PLEADING SAVIOR is an America Traditional hymn tune that was first published in Joshua Leavitt’s The Christian Lyre in 1831. This arrangement applies repetition to the flowing melody as it trades across the four parts and in three different octaves. It is best played by cello quartets with one player per part. The F-Major key is common in hymnals, allowing verses of this arrangement to introduce or accompany congregational singing.

A ground bass line underlays the melody as accompaniment parts layer into each verse. The middle verses feature denser rhythms and harmonies pairing with softer dynamics. In the fourth verse, the melody jumps up to the typical choral treble octave to play Ralph Vaughan Williams’ four-part harmony from The English Hymnal (1906). The final verse recapitulates the ground bass and simpler accompaniments.