Following the successful Hymn Prelude Library series for organ, Concordia has released a new collection of piano preludes based on the hymn tunes found in Lutheran Service Book. This collection features newly composed pieces by dozens of composers who write in a variety of styles and harmonizations. The pieces are useful as preludes, postludes, music at the offering, for introductions, and during distribution, as well as for those who play hymns at home. The durable wire binding ensures that each page lies flat against the music stand. Piano Prelude Series vol 5 (preludes for tunes starting with the letters ‘H’ and ‘I’) includes my setting of {Herzlich lieb} (Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart).
Publishing (MorningStar) update 10.23.2020
MorningStar Music will publish my solo piano collection, Nativity Scenes, which includes twelve carol settings for use during the holiday season. Intentionally short and written at an easy to moderate level, these arrangements will appeal to pianists of all skill levels, and audiences will be engaged by the unique presentations of well-loved carols.
- Angels, from the Realms of Glory
- Away in a Manger
- Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
- Go Tell It on the Mountain
- O Little Town of Bethlehem
- On Christmas Night
- Prepare the Royal Highway
- Savior of the Nations, Come
- Silent Night, Holy Night!
- Sing We Now of Christmas
- The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came
- The Wexford Carol
This collection is scheduled to be published as part of MorningStar’s Fall 2021 release.
All I Can Do Is Praise (Daniel Barta) added to the Shaw Music catalog
These five original songs by lyricist and composer Daniel Barta explore the grace and grandeur of God as experienced in the mundane and profound. With uniquely personal imagery, these beautifully tuneful pieces feature supportive, elegant piano accompaniment and will appeal to singers of all abilities. Appropriate for any moment of worship.
- Be Still
- No Condemnation
- All I Can Do Is Praise
- It’s Not Climbing Mountains
- Prince of Peace (optional duet)
Preview pages from the score and listen to a sample recording here.
Cello Music for Worship (Peter Hilliard) added to the Shaw Music catalog
While under quarantine in 2020, Peter Hilliard wrote ten hymn settings for cello and piano to be performed during filmed segments for virtual church services. In each expertly crafted arrangement, these beloved hymns are treated with reverence and invention, ranging from triumphant virtuosity to quiet contemplation. With titles spanning the church year, this collection provides preludes, postludes, and offertories for all seasons.
- A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
- All Creatures of Our God and King
- And Can It Be That I Should Gain?
- Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
- Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross
- Jesus Paid It All
- O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
- Rejoice, the Lord Is King
- Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling
- What Child Is This
Preview pages from the score and listen to sample recordings here.
Beneath the Cross: Suite for Piano (Olivia Cresswell) added to the Shaw Music catalog
Olivia Cresswell has written a beautifully expressive suite on hymns of the cross, useful for many occasions throughout the church year. Church pianists and private teachers will find this a meaningful addition to their repertoire. Movements include:
- Look, Ye Saints! The Sight Is Glorious
- Beneath the Cross of Jesus
- Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross
Preview pages from the score and listen to a sample recording here.
Three Hymn Preludes for Lent (Jeremy Zimmer) added to the Shaw Music catalog
Jeremy Zimmer’s second set of hymn preludes for organ is a collection of three Lenten hymns centered on the “Lamb of God.” Useful in worship services during Lent and Holy Week.
- A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth
- Not All the Blood of Beasts
- Lamb of God, Pure and Holy
Preview pages from the score and listen to sample recordings here.
Organ Commission: Proclaim! Preludes and Harmonizations for the Hymn of the Day
Concordia Publishing House has commissioned me to write a new prelude and harmonization on the hymn tune “Jesu, meine Freude” (“Jesus, Priceless Treasure”), which will be be included in a forthcoming edition of Proclaim! Preludes and Harmonizations for the Hymn of the Day. The Proclaim! series provides organists with substantive service music and hymn harmonizations for the Hymn of the Day as found in the One-Year and Three-Year Lectionaries of Lutheran Service Book. Each edition includes settings from a variety of composers and offers a broad representation of artistry and style. This new collection is scheduled to be published in 2021.
Piano Commission: Concordia Piano Prelude Series
Concordia Publishing House has commissioned me to write a new setting of Kevin Hildebrand’s hymn tune “Lord of Life” (“O Christ, Who Shared Our Mortal Life”), which will be be included in the forthcoming Piano Prelude Series, volume 6 (tunes beginning with J/K/L). Building upon the success of Hymn Prelude Library, Concordia is now embarking on another exciting project: Piano Prelude Series. Like the Hymn Prelude Library, this collection will feature preludes on all the hymns of Lutheran Service Book, but this time for piano.
Piano Prelude Series vol 4 published by Concordia
Following the successful Hymn Prelude Library series for organ, Concordia has released a new collection of piano preludes based on the hymn tunes found in Lutheran Service Book. This collection features newly composed pieces by dozens of composers who write in a variety of styles and harmonizations. The pieces are useful as preludes, postludes, music at the offering, for introductions, and during distribution, as well as for those who play hymns at home. The durable wire binding ensures that each page lies flat against the music stand. Piano Prelude Series vol 4 (preludes for tunes starting with the letters ‘F’ and ‘G’) includes my setting of {Gelobet seist du} (We Praise You, Jesus, at Your Birth).
Facebook Live Mini-Concert, May 7, 7:30 pm
Tune in Thursday, May 7, 7:30 pm, for a Facebook Live Mini-Concert, featuring Noelle Kelly, soprano. Five selections from Timothy Shaw’s new Twelve Songs on Teasdale Poems (composed March-April, 2020), on poems by Sara Teasdale, will be given their premiere performance. This informal program is being sponsored by Proclamation Presbyterian Church (Bryn Mawr, PA), who are hosting similar events every Thursday through June. To view the concert, click here.
