickly. When the "Onward, Christian Soldiers" moment arrives, it lands as affirmation rather than surprise.
Who it's for
Directors programming sacred music for concert or worship settings who want something contemporary in compositional approach but rooted in hymn tradition. Choirs with modest orchestra resources will find this scoring accessible without sacrificing musicality.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the new melody against the "Onward, Christian Soldiers" quotation so that each stands clearly without competing for attention; use dynamic shape and articulation to define which musical idea leads in each phrase.
- Let the orchestration breathe between choral sections; these instrumental moments aren't filler but essential transitions that frame the text and give singers time to reset their focus.
- Shape the commitment and dedication theme through consistent phrasing rather than surface-level dynamics; the piece asks for conviction, which comes from singers understanding why the text matters to them.
How to use it
This works especially well as a centerpiece in a concert exploring how traditional hymn texts can be reharmonized and reimagined for modern choirs. At roughly three and a half minutes, it pairs naturally with contemporary sacred pieces or serves as the anchor text in a thematic program about faith and resolve.
Skills your students will build
- Singing contemporary harmonic language while maintaining hymn-like directness of phrase
- Balancing choral sound against orchestral accompaniment
- Recognizing and interpreting quoted musical material within a new compositional context
- Approaching text with theological awareness and musical conviction