John R. Sweney Last week, I received an email from an old singing buddy who requested that I create an arrangement for him. The hymn he has been singing out of the 1910 LDS Hymnal is "Weary Not." I knew that hymn from when we sang it in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the "85th Birthday Celebration Concert for Thomas S. Monson." I had never heard it before that concert. But, I came to find out, that it was written by a composer I am well acquainted with -- John R. Sweney.
When I looked up the hymn to see it in its original form, I thought that name sounded familiar. I knew that composer's name from arranging "There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today." In fact, just yesterday, I sang an arrangement of another of his hymns, "The Lord Is My Light." His melodies are soaring and full of power and conviction. They lend themselves beautifully to the solo voice.
As I read the biography of John R. Sweney, I learned that he was rather famous as a conductor of congregational singing as well as a Professor of Music at a Pennsylvania college where he directed both bands and choirs. No wonder he had such a command of pairing melody to hymn texts. I can well believe what was said about him. "Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing!"
My friend who requested this arrangement wanted to be sure that I included some ascending modulations to heighten the momentum of the piece. He is a tenor and has the range to sing these modulations. A singer, with good command of the high register will be able to sing them. But, I still may do some modifications with a simpler transposition for a medium voice.
When I looked up the hymn to see it in its original form, I thought that name sounded familiar. I knew that composer's name from arranging "There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today." In fact, just yesterday, I sang an arrangement of another of his hymns, "The Lord Is My Light." His melodies are soaring and full of power and conviction. They lend themselves beautifully to the solo voice.
As I read the biography of John R. Sweney, I learned that he was rather famous as a conductor of congregational singing as well as a Professor of Music at a Pennsylvania college where he directed both bands and choirs. No wonder he had such a command of pairing melody to hymn texts. I can well believe what was said about him. "Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing!"
My friend who requested this arrangement wanted to be sure that I included some ascending modulations to heighten the momentum of the piece. He is a tenor and has the range to sing these modulations. A singer, with good command of the high register will be able to sing them. But, I still may do some modifications with a simpler transposition for a medium voice.
RSS Feed