Battle Hymn of the Republic developed as a tune in the American oral tradition before receiving its common text pairing and tame in the mid nineteenth century. It can be found in many hymnals under the tune name BATTLE HYMN, and most commonly the titular text, as well as in military and patriotic settings that are typically instrumental and omit the religious text.

This arrangement for cello ensemble begins with a serene B-flat setting of arpeggios in 6/8. The third verse abruptly shifts to march tempo in 4/4 meter and C Major, with a standard four-part harmonization. Another C Major verse strips the accompaniment to broken arpeggios for textural relief. Next, the key jumps to E-flat Major for a contemporary four-part harmonization, which is repeated to allow listeners to absorb the denser harmonies. Finally, a meter change to 12/8 is paired with a shift up to F major. Dotted rhythms shift to the accompaniment as the melody jumps into the bass octave. The broken arpeggios return for the final verse as the parts coalesce into the concluding phrases.