Church Instrumental Ensemble

[Joe Baker]

I know the Baptist Hymnal has accompanying instrumental parts, and I'd bet most other hymnals do, too. I'd contact the publishers of your current hymnal and find out what they may have available.

The instrumentation in the Baptist Hymnal has the melody and harmony on each part, so you can assign the melody to anybody or to nobody (since singers are singing it, you may well prefer that). There's one book for trombones and baritones (three parts on one staff), one for tuba/bass/bari sax, etc.

Too bad you can't teach your sax player to play trumpet -- you'd be off to an outstanding start if you could.
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Joe Baker, who is looking for a new church, and hopes to find one with a good instrumental ensemble of some sort.

[Paul S]

I am trying to get an instrumental ensemble started in our church. I am not having much response, so far only 1 Trombone, 1 French Horn, Alto Sax, 2 Percussionists and myself on Tuba. I guess my question is does anybody know of any books of hymns etc. out there that would allow for flexible instrumentation to accommodate this group and allow us to add parts later as we recruit other players?

Try the "Sounds of Worship" and/or "Sounds of Celebration" series of books arranged by Stan Pethel from Brookfield Press, Hall Leonard et al… These are fairly easy, yet interesting and can be adapted for any instrumentation and number of players. There is a very nice CD available for each book as well with full background orchestration that actually sounds quite nice.

There is a book for each instrument with approx 10-12 songs in each book. Each book also includes both a solo and ensemble part for that particular instrument so that you can, for example, decide to make the tuba the melody (soloist) or the flute or whoever you choose and have available.

As the individual ensemble & solo parts for each instrument are scored across the pages from each other, you can actually have players switch off and into the solo or ensemble parts to make it even more interesting.

I am doing a modern praise-old time classic medley piece on tuba with along a Euphonium player this week from the Sounds of Celebration Book 1 called "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High (with All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name)" where the Euph will play the solo on the Praise song portion and the tuba will break in to the solo on the All Hail the Power" flipping back again to end the piece

We have done songs from these series with groups that at any time might include a trumpet, cornet, flute, bari sax, oboe, french horn, 2 bones, cello and two tubas with well received success. It is also a nice place to grab a quick solo to play when your musical director gets in a pinch and asks for a prelude or offetory music too.


I have seen the series in many music stores but here is some info online too:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.htm ... =wwws-err5

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.htm ... =wwws-err5