I played cello for more than a decade before singing in a choir. Another canon of music emerged when I joined the USC University Chorus to complete the performance requirement for my music minor in 2015. I took a choral arranging course from composer Morten Lauridsen to gain context. My composing and arranging style evolved to take inspiration from a broader set of sources. I continued on to join the choir at First Presbyterian Church of Portland (FPC), where I have sung bass for nearly eight years now.

Church choirs often sing three hymns and three choral pieces every week. Even with some repetition, this offers exposure to a monumental collection of music. Most pieces are learned and performed within a few weeks. Over several years, however, many pieces and their source tunes become deeply engrained. Hymns typically consist of a text paired with a tune, with some ability to mix and match pairings in the same meter. The hymn tunes also take on new life through choral and instrumental settings (sometimes with typical hymn-form text pairings).

In the past eighteen months, I’ve had my most prolific period of arranging to date. The Cello Expressions Sheet Music Library has grown to nearly 150 pieces, largely through the addition of more than 25 hymn tune arrangements. This post provides insights into my process, the specifics of each piece, and some of my favorite hymn tune adaptations for cellos.

Beginnings

I published my first hymn tune arrangement in mid-2017. Tallis’ Canon (recording above) had been used as a closing hymn during choir rehearsals for several months, and lends itself to a simple progressive (description below) arrangement for cello ensemble. My adapted version for cello duet also precedes the bulk of the new hymn tunes in the library.

While I continued to be exposed to a wide range of sacred choral music, I wasn’t compelled to arrange much of it for cellos for several years. The next hymn tune in the library is Aurelia. Early in the 2020 pandemic, I took out an old family hymnal (more info below) and began to work on my piano skills. Amongst my slow progress, this hymn tune stuck and I committed its four-part piano form to memory. It was only a matter of time before I translated it into another progressive cello arrangement.

Progression & Development

In fall of 2022, the hymn tune FOUNDATION was relentlessly persistent (internally) during a few walks on the beach at the Oregon coast. I wrote out a couple of the developed ideas and quickly finished an arrangement for cello ensemble with verses in canon and a traditional four-part harmony.

Within a few months, I revisited the old hymnal and found hymn tune arrangement ideas developing rapidly. Tunes from other sources also flowed in. I developed arrangement ideas, from individual figures and verses to formal structures, internally and at the piano. (In some cases, this produced a frustrating effort to locate the tune name and source, delaying the transition from compositional development to written production).

As each hymn tune arrangement concept matured, I started writing out parts. Most flowed quickly from initial written notes to a complete, published arrangement. Once the floodgates opened, I’ve only gone a couple of months between publishing hymn tune arrangements. Some are completed in parallel; most recently, I wrote four within a week (DUNDEE, REST, DIX, EASTER HYMN). Final publication spreads back out as I catch up with sample recordings.

Hymn Tune Matrix

This table details all of the hymn tune arrangements in the Cello Expressions Sheet Music Library as of May 2024 [last updated: November 2024]. Tune name links go to reference pages on hymnary.org; orchestration links point to the arrangements in my library. Unlinked orchestrations are available on request.

