By Joseph M. Martin / As performed by William Croft
Item: 35-DS02124904
Digital Download
$2.75
Minimum order quantity: 10 copies
Please note: Under U.S. copyright law, you must purchase the exact number of copies needed for your ensemble. Printing, duplicating or sharing additional copies is strictly prohibited.
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Description
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Joseph M. Martin holds degrees in piano performance from Furman University and the University of Texas at Austin, where he also taught in the Piano Pedagogy Department for five years. His career as a concert pianist has taken him across the United States and Mexico, including performances with the Guadalajara Symphony Orchestra following his win of the Nina Plant Wideman Competition, and a nationally broadcast recital from Ex-convento del Carman.
In recent decades, Martin has redirected his artistic energy toward church music and conference work, composing and arranging extensively for worship settings. His output spans an impressive range of venues, from Carnegie Hall to regional theaters to countless congregations across North America. He resides in Austin, Texas with his family.
Why we love this
Martin's setting draws on the hymn tune by William Croft while infusing it with contemporary harmonic language and structural interest that keeps singers engaged throughout. The piece works equally well for a Sunday anthem slot or a sacred concert program, offering enough musical substance to satisfy a trained choir without demanding excessive rehearsal time. The writing balances accessibility with genuine artistry, giving singers something meaningful to express and audiences something genuinely worth hearing.
What to expect
A setting that honors its hymn tune foundation while opening new harmonic and emotional possibilities. The piece invites singers into genuine reverence without saccharine gestures, blending tradition with musical craft that feels contemporary without being trendy.
Who it's for
Intermediate to advanced SATB choirs seeking repertoire with genuine musical depth and liturgical integrity. This works for church choirs of varying experience levels, auditioned ensembles, and collegiate or high school choral programs that value sacred music.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the four voices carefully in the opening phrases; the alto line often carries important harmonic color that can disappear if the sopranos dominate.
Shape the piece toward its emotional center rather than treating it as a series of sectional blocks. Let the text naturally guide your phrasing decisions.
Pay attention to any divisi moments. Clean, supported tone from each section will clarify the harmonic intent Martin established.
How to use it
Include this in a sacred concert program alongside other settings of praise texts, or feature it as a substantive anthem during a worship service focused on thanksgiving and adoration. Its 12 pages suggest a work with enough development to anchor a concert program or to serve as a centerpiece within a themed service.
Skills your students will build
Balancing four independent melodic lines while maintaining harmonic cohesion
Interpretive phrasing of liturgical text with musical intention
Sustaining vocal tone quality across longer phrase structures
Reading and executing divisi passages with clarity and precision
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