Pure & Simple Worship: Piano Book

This collection pairs 22 beloved contemporary Christian songs with arrangements that sound far more sophisticated than their easy piano designation suggests. Tornquist's harmonic choices give familiar melodies genuine depth, and the inclusion of suggested fingerings, pedal markings, and phrasing guidance makes these pieces immediately playable for worship pianists who need reliable, singable accompaniments without excessive technical demands.

These arrangements strike a balance between simplicity and harmonic richness, with spare textures that never feel thin and thoughtful voicings that honor the emotional content of each song. Playing through the collection feels like discovering a familiar hymnal that's been refreshed for today's worship environment, blending reverence with accessibility.

Church pianists accompanying worship services, piano students exploring contemporary Christian repertoire, and anyone seeking accessible arrangements of songs from respected modern songwriters. Solo pianists preparing recital material will also find these pieces rewarding for building fluency in the contemporary worship idiom.

• Honor the lyrics printed above the staff by allowing them to shape your phrasing and dynamics; treat the piano line as a partner to the text, not as separate instrumental music.
• Follow Tornquist's pedal markings closely, as they're essential to creating the harmonic resonance these arrangements depend on, especially in ballad-style pieces like 'Draw Me Close.'
• Use the suggested fingerings as a starting point, but adjust them based on your hand size and the specific keyboard you'll be playing; nothing in an arrangement is set in stone.
• When accompanying a congregation or worship band, listen for the tempo they're setting and adjust your interpretation accordingly; these arrangements are flexible enough to breathe with the room rather than lock into a single tempo.

Program selections from this collection as interludes or meditative moments during worship services, or use them as warm-up material for pianists preparing to lead congregational singing. The book also works well as a guided repertoire resource for intermediate students studying contemporary sacred music and harmonic approaches to worship songs.

• Interpreting lyrics to shape musical phrasing and dynamics
• Reading and executing pedal markings for textural control
• Playing from suggested fingerings and adapting them to hand size
• Accompanying singing voices while maintaining independence in the accompaniment
• Translating harmonic voicings and rhythmic patterns across multiple pieces in the contemporary worship idiom