Tune Name	Common Text(s) and Other Names	Source(s) Referenced	Orchestration	Structure	Key	Style
AURELIA	The Church’s One Foundation, misc.	1914 Hymnal (#15, #130)	(4) Cello Choir	B-C-D-A-A	Eb Major	Classical, Progressive
AZMON	O For a Thousand Tongues to See	1914 Hymnal (#213), Southern Harmony	(4) Cello Ensemble	A-B-C-D-E-F-F’-F”-G-E’-A’	D Major	Theme & Variations
BEACH SPRING	Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service; Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy; May the Grace of Christ Our Savior; misc.	The Sacred Harp (1844), #81a	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir w/ Piano	B-C-D-B	D Major	Arpeggiated Ostinato, Contemplative
BROTHER JAMES’ AIR	The Lord’s My Shepherd; How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place; misc.		(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir	i-B-C-D-E	D Major	Meditative
CRANHAM	In the Bleak Midwinter	The English Hymnal (#25)	(3) Cello Trio	B-C-D-B	F Major	Meditative, Arpeggiated Ostinato
CRUICIFER	Lift High the Cross	Hymns Ancient and Modern (1916)	(4) Cello Choir	AB-AC-AD-AE-A’	G Major	March
DEO GRACIAS	O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High; O wondrous type! O vision fair	The English Hymnal (#249)	(4) Cello Ensemble	B-B’-C-C’-D-D’-A-A’-E	D Minor	Contrapuntal, Repetitive
DIX	For the Beauty of the Earth, As With Gladness Men of Old	1914 Hymnal (#39, #78)	(4) Cello Ensemble	A-B-A-C-A	D Major	Rondo
DOWN AMPNEY	Come Down, O Love Divine	The English Hymnal (#152)	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir w/ Piano	B-C-D-A	D/G Major	Arpeggiated Ostinato
DUNDEE	FRENCH; I to the Hills Will Lift My Eyes; O God, in a Mysterious Way	1914 Hymnal (#34, 122)	(4) Cello Quartet	BY-B’Y’-CW-C’W’-AZA’-A”	G Major	Syncopated, Arpeggiated
Matrix: E-H EASTER HYMN	Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Jesus Christ is Risen Today	GTG-2013 (#232)	Trumpet and Cello Ensemble (4)	B-C-D-A-A’	C Major	March
EVENTIDE	Abide With Me	1914 Hymnal (#9)	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir w/ Piano	i-B-C-A-C’-B’	D Major	Arpeggiated Ostinato
FOUNDATION	How Firm a Foundation	GTG-2013 (#463), Southern Harmony	(4) Cello Ensemble	i-B-C-X(2)-X(4)-A-A	G Major	American Traditional, Contrapuntal, Folk/Dance
HELMSLEY	Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending	The English Hymnal (#7)	(4) Cello Ensemble	B-C-A-D-B	D Major	Contrapuntal
HENDON	Take My Life and Let it Be	1914 Hymnal (#313)	(4) Cello Choir	A-B-A-C-A-D-A	C Major	March, Rondo
HOLY MANNA	Brethren, We Have Met to Worship; misc.	Columbian Harmony	(4) Cello Quartet	B-C-D-E-X(2)-F-G	G Major / C Major	American Traditional, Contrapuntal, Folk/Dance
HURSLEY	Sun of My Soul, Thou Savior Dear	1914 Hymnal (#5)	(4) Cello Quartet	B-A-C-A-D-A-E-A-B’	C Major	Rondo, Waltz
HYFRYDOL	Love Divine, All Loves Excelling; Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus; misc.	The English Hymnal (#301, 563)	(4) Cello Quartet	i-B-C-D-A	C Major	Contrapuntal
HYMN TO JOY	Ode to Joy, Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee	GTG-2013 (#611)	(4) Cello Ensemble	B-C-D-E-i-A	G Major	Classical
Matrix: K-O KINGSFOLD	I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say; O Sing a Song of Bethlehem; misc.	The English Hymnal (#574)	(4) Cello Ensemble	B-C-D-A-E-F-G-A’	E Minor	Theme & Variations
