Free Hymns With A Velvet Touch: 10 Elegant Settings Of Timeless Hymns (Sacred Performer Collections) Ebooks To Download
Tom Fettke finally brings to the keyboard his vast experience as an arranger. The lush arrangements included in this collection are refreshing settings of beautiful, timeless hymns. Late Intermediate to Early Advanced.
Series: Sacred Performer Collections
Paperback: 40 pages
Publisher: Alfred Music (February 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0739038230
ISBN-13: 978-0739038239
Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 9 x 12.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #122,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #18 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Religious & Church Music #21 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Religious & Sacred Music > Hymns #45 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Religious & Sacred Music > Christian
I purchased this book last year and I am still in love with it. Tom Fettke builds in such beautiful lines and countermelodies. At first glance it would seem that many of the pieces are similarly arranged. That is to say that most are slow or moderate in regards to tempo and there aren't any difficult runs beyond sixteenth notes. However, he employs many wonderful compositional techniques to give each piece a unique beauty. Every piece has at least one, if not two key changes. He uses some echoes, non-chord tones, and accidentals to color each piece. The easier pieces (in my opinion) are probably "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" or "More Love to Thee". The harder pieces include "Take Time to Be Holy" (my favorite) and a certain section in "Be Though My Vision".Personally, I struggle most with playing too many parallel octaves and it seems that there are quite a few sections where those are present. I either have to practice those sections a great deal, or just play the one octave. Most of his indications for fingerings are perfect, but I don't agree with all of them 100% of the time.While this is the only book that I own by him, I would recommend it and any other works by him. This would make a great additional to any church pianist's library.The titles for this book are:Abide with MeBe Thou My VisionDay by DayMore Love to Thee / I Love TheeMy Faith Has Found a Resting PlaceMy Faith Looks Up to TheeSavior, Like a Shepherd Lead UsSun of My SoulTake My Life and Let It Be / I Surrender AllTake Time to Be Holy
I can't believe I'm the first person on to review this gem! As a church organist for decades, I purchase piano arrangements infrequently and mainly for my own pleasure at home. This is probably the most delightful volume I've found in years. The lilting, flowing, velvety arrangements of long-loved hymn tunes are wonderful for private worshipful moments. In a number of significant ways, this book is unusual. The difficulty level is great enough to produce glorious sound, but not so hard as to cause frustration for someone without extensive hours available for practice. As an added bonus, I have been able to adapt this music quite easily for organ at church and have received numerous good comments on the result. Adapting "velvety" piano music for organ use is not always easy, especially when there are extensive runs, but this music is truly unique and anyone with good pedal technique could manage it easily. I just love these arrangements and am sure other church pianists or organists will too.
I have been a Tom Fettke fan for years and own every book he has ever had published, including his very early works. I have especially enjoyed his works entitled: "Hymns With a Velvet Touch", "Be Strong in the Lord", and "Christmas With a Velvet Touch". I am a church musician as well as a piano teacher, and I have a very extensive library of music. I am often in a pinch to find a Sunday offeratory or prelude that is beautiful, inspiring, and familiar to my congregation. Tom Fettke's books provide me with readily accessible music that is quickly mastered and enjoyed by all. I have used the 2 "Velvet Touch" books with my students to help them work on their legato playing. They have experienced a lot of success in playing his pieces as solos in their own churches. The works are correctly graded as Early Advanced, with a couple of exceptions that I consider to be Late Intermediate. I have also used a couple of the pieces from "Hymns with a Velvet Touch" for funerals and personal devotions. This book is one that remains on my piano in easy reach at all times.
I love the way Mr. Fetke arranged these pieces! The arrangements are so beautiful that I enjoy playing them again and again. They have a broad enough range in difficultly that, as a late intermediate/early advanced struggling player, I was able to play at least one in church fairly quickly, and there are several that I will have to work at for awhile before I can play them well--but certainly they are well worth the work.
I bought this book based on the other reviews I read, which were all very positive. However, when I got the book, I was very dissapointed. The arrangements are exasperatingly simple, DEFINITELY not 'early advanced'. They are rather pretty, but cannot exist alone as piano solos. They might make a nice offeratory if you're really in a pinch. They would probably sound great on an organ or a keyboard, with like an orchestra strings setting or something. There are few, if any, octave reaches, so they would be good for students (or adults) with small hands. They're not very long, but they all have at least one key change in them. This book will remain on my shelf.
I owned this book and loved it so much that I purchased one for my granddaughters who play in church. It has brought me many hours of pleasure when practicing for church or for my own enjoyment. I certainly recommend it for others.
This book has beautiful arrangements that are appropriately graded at 'late intermediate to early advanced'. My only disappointment is they aren't hymns that are necessarily recognized by the folks at the Catholic church where I play... but they work great as soothing background music.
Hymns with a Velvet Touch: 10 Elegant Settings of Timeless Hymns (Sacred Performer Collections) Gospel Hymns with a Velvet Touch: 10 Elegant Settings of Beloved Hymns (Sacred Performer Collections) Gospel Classics: Sacred Performer Piano Collection - 12 Artistic Arrangements for Worship Services, Concerts and Recitals (Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns for Today: 12 Contemporary Arrangements of Traditional Hymns (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Joy to the World: 10 Solo Piano Settings for Advent and Christmas (Sacred Performer Collections) Sunday Morning Blended Worship Companion: 33 Selections of Praise Songs with Hymns, Comb Bound Book (Sacred Performer Collections) Medleys for Blended Worship, Bk 3: 10 Contemporary Arrangements of Praise Songs with Hymns (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Sunday Morning Companion: 33 Traditional Hymns Arranged in a Variety of Styles for Solo Piano, Comb-Bound Book (Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns for a Jazzy Sunday Morning: 10 Hymn Arrangements in Jazz Styles (Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns for the Spirit: 10 Contemporary Arrangements for Worship (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns with a Classical Touch - Volume 2: Timeless Hymns and Classics A Contemporary Christmas: 9 Arrangements of Contemporary Christian and Classic Favorites (Sacred Performer Collections) Piano Solos of Praise Favorites: 10 Arrangements for Preludes, Offertories and Postludes (Sacred Performer Collections) Glory to the Newborn King: 10 Inspiring Solo Piano Arrangements for the Christmas Season, Book & CD (Sacred Performer Collections) What Can I Play on Sunday?, Complete Collection: 60 Easily Prepared Piano Arrangements for Services Throughout the Year (Sacred Performer Collections) Gospel Classics: 12 Artistic Arrangements for Worship Services, Concerts and Recitals (Sacred Performer Collections) Gospel Classics: 12 Artistic Arrangements for Worship Services, Concerts and Recitals, Book & CD (Sacred Performer Collections) Come Unto Me: 10 Comforting Solo Piano Arrangements for Worship (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) A Call to Love: 10 Hymn Arrangements Based on the Theme of Love (Sacred Performer Collections) Open My Heart to Worship: 11 of the Most Popular Praise and Worship Songs Masterfully Arranged for Solo Piano (Sacred Performer Collections)
