Amazing Grace as arranged for brass choir, organ, and percussionist (timpani and snare drum), was the encore piece for a massive work I wrote as a memorial to Paine College’s long-time organist, William Christmas. That work (entitled “Of The Faith”) (CREATE LINK) was scored for four antiphonal small brass groups, organ, and timpani. Paine College had a marvelous 45-rank Austin organ; the sanctuary is in the shape of a large cross, so I put a brass quintet int he rear balcony, another up by the altar and organ pipes, and two brass quartets (2 tp, Hn, Euph) in each of the arms of the cross. The 4 timpani were up near the altar with the brass quintet.

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The piece utilizes some aleatoric passages and a number of musical quotes significant to Paine College, William Christmas, and me.

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I used several of the same themes for different works for the same instrumentation, entitled simply “Bill” for a seated brass choir.

Amazing Grace sells for $30.00 for the hard copy, $25.00 for the pdf’s

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The mp3 is from a concert I produced to premier “Of the Faith” at Paine College in Augusta, GA in 1990.