LAUDES DOMINI	When Morning Gilds the Skies	1914 Hymnal (#67)	(4) Cello Ensemble	i-C-B-A-B’	C Major	Ephemeral
MADRID (SEVILLE)	SPANISH HYMN; Come, Christians Joint to Sing; Carmen Ohio	GTG-2013 (#267), 1914 Hymnal (#308)	(4) Cello Ensemble	A-B-C-A	D Major	March
MATERNA	O Mother Dear, Jerusalem; America the Beautiful (O Beautiful for Spacious Skies)	1914 Hymnal (#355)	(4) Cello Ensemble	B-C-i-D-A	F Major	Arpeggiated Ostinato
MELITA	Navy Hymn; Eternal Father, Strong to Save	GTG-2013 (#8)	(4) Cello Quartet	B-C-D-A	C Major	Contemplative
NETTLETON	Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing	1914 Hymnal (#314)	(4) Cello Ensemble	A-B-C-D-E-A	Bb Major	Theme & Variations
AMAZING GRACE (NEW BRITAIN)	Amazing Grace	GTG-2013 (#649), Southern Harmony	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir w/ Cello, Solo Cello, SATB Choir	B-C-D-E-F-X(4)-A-A	G Major (C Major)	American Traditional, Technically Varied
NICAEA	Holy, Holy, Holy	1914 Hymnal (#33)	(4) Cello Ensemble	A-B-C-A	G Major	Classical
O WALY WALY	The Water is Wide, misc.	Contemporary Choral Arranging (Ostrander, 1986)	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir	B-C-D-E	D Major	Classical, Progressive
Matrix: P-Z PATMOS	Take My Life and Let it Be	1914 Hymnal (#152)	(4) Cello Ensemble	B-C-D-D’-E-E’-A-A’-F-G-D”-C’	D Major (G Major)	Theme & Variations, Folk/Dance
PICARDY	Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence	The English Hymnal (#318)	(4) Cello Quartet	B-C-D-A-A’-A”	D Minor	Meditative
PLEADING SAVIOR	For The Life That You Have Given; Heavenly Father, Send Thy Blessing; misc.	The English Hymnal (#593)	(4) Cello Quartet, SATB Choir	B-C-D-A-B’	F Major	Contrapuntal, American Traditional
RESIGNATION	My Shepherd Will Supply My Need	GTG-2013 (#803), Southern Harmony	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir	B-C-A-B	C Major	Ephemeral
REST	WHITTIER, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind	1914 Hymnal (#334)	(4) Cello Ensemble, SATB Choir	A-A’-A”-B-A”’	G Major	Meditative
RESTORATION (ARISE)	Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy	Southern Harmony	(4) Cello Quartet	B-C-X(2/4)-D-E-F-F	A Minor	American Traditional, Folk/Dance
SALVE FESTA DIES	Hail Thee Festival Day	The English Hymnal (#624)	(5) Cello Choir	AB-A’C-A”B’-A”’C’-A””	D Major	March, Rondo
SINE NOMINE	For All The Saints	GTG-2013 (#326), The English Hymnal (#641)	(4) Cello Ensemble	A-B-A’-C-A	F Major	March, Rondo
SLANE	Be Thou My Vision	GTG-2014 (#450)	(4) Cello Quartet	B-C-D-E-F-A	G Major (C Major)	Ephemeral, Contrapuntal
STUTTGART	Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus	1914 Hymnal (#68)	(4) Cello Quartet	B-B’-C-D-D’-A-A	C Major	Classical, Progressive
TALLIS’ CANON	Evening Hymn; All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night	GTG-2013 (#675), (1914 Hymnal #6/alt)	(4) Cello Ensemble, (2) Cello Duet	B-X(2)-C-X(4)-A-A	G Major (D Major)	Early Music, Progressive
THAXTED	Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity; I Vow to Thee, My Country; O God, Beyond All Praising	The Planets (Holst) – Orchestral Score	(6) Cello Choir	A-B-A’	C Major	Symphonic
VICTORY	The Strife is O’er, The Battle Done	The English Hymnal (#625)	(4) Cello Choir	i-A-B-C-D-A-i	G Major	Contemplative
WONDROUS LOVE	What Wondrous Love is This	Southern Harmony	(4) Cello Quartet	B-C-D-C’-B’	A Minor	American Traditional, Contrapuntal, Folk/Dance

