I've been feeling rather verbose lately... but not so bad as a long-winded High Counsel speaker.
So I'm giving you a fair WARNING...
...because I'm feeling a disturbance in the force.
Something I haven't felt since...
I just wanted you to be aware that I've been bottling up all kinds of thoughts and ideas about LDS music, but I'm not holding them in any longer.
So you're going to see a lot more emails coming from me.
If you want to subscribe so you don't have to listen to me blather on and on... that's fine.
I understand.
But before you go, please feel free to take a FREE piece of music.
I'd be very happy if this was useful to you somehow.
It's a new arrangement of "Becuase I Have Been Given Much" for voice (high or low) and piano.
And it was composed in the style of a Richard Strauss art song.
If fact, if you're an Art Song nut like me, I'm sure you'll recognize this very famous Strauss song.
It just so happens that borrowing (maybe closer to stealing) straight from Strauss was a GREAT idea.
Here's what my friend Rex Kocherhans said about it after giving the first performance at a Ward funeral.
"It’s gorgeous! Totally love it. Very inventive setting—true to the original with a uniquely appropriate twist. I’m singing it at the memorial service for Lois Ritchie, a pillar of our ward and community, and it will be perfect. She requested this particular hymn and I’m so glad to have a great new setting to sing for her. Thank you so much!"
And another friend... distinguished organist Walter Whipple, who happened to hear Rex sing this piece at the same funeral... wrote me a nice note afterward:
"Douglas, Rex sang your arrangement today. It was beautiful. How skillfully you incorporated wisps of R. Strauss 4 Last Songs. Bravo!"
If you'd like, you can get it for free.
BUT... I'd also love to get your help... if you don't mind.
I'd love to spread this free arrangement around, so I've started a little "giveaway competition."
Here's how it works...
Then choose the box that says "Download Because I Have Been Given Much."
Make sure you get your free download, which will go right to your email inbox.
Then, please share the link with your LDS music friends.
If you do, you'll be entered to win 1 of 3 PRIZES.
3rd place: I'll send you a PDF of my arrangement of "Jesus Savior, Pilot Me" for ward choir with a license to print as many copies as you like.
2nd place: I'll send you a PDF of 2 arrangements, "Jesus Savior, Pilot Me" and "Abide With Me" for ward choir, with a license to print as many copies as you like.
1st place: I'll send you PDF copies of the 2 arrangements mentioned above PLUS... I'll write you a BRAND NEW arrangement of a hymn of YOUR CHOICE for use in Sacrament Meeting. We'll have a phone call, we'll discuss your needs, whether you want a piece for choir or solo voice or violin or whatever, and I'll write it for you... for FREE!
You get that... plus a license to print as many copies as you want... for FREE! All you have to do is help me spread this arrangement.
The more you share, the more of your friends who download it, the more points you get in the competition.
After that, if you'd still like to unsubscribe (see below) from these emails for fear that I will spread WAY TOO MANY musical secret combinations...
...well... I understand.
Hey, you don't want to bring down a whole civilization with secret musical combinations!
One more time, here's the link to enter the giveaway competition.
Thanks a bunch!
Doug