Series: Sacred Performer Collections
Plastic Comb: 128 pages
Publisher: Alfred Music; Spi edition (July 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0739048554
ISBN-13: 978-0739048559
Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 9 x 11.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #380,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #97 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Religious & Church Music #106 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Religious & Sacred Music > Hymns #250 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Religious & Sacred Music > Christian
This book is not at all what I was searching for. I was hoping to get a book of nicely arranged hymns, but what this actually is is a book of hymns that have been wildly distorted and rearranged so that, while they are still recognizable, the rhythms and structures of the original songs have been completely abandoned. There are some very odd patterns and tunes, and many of the airier hymns have been turned into minor-sounding drudgery. If you are bored with hymns the way they are and are looking for new variations of them, you might enjoy this. But if, like me, you are just looking for some classy renditions of these beautiful pieces, this is not for you.I had a few of my friends listen to some of them and they agreed with me that these renditions are less than stellar. I'll be sending this back.
This hymn arrangement book is awesome! I love each arrangement. There are only two or three I have never heard before. I highly recommend this book to pianist who are intermediate or even the advanced pianist. The chords are beautiful, the arrangements are simple, and I am very pleased with it. Advanced pianist can practice and play these songs for offeratories the night before or morning of.
Victor Labenske once again gives us a book with interesting rhythms and beautiful, modern chords. An intermediate to late intermediate player can spend only a moderate amount of time practicing, and you can have the music in this book ready for performance. The length of the pieces is good for church service performance (3 - 4 pages each). This book is also good for teaching students who wish to play in church.I bought this book for my daughter who is a church pianist also. I loaned her one of my V. Labenske books, and now she's a fan too.It is wonderful that his books always have a spiral binding!!! I recently bought a Sharon Aaronson book that I like really well, but I struggle with turning pages and keeping the book open because it is not spiral bound. When will they ever learn that pianists need for their books to remain OPEN when they are playing?!?!?!?! The only solution is to break the binding, but it still will never work as well as a spiral binding.
This book isn't extremely challenging, but there are many nice, simple arrangements for services when you don't have a lot of time to practice. Worth the price!
I liked this book. I really did. The pieces were simple (and short) but were still beautiful. I have a bad habit of picking and choosing a few pieces in a book that I like and will practice, and with all of the songs in this book, I had many to pick and choose from. I have ended up liking most of the songs in this book, and I think it is definitely a good book. As I said, they are very short, and some of them have odd rhythms (which I really don't like), but still is a pretty collection.
This book is truly intermediate, which is important to note. The songs included are traditional and fairly easy to play without being completely repetitious. The arranger(s) spend time making a few minor melody and timing adjustments to keep the listeners interest. All in all a fairly decent book for a church pianist in need of ideas.
I have several books in the Sacred Performer Collection series and this is one of my favorites. A nice collection for any pianist to have for preludes and offertories. The labeling Intermediate to Late Intermediate is accurate.
These are good arrangements. Some of them are a bit repetitive (i.e. songs sounding the same), but I appreciate the variety so that I can match them up with other service music. I really like Melody Bober solos - and these are comparable to hers in difficulty (late intermediate) and quality of arrangements
Sunday Morning Companion: 33 Traditional Hymns Arranged in a Variety of Styles for Solo Piano, Comb-Bound Book (Sacred Performer Collections) Sunday Morning Blended Worship Companion: 33 Selections of Praise Songs with Hymns, Comb Bound Book (Sacred Performer Collections) Sunday Morning Styles Companion: 30 Favorite Selections Arranged in Various Styles (Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns for a Jazzy Sunday Morning: 10 Hymn Arrangements in Jazz Styles (Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns for Today: 12 Contemporary Arrangements of Traditional Hymns (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Gospel Classics: Sacred Performer Piano Collection - 12 Artistic Arrangements for Worship Services, Concerts and Recitals (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) Gospel Hymns with a Velvet Touch: 10 Elegant Settings of Beloved Hymns (Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns with a Velvet Touch: 10 Elegant Settings of Timeless Hymns (Sacred Performer Collections) What Can I Play on Sunday?, Complete Collection: 60 Easily Prepared Piano Arrangements for Services Throughout the Year (Sacred Performer Collections) What Can I Play on Sunday?, Complete Collection: 60 Easily Prepared Late Intermediate Piano Arrangements for Services throughout the Year (Sacred Performer Collections) What Praise Can I Play on Sunday? Complete Collection -- For the Entire Church Year: Easily Prepared Piano Arrangements (Sacred Performer Collections) Glory to the Newborn King: 10 Inspiring Solo Piano Arrangements for the Christmas Season, Book & CD (Sacred Performer Collections) The Traditional Service: 10 Inspiring Piano Solos for Church Pianists (Sacred Performer Collections) The Complete Worship Suites: 18 Expressive Suites Arranged for Solo Piano Correlated with Scriptural Themes (Sacred Performer Worship Suites) Joy to the World: 10 Solo Piano Settings for Advent and Christmas (Sacred Performer Collections) Come Unto Me: 10 Comforting Solo Piano Arrangements for Worship (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Medleys for Blended Worship, Bk 3: 10 Contemporary Arrangements of Praise Songs with Hymns (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Hymns for the Spirit: 10 Contemporary Arrangements for Worship (Alfred's Sacred Performer Collections) Alfred's Basic Adult All-in-One Course, Bk 3: Lesson * Theory * Solo, Comb Bound Book (Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course)