FORM KEY:
A = common harmonization
B, C, D = varied settings
X = canon
', '', ''' = variations on settings
i = introduction or interlude

Hymn Tune Sources

You’ll notice a lot of repetition in the sources listed above. And also a lot of overlap. I use Hymnary.org to understand contemporary context and usage of each tune, and to compare sources. Arrangements that lean heavily on existing sources pull from public domain resources on hymnary.org and specific sources that I treat as canonical points of reference.

1914 Hymnal

The old family hymnal that I mentioned earlier is titled “The Chapel Hymnal”. It lists publication dates of 1898 and 1914 (by the Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School Work, and meaning it is now in the public domain). The hymnal was used by my great-grandparents in a Lima, New York church (according to a stamp) until sometime before the 1940s. It features a deep collection of romantic-era tunes and harmonizations.

In most cases, my arrangements are based on hymn tunes as found in this source instead of contemporary editions. This little book is full of pleasant surprises such as MATERNA, the original hymn tune now better known as America the Beautiful, and many tunes and texts presently known under different names and pairings. Since this source is not available online, I scanned several pages for reference. I also added images of the source material to all of the related piece pages.

Southern Harmony

William Walker’s Southern Harmony is an early collection of sacred hymns first published in 1835. I usually reference the later 1854 edition. This source is credited with popularizing many hymns that are still in use today. A notable percentage of the hymn tunes itching for arrangements that aren’t in the 1914 hymnal can be found here.

I use the specific source material found in the shape-note harmonies sparingly. Many arrangements take only the melody. In other cases, I pair new accompaniments to the melody with later harmonizations from other sources to complete arrangements.

GTG-2013

Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal (2013) is the hymnal that we use in church choir. I treat this as a canonical source for contemporary interpretations of older hymn tunes. It also fills in the gaps for public domain hymn tunes that are not present in my other canonical sources. The primary limitation of this hymnal is that much of its content is not public domain, unlike my other references, with a major focus on newer (post-1920s) hymns.

Interestingly, many of my arrangements are of tunes missing from this collection (developed from older sources). Others can also be found here, but are not directly referenced given their availability elsewhere. I occasionally cross-check The Presbyterian Hymnal: hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs (1990), which FPC used previously.

Other Hymn Tune Sources

I have developed a few arrangements from other sources. This is most common for hymn tunes that evolved from classical works (ex. THAXTED, from Holst’s Jupiter). With several ideas currently developing around hymn tunes written or harmonized by Ralph Vaughan Williams, I expect that The English Hymnal (1906), which he edited, would make for another good canonical reference.

Notable Arrangements

All of my hymn tune arrangements include a description on the piece page. A few are worth highlighting here in more detail, especially as they compare to one another. I find the various forms to be the most interesting taxonomic approach. These forms usually fall into place as I develop an arrangement, and I rarely select a form before developing the central setting concept.

Hymn-Form Arrangements

My simplest hymn tune arrangements begin and end with the common four-part harmonization. The middle verses develop original accompaniments or countermelodies. They often present the melody in lower octaves for contrast. Forms vary, with A-B-C-A being most frequent, followed by rondos in A-B-A-C-A. SINE NOMINE features the accompanied congregational form in the outer verses, the additional four-part harmony in the third verse, and original settings in the remaining verses.

These arrangements reuse the most original material and are therefore the fastest to write. However, they are not my most common form. In the matrix above, you’ll find that DIX, MADRID, NICAEA, SINE NOMINE, and THAXTED follow this pattern. AZMON and NETTLETON take a similar but expanded theme & variations form.

Progressive Arrangements

My default approach to arrangements is progressive. A solo cello often introduces the melody. Sparse accompaniments gradually build. Dynamics, chord structure, and note density increase as the piece develops. By the end the cellists come together for a verse or two in four-part harmony.

Historically, a majority of my cello ensemble arrangements take this form, regardless of genre. While it has become less common over time, the progressive form is well suited to hymn tune arrangements. Choral four-part harmonies make for a great arrival point to build to. The rest of the piece is just a matter of gradual pacing. AURELIA, EASTER HYMN, MATERNA, MELITA, Amazing Grace, STUTTGART, and both versions of TALLIS’ CANON are progressive in form.

Symmetrical Forms

Symmetrical forms place the hymn tune’s traditional four-part harmony at the center, or at the beginning and the end (see also hymn-form). EVENTIDE is a great example of the central approach. Two verses work toward the hymn form, and then two mirrored verses return to the original thoughts. The outer verses are more explorative and provide symmetry by approaching the melody in similar ways. Most critically, this form places significant emphasis on the central verse. A slower tempo exaggerates the effect in EVENTIDE. In this case the central harmonized verse is even more powerful considering the commonly-paired text Abide With Me, which I also set to an SATB+Piano adaptation of the cello ensemble arrangement.

Wondrous Love demonstrates symmetry with outer emphasis. The first/fifth and second/fourth verses each use similar melody/accompaniment patterns. This hymn tune does not have a common four-part harmony, and lends itself to recitation in parallel fourths for a unique effect in the middle paired verses. The central third verse dives into an extended developmental section instead of explicitly stating the melody, pushing focus back to the outer verses. In composite, this results in a rounder sonata-like form of exposition, development, and recapitulation.

Reconstructed Tunes

In the past six months, my hymn tune arrangements have increasingly built around reconstructions of the source material. In the most inventive cases, the listener only gets a brief glimpse of the original melody. Repetition is often employed to assert the interpretation as its own source. Each of these pieces tackles form and reinvention uniquely.

