Then Sings My Soul (How Great Thou Art) (arr. Mary McDonald): 2-Part Choral Octavo

Mary McDonald's two-part setting captures the hymn's emotional arc while remaining genuinely accessible to young and developing singers. The voicing never feels cramped; instead, it opens space for the text's declaration of faith to land clearly. Choirs looking for repertoire that works equally well in a spring concert or a worship service will find this arrangement does both without compromise.

There's a quiet confidence in this arrangement; it trusts the melody and text to carry the emotional load. Singing it creates a sense of affirmation and reverence that builds naturally across the page, with moments of gentle harmonization that deepen without overwhelming.

This works for middle school choirs stepping into two-part writing with spiritual depth, high school singers seeking concert repertoire that honors faith traditions, and community or church choirs wanting a fresh take on a beloved hymn. The part writing never patronizes, making it equally valuable for musicians of various ability levels.

• Let the text shape your phrasing rather than forcing symmetrical four-bar gestures. The theological weight shifts throughout, and your singers' awareness of meaning will guide natural breathing points.
• Balance the parts so that neither voice dominates; this is a hymn arrangement, not a solo vehicle. Even in moments where one part carries the melody, both voices matter equally.
• Consider the tempo in relation to your acoustic space. "How Great Thou Art" can settle into a reverent pace in a large sanctuary but may need slightly more forward motion in a drier concert hall to maintain engagement.

Pair this with other sacred arrangements to build a concert section that spans denominations and musical styles, or program it as a season closer that sends singers and audiences home with both joy and contemplation. It also serves well as a concert encore that feels earned rather than obligatory.

• Singing sustained tones with consistent vowel shape across a phrase
• Balancing independent melodic lines while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Interpreting text to inform musical expression and phrasing
• Moving between unison and two-part writing within a single piece