Easter Music for Violin
At The Cross
Level: 2
Music: Ralph E. Hudson
Arranger: Ruth Coleman
Publisher: Lorenz Corporation
This arrangement is perfect for a Suzuki Book 2 student, or late beginner. It begins in the key of A and modulates to the key of D. There are low 2 – G naturals. There are natural harmonics used as echos similar to their use in the Boccherini – Minuet. Fingering and bowing are marked in the score. Demo recording is included with purchase of the book along with piano accompaniment track.
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Level: 4
Words and Music: Keith and Kristyn Getty
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Heart Publications
This arrangement begins in the key of F with solo violin. The piano joins with simple chords supporting the melody. The violin carries the melody throughout the arrangement. The arrangement gradually crescendos to the triumphant final stanza. Bowing is printed in the score, but no fingering is included. The player should be comfortable playing 1st through 3rd position. The text of this hymn begins at the cross and concludes with the resurrection. This allows it to fit both a Good Friday service as well as an Easter service.
Christ Arose
Level: 5
Music: Robert Lowry
Arranger: James Koerts
Publisher: Koerts Music
A snappy lively arrangement of Christ the Lord is Risen Today set in 6/8 with mixed meter into 9/8. With some hemiolas and syncopation, the melody line joyfully sings. It begins in B-flat Major and modulates to C Major. The player will use 1st – 5th position. No bowing or fingering is included.
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Level: 4
Music: Lyra Davidica
Arranger: Ruth Coleman
Publisher: Lorenz
This cheerful arrangement of the traditional Easter hymn begins in the key of C major and has shifting into 3rd position. No fingering is printed in the score. For the middle stanza, the melody swings into a lilting 6/8. There are some ties over the bar line in this stanza and the melody has some rapid sixteenths using detaché bowing. The final stanza modulates to the key of D major and the violin will sing as the melody soars on the E string into 3rd position. Bowing is marked into the score. A downloadable demo recording and piano track is included with purchase.
(Available in the collection Praise With Stringed Instruments, or as an individual download.)
Come People of the Risen King
Level: 2
Music: Stuart Townend, Keith and Kristyn Getty
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Horsehair Music
This arrangement is an early intermediate piano solo that includes a violin obbligato. Celebrate Easter with the call to rejoice in the risen King. This is perfect for 2 early intermediate players to experience collabrative playing. This violin part is mostly in 1st position with 1 shift into 3rd position. At times the violin part doubles the melody and at times it plays a harmony part. This arrangement can stand alone as a piano solo, or can be played as a duet.
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Level: 5
Music: George Elvy
Arranger: Philip Keveren
Publisher: Ron Haris Music
The piano opens with osculating triads giving the impression of church bells. This joyful arrangement uses a variety of techniques. The left hand will need confident shifting between 1st – 5th positions. Arpeggiated passages of slurred sixteenth notes will need careful attention. Right hand will use detaché bowing for first and second stanzas, and then an open string bariolage section of eighth notes is marked. I most often play this with a spiccato brush stroke, but a light on the string staccato could work. Bowing is marked in the score, but no fingering is included.
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Level: 2
Music: George Elvy
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Horsehair Music
String players will love this lively and bold arrangement of Crown Him With Many Crowns for an Easter service. A majestic opening with a time signature changes grabs the listeners attention and often a new skill for the young player. This can be played as a solo or as any combination of string ensemble with piano accompaniment. It is set all in first position, and bowing is marked in the score. A free downloadable demo recording of the solo violin is available. A download of the piano track is available for free from the publisher.
Hallelujah What A Savior!
Level: 6
Music: Philip Bliss
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Lorenz Corporation
This dramatic arrangement will challenge the violinist as well as the accompanist. In true collaborative form, the violin and piano share both the melody and countermelodies. Time signature changes, key changes, and a wide range requiring shifting from 1st through 5th position. Celebrate Easter with this great hymn that moves the listener from the cross to the empty tomb and risen Christ.
How Beautiful
Level: 6
Music: Twila Paris
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Horsehair Music
This is set for the late intermediate student that is comfortable shifting through 1st, 3rd and 5th position. It begins in the key of D Major and modulates for the final stanza to E Major. Bowing is printed in the score, but fingering is not included. This setting would work beautifully for a communion service, worship service or wedding.
