Great Things He Has Done: Piano Book & CD

These arrangements succeed because Labenske writes as both a composer and a liturgist. Rather than simply dressing up familiar hymn melodies, he uses harmonic color, rhythmic vitality, and structural variation to deepen the emotional weight of each text. The included CD with Labenske's own interpretations serves as a master class in how to balance reverence with sophistication.

These pieces sit at the intersection of reverence and artistry. Some arrangements unfold with the introspective quality of a personal meditation, while others build with hymn-like directness. Throughout the collection, harmonic sophistication and structural thoughtfulness create performances that feel both genuine and polished.

Pianists with solid classical training who are looking to expand their recital repertoire with meaningful sacred material will find substantial rewards here. Church musicians preparing concert programs or worship accompanists seeking sophisticated alternatives to simpler hymn settings will recognize the craft Labenske brings to each piece.

• Listen through the entire recording before learning the score; Labenske's voicing decisions reveal harmonic surprises that aren't always obvious on the page.
• Attend to the text-painting moments, where rhythmic or harmonic choices underscore specific words. These gestures should land naturally, not feel over-interpreted.
• Approach rubato with restraint in the more contemplative arrangements. The emotional power comes from the harmonic language, not from manipulating tempo.
• Pedal sensitively in pieces with sustained harmonic progressions; clarity matters as much as resonance in these advanced sonorities.

Program individual pieces as pre-service or post-service music for worship settings where the congregation expects substantive musical offerings. These arrangements also work beautifully in a piano recital context, either clustered together as a sacred suite or interspersed among secular works to vary the program's emotional arc. Consider featuring a single arrangement as an interlude piece in a larger choral or instrumental concert.

• Advanced harmonic analysis and voice leading in contemporary sacred music
• Interpretive choices in balancing text-painting with musical coherence
• Pedal technique for sustaining complex harmonic colors without muddying texture
• Sight-reading skills across varied stylistic approaches within a unified genre
• Performance maturity in conveying emotional depth through sophisticated keyboard writing