Wondrous Praise, Book 2: Favorites from the 1990s: Piano Book

Koerts captures what made 1990s contemporary Christian music resonate in worship contexts: accessible melodies, singable ranges, and genuine emotional depth. These arrangements trust the hymnic quality of the originals while giving pianists substantial material to work with, making them equally rewarding to play alone or as accompaniment to congregational singing.

These arrangements inhabit a thoughtful middle ground between intimate devotion and congregational strength. You'll find rich chord voicings and flowing accompaniment patterns that create the spacious, reflective quality characteristic of 1990s contemporary Christian music, with moments of genuine lift and declaration woven throughout.

Pianists who serve in church worship settings and want substantial arrangements that honor the original melodies while offering musical depth. This collection also suits serious student pianists seeking early advanced repertoire with spiritual resonance and clear harmonic writing.

• Pay attention to the pedal markings; they shape the harmonic color and sustain that defines contemporary worship's atmospheric quality.
• Balance melody and accompaniment so the tune remains visible even when inner voices are active.
• Let the chord progressions breathe. Many of these songs rely on repeated harmonic movements for their meditative effect; resist rushing through them.
• Consider the dynamic arc across each piece. These songs often build toward moments of declaration before returning to intimacy.

Use individual pieces as offertory or communion music during worship services, or program several from this collection to create a thematic set during a contemporary worship evening. These arrangements work well as preludes when you want to establish a meditative atmosphere before congregational singing begins.

• Voicing and reharmonization choices in contemporary harmonic language
• Pedal technique and its role in creating harmonic wash and sustain
• Balance between accompaniment and melody in varied textures
• Expressive performance of repeated harmonic structures
• Fluency with chord progressions common to contemporary Christian music