This arrangement also has an optional ending that would be appropriate for a bridal processional. While the original arrangement ends softly, this optional ending is shorter and finishes with a joyful forte.
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
Level: 4
Music: Stuart Townend
Arranger: Christy Galkin and Rebekah Snyder
Publisher: Heart Publications
This setting is in 3/4 for the first 2 stanzas. Set in the key of G major, grace notes and turns are very idiomatic for the violin. And these give the arrangement an Irish or folk flavor. Some fingerings and bowing are printed in the score. 3rd position fingerings are printed to eliminate string crossings. The violin carries the tune for the first stanza and then has a harmony part while the piano takes over the melody in the second stanza. A 3 measure modulation moves the final stanza into A Major and the time signature switches into 5/4. Two slides are marked in the score. The first finger slides backward releasing to open A while in first position. A beautiful setting for any type of service.
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
Level: 7 or simplified part – 4
Music: Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Horsehair Music
An arrangement for violin solo of the modern hymn, How Deep the Father’s Love. This setting is for advanced violin solo and piano accompaniment. Using 3 and 4 note chords along with melodic double stops, this setting pulls out the emotion of the text through use of violin technique. A simplified part is also included with the arrangement for those who wish to play it without the double stops. This setting is sure to challenge the player and is applicable for both a worship setting or a concert setting.
I Stand Amazed
Level: 7
Music: Charles Gabriel
Arranger: Molly James
Publisher: Beckenhorst Press
This collection is for flute or violin and has several arrangements. You will need to add bowing and fingering as the markings are for flute. This Gospel song great for Easter begins in the key of D Major. The first stanza can be played in first position. The second stanza modulates to E-flat Major and the rapid sixteenth runs will need fast accurate shifting. The range for this second stanza ranges from 1st – 5th positions. The final stanza modulates up to G Major and the range moves up into 5th – 7th positions. This arrangement will be a good challenge for the left hand position work and will need careful attention to intonation in the E-flat Major section. The accompaniment is supportive and brings in some lovely color chords.
In Christ Alone
Level: 5
Music: Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Arranger: Rebekah Snyder
Publisher: Heart Publications
A beautiful arrangement of the modern hymn by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. It begins in the key of C Major in the lower register of the instrument. Some sixteenth note rhythms give a snappy Irish feel to this second stanza. 4 measure of fingered octaves while the piano has a motif give a drone like quality. The 3rd stanza modulates to the key of D Major and has some grace notes and turns notated. The third stanza has printed fingering that has the player shifting in and out of 3rd position. A direct half-step modulation with a slide into 3rd position modulates into E-flat Major. This stanza also is fingered for 1st and 3rd position and has 1 4th finger extension for a high E-flat.
Jesus Paid it All
Level: 10
Music: John T. Grape
Arranger: Dwight Gustafson
Publisher: Pinner Publications
Looking for a challenging hymn arrangement. This arrangement moves up and down the fingerboard. You will find the printed fingering is considers the string color for each string. A free cadenza-like section incorporates triple stop and quadruple stop chords. The score includes fingering and bowing that will help any student or player execute the techniques in this piece. A beautiful setting for Good Friday, Communion or Easter.
Jesus Paid It All
Level: 6
Music: John Grape
Arranger: James Koerts
Publisher: Koerts Music
An expressive arrangement of the gospel song Jesus Paid It All. With a rolling triplet accompaniment for the first stanza the violin plays the melody. Then in modulates into E-flat Major with the piano taking the melody. As the violin takes over the melody, the player will find 4th position works well for the key signature and register. The key signature will challenge the intermediate player!
Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
Level: 5
Music: Robert Lowry
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Horsehair Music
Set in the key of A Minor, this is a calm reflection on the atoning blood of Jesus. Shifting is used and the player moves through the first four positions. Fingering is printed using 2nd position. 1 natural harmonic is used at the end in 3rd position. A triplet pattern is used throughout. A free download of the demo recording and piano accompaniment track is available.