PATMOS exemplifies this approach with a syncopated bass line derived from the original melody. The altered melody repeats in an ostinato as other parts layer in, developing into the original melody and four-part harmony, then back to the altered form.

RESTORATION (ARISE) alternates between the traditional melody in straight notes and a reinvention in a syncopated pattern. This arrangement is a great example of the expanses that can be built off of a fragment from an old source like Southern Harmony. While most of my arrangements feature at least one verse in a traditional four-part harmonization, this one uses an original four-part harmonization paired with the reconstructed melody.

Scaling down, LAUDES DOMINI extracts the first few chords of the tune into an atmospheric progression. This is more re-setting than re-construction. But it produces a similarly transformative effect beginning after a long introduction. The full melody emerges just once, with its four-part harmony for emphasis. The stripped-down re-setting lingers as the memorable element.

In DUNDEE, the old hymn tune accelerates to cut time (or beyond) to present familiar music unexpectedly. An original “response” to the accelerated tune reintroduces depth. The arrangement develops through several accompaniments and alternating back to standard time (still faster than usual). When the four-part harmony is introduced near the end, it comes at a relentless pace. Repetition alternating with the “response” and returning to the halved tempo bring the piece to a satisfying conclusion.

Mechanics

Cello ensembles are uniquely suited to playing hymn tunes. Most hymns include four harmony parts. These translate easily to four-part ensembles. Which are conveniently the most popular variety of cello group. My hymn tune arrangements default to four-part ensembles of 1-3 cellists per part. Pieces with greater difficulty or with extended passages in denser (lower) harmonies are marked for cello quartets, where one cellist per part will produce the best results. I indicate arrangements with easier music, more open harmonies, or more than four parts as targeted for cello choir, ideally featuring at least 12 cellists.

Range and Technique

Hymns fit within the narrow ranges of each voice part. Translating these parts to cello, the lowest bass notes are often around a fifth (G2) above the bottom of the cello’s range (C2) and the highest soprano notes are often near the top of the cello’s practical range (E5), or a fifth above comfortable intermediate-difficulty range (A4). (The melody/soprano part is further constrained by the alto and bass (8vb) ranges to accommodate unison singing.)

Therefore, traditional harmonies can be applied directly or transposed down by up to a fifth. I try to balance color with difficulty in selecting the key for each arrangement. Preserving a common hymn-form key does allow my arrangements to introduce or accompany choral or congregational singing, so I aim to keep that possibility open with some simpler pieces.

All of the usual technical tools available to cello ensembles also apply to hymn tune arrangements. The cellists can play arco, one or more parts can incorporate pizzicato or percussive tapping, other parts may lean into harmonics, or add depth with double stops or rolled chords. And of course, we have a wide “vocal” range to explore in individual parts and in composite. Limited-range hymn melodies can be applied to two or three different octaves in the same key within a cello ensemble arrangement.

Most of my arrangements apply extended techniques selectively. Some highlight a particular technique as their central parti (ex. harmonics in RESIGNATION). Amazing Grace is the notable example that serves as a canvas to showcase the full technical range of the cello as individual or ensemble.

Naming Conventions

Hymn tune names are typically written in ALL CAPS to distinguish them from text titles. My arrangements follow this pattern (with some exceptions, especially titles with multiple English words). They use tune names instead of common associated text titles (taken as combined hymn titles) for a few reasons.

Obviously, cello ensemble arrangements don’t include lyrics. The tune names avoid limiting recognition to a single associated text. Avoiding exceptions for (most) tunes with a predominant text pairing maintains consistency across the library. And publication under tune names secularizes the music, making it more broadly accepted.

While there are also cons to this last point, the associated texts and hymn names are easily located by those wishing to identify these links. I list common texts on each piece description page, with more detail in the matrix in this post, and exhaustive lists available on the linked hymnary.org pages. Ultimately, the goal is to promote this music to the broadest potential audience.

More Hymn Tunes to Come

While the pace of the last year is unlikely to continue, I anticipate that the hymn tunes section of the sheet music library will grow moderately in the near future. I’m already accumulating a list of new tunes to arrange. They typically start internally, develop some on the piano, and join a running list before I commit to writing anything out. I’ve been kicking around HELMSLEY for a few months, and finally stumbled upon its name and source, so that one could be next.