Love at Home - SSA (Alto divisi) with double Flute obligato

           This piece has wonderful momentum.  The accompaniment and counterpoint keep the focus of the song moving ever forward with flourish.  Sometimes this hymn is sung with the same tempo as a funeral dirge.  This arrangement is an attempt to breathe new life into an old tune. 

About the Song - I have often felt that this hymn as sung in most congregations turns into a funeral dirge. Though the message of the song is powerful and uplifting, perhaps people sing it slow because they know that love isn't always felt at home.  I can relate to that.  Once my Mother was rehearsing us children to sing for a special musical number at Church. We were not cooperating and were bickering and complaining and worse, singing out of tune!  Of course the song we were working on was "Love at Home."  At that moment there was anything but love in our home.  At the peak of our squabbling, out came my Father ready to give us the "what for" when my darling little 3-year-old sister coyly said to him, "It's all right, Daddy, we like you mean."  We were ready for him to make some sort of angry threat, when instead we could see steam escaping through his ears as his temper fizzled.  At that moment we all laughed and determined to do better.  We found that we really did have love in our home.

When I imagined this rendition for a Stake Women's Chorus, I hoped we could imbue the song with new life and freshness and a new tempo.  The vocal parts have a lot of contrapuntal action, and the double flute obligato keeps the momentum going.  This is completely opposite of a funeral dirge!  Hope you can keep up!