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Level: 5
Music: Hans Leo Hassler
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Lorenz Corporation
A mournful setting of the PASSION CHORALE is fitting for a Good Friday Service or communion service. The first stanza is in G minor and then moves to A minor for stanzas 2 and 3. The final stanza concludes with the violin singing the melody while the the piano has long full chords.
Old Rugged Cross
Level: 4
Music: George Bennard
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Lorenz Corporation
This arrangement is published as a violin duet. But you will find several recordings on YouTube where it has been adapted for solo violin with piano accompaniment. The two violin parts are printed side by side in the book making it easy to adapt. The melody stays in the first violin for m. 1 – 20 and then switches to the 2nd violin for m. 21 – end. The violinist will use both 1st and 3rd position throughout. The motif uses a sixteenth note triplet pattern with a slur over 3 beats, so good bow control and speed is needed. Time signature is 6/4 which maybe new for students. Bowing is marked into the score. A downloadable demo recording and piano track is included with purchase.
Psalm 137
Level: 6
Music: Traditional American Melody
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Horsehair Music
The tune for Psalm 137 is attributed as a traditional Jewish tune. It was included in a book of canons and rounds by British composer Philip Hayes in 1878 called, The Muses Delight. Isaac Wardell adapted the text of Isaiah 53 titled, By His Wounds and set it to this tune. This text is very fitting for a Good Friday service or communion service.
This includes passages in 1st – 6th positions. There are sixteenth note arpeggiated passages and some 4 note rolled chords. Because of the mournfulness of the tune, players have an opportunity to develop bow control as well as shaping the long phrases.
A simplified part is included that can be used with the same accompaniment. The simplified part is set at a difficulty level 4. It uses 1st and 3rd position with a 4th finger extension for harmonic E6. You will find a grace note before the beat replaces the 4-note chords. Also 1 beat arpeggios replace the long arpeggios.
There Is a Fountain
Level: 4
Music: Traditional American Melody
Arranger: Ruth Coleman
Publisher: Lorenz Corporation
This flowing arrangement has a wide dynamic range and would fit for any service. Some syncopated rhythm in the violin part is supported by the piano melody. Begins in the key of D Major, modulates to F major and then finishes with a triumphal last stanza in the Key of G. Bowing is marked into the score.
What Wondrous Love Is This
Level: 3
Music: American Melody
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Soundforth
This haunting modal tune would work for a Good Friday or communion service. It is written in arrangement written as a duet but since the violin 1 part carries the melody through the arrangement it can easily be played as a solo. The opening is solo violin and the piano part has the 2nd violin cues printed in the score. Then the accompaniment then begins at the end of the first stanza. A level 3 play can shift into 3rd position from an open string and remain in 3rd position for the majority of the 2nd stanza, or it can be fingered to shift in and out of 3rd position in 3 different places.
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Level: 6
Music: Lowell Mason based on Plainsong
Arranger: Kristin Campbell
Publisher: Lorenz Corporation
This arrangement will fit a communion, Good Friday or Easter, or worship service.The piano begins with the melody and the violin has natural harmonics in first position, along with one fingered harmonic. It builds with a modulation into the third and final stanza. For the final stanza the violin soars on the melody as it moves into and out of 3rd and 5th positions. A downloadable demo recording and piano track is included with purchase.
This collection of violin duets is from the veteran string composer Catherine McMichael. These can be played with or without the piano accompaniment. The first violin part carries the melody and is easier. The second violin, harmony part, is more challenging
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Hymns of Sacrifice and Triumph Composed by Catherine McMichael. Duet or Duo; Performance Music Ensemble. Ludwig Masters. Sacred. Score. 56 pages. Latham Music Enterprises #36-52711506. Published by Latham Music Enterprises (AP.36-52711506). |
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Lamb Of God By Twila Paris. By Twila Paris. Arranged by Kristin Campbell. Christian, Gospel. Score and parts. 15 pages. Horsehair Music #3482867. Published by Horsehair Music (A0.596365). |
A string quartet setting of the modern hymn, Lamb of God. Perfect setting for a communion service or for quiet meditation. Set for intermediate level playing with position work in 1st and 3rd positions.
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