Oh How He Loves You And Me (with "Jesus, Lover Of My Soul"): SSA Choral Octavo

Purifoy's pairing of these two spiritually aligned pieces creates a meditation on divine love that unfolds naturally across the arc of the arrangement. The SSA voicing opens this material to a wider range of choirs, and the seven pages move with purpose rather than overstaying their welcome.

The piece inhabits a space of quiet reverence and intimate confession. Layers of harmony create warmth and depth, while the integration of two related melodies suggests a conversation between contemporary expression and timeless faith.

This arrangement serves choirs with stable alto sections and at least some soprano range flexibility. It works equally well in school, church, and community settings where singers want to engage with meaningful sacred texts without steep technical demands.

• Attend carefully to the harmonic blend where "Jesus, Lover Of My Soul" enters; the transition works best when the underlying choral sound remains unified even as the textural layers build.
• Let the soloists (if used) sing with intimate conviction rather than projecting broadly; the emotional weight of these texts asks for vulnerability.
• Shape phrases through dynamic contour rather than sudden dynamic markings; singers respond well to the natural swell of text and melody.

Consider this for a spring or Easter service where you want something reflective between more energetic pieces. It also serves well as a closing anthem or as part of a larger sacred music program that moves through different theological themes.

• Blending multi-part harmony in SSA voicing
• Singing sustained, legit tones across emotional text
• Managing two distinct melodic lines and how they interact harmonically
• Phrasing lyrical, text-driven music with appropriate dynamic shape