This month one of my hymn arrangements was quite popular and sold many copies. It always surprises me when good old hymns and songs pop up as favorites. "If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not" or just "Weary Not" was composed by John R. Sweney, a music professor in Pennsylvania in the late 1800's. He created tunes for texts from many lyricists such as W. H. Flaville, but most often Sweney collaborated with lyricist William J. Kirkpatrick. Together they wrote many hymns and gospel songs. Some have continued to be popular even today such as "The Lord Is My Light" and "There Is Sunshine in My Soul."
"If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not" was included in early hymnbooks in many churches including the LDS Deseret Sunday School Songs of 1909. Funny how hymns have an ebb and flow of popularity over the years. I grew up through the 1950s-1960s and even though it was included in the children's songbook The Children Sing of 1951, I had never heard of it.
Not until Mack Wilberg did an arrangement for the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on Temple Square to perform for the "Golden Days, 85th Birthday Celebration Concert" for President Thomas S. Monson in 2012 did it get a second life in LDS circles.
A few years ago, a friend requested that I do a solo arrangement of "Weary Not" for him to sing. So, obviously, I had to write SATB and SSA arrangements, too, for good measure. These arrangements are geared to be accessible for most 15-30 voice Ward and Stake choirs.
I have no idea if this hymn will be included once again in the new LDS Hymnal. I have heard that some other old hymns such as "Amazing Grace" and "Come Thou Fount" will be included again (after years of not being in an LDS Hymnal). I also heard that "His Eye Is On the Sparrow," another old gospel song that recently got the special "TabChoir Mack Wilberg touch," will be included in the new hymnal.
The trouble is that Ward and Stake Choirs just want to sing the Mack Wilberg arrangements --- that really don't work very well for 15-20 voices without a full orchestra. Nor do I know of any Ward or Stake Choirs that even have full orchestras. Too bad.
"If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not" was included in early hymnbooks in many churches including the LDS Deseret Sunday School Songs of 1909. Funny how hymns have an ebb and flow of popularity over the years. I grew up through the 1950s-1960s and even though it was included in the children's songbook The Children Sing of 1951, I had never heard of it.
Not until Mack Wilberg did an arrangement for the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on Temple Square to perform for the "Golden Days, 85th Birthday Celebration Concert" for President Thomas S. Monson in 2012 did it get a second life in LDS circles.
A few years ago, a friend requested that I do a solo arrangement of "Weary Not" for him to sing. So, obviously, I had to write SATB and SSA arrangements, too, for good measure. These arrangements are geared to be accessible for most 15-30 voice Ward and Stake choirs.
I have no idea if this hymn will be included once again in the new LDS Hymnal. I have heard that some other old hymns such as "Amazing Grace" and "Come Thou Fount" will be included again (after years of not being in an LDS Hymnal). I also heard that "His Eye Is On the Sparrow," another old gospel song that recently got the special "TabChoir Mack Wilberg touch," will be included in the new hymnal.
The trouble is that Ward and Stake Choirs just want to sing the Mack Wilberg arrangements --- that really don't work very well for 15-20 voices without a full orchestra. Nor do I know of any Ward or Stake Choirs that even have full orchestras. Too bad.
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