Tom Fettke has spent more than five decades creating practical choral music for churches and schools, resulting in hundreds of published works and recordings. His compositional legacy includes The Majesty and Glory of Your Name, a standard in choirs worldwide, and he served as creator and senior editor of The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration, which has distributed over three million copies since 1986.
Fettke's career bridges both worlds of music education and church ministry. He taught vocal music in California public schools, directed choirs in churches of all sizes for over 30 years, and held the position of Director of Choral Activities for the Redwood Christian School System. His work on The Celebration Hymnal further cemented his reputation as an innovator in congregational and choral music. He holds degrees from Oakland City College and California State University at Hayward, along with a California Lifetime Music Credential in Secondary Music.
Why we love this
Fettke's arrangement gives this timeless Easter text the accessibility your choir needs without sacrificing depth. The straightforward SATB voicing lets the text shine clearly while the harmonic language remains sophisticated enough to engage singers of varying abilities. You'll find this works equally well in a school choral concert or a church Easter sunrise service.
What to expect
Fettke's setting captures both the jubilation and reverence inherent in this Reformation-era text. The harmonic movement feels grounded and purposeful, allowing singers to project confidence and clarity while the four-part writing creates a unified, ringing sound that feels celebratory without becoming lightweight.
Who it's for
This arrangement serves choirs preparing Easter services, spring concerts, or denominational music festivals. It works equally well for high school choral programs needing accessible yet musically substantial repertoire and church choirs of intermediate ability seeking a fresh take on a beloved hymn text.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the soprano line carefully in the opening phrases; its soaring melody can easily overwhelm the lower voices if not monitored in rehearsal.
Take advantage of the two-page format to mark your cut points clearly. Know whether you're performing the full arrangement or selecting specific sections for your context.
Shape the final cadence with intentional breath placement and dynamic control to let the harmonic resolution land with conviction.
Encourage diction clarity on the repeated text, particularly in any climactic moments where overlapping syllables might muddy the message.
How to use it
Place this as a centerpiece in an Easter concert or as the anchor piece in a spring sacred music showcase. It pairs naturally with both contemporary praise songs and older hymn settings, making it versatile for building a themed program that spans musical styles.
Skills your students will build
Balancing four independent melodic lines within a hymn texture
Sustaining long phrases with proper breath management and line continuity
Articulating text with clarity across full chord sonorities
Understanding harmonic function and how chord progressions support textual meaning
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