Product Description
In 1983 John Ness Beck (co-founder of Beckenhorst Press) published
my choral piece, "Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me." It was my first
freelance arrangement and, interestingly, turned out to be the
best-selling anthem that I've ever written. It's had a good run with
Beckenhorst, but now the rights have been returned to me. And so it's my
joy to introduce it to another generation of church musicians, with a companion
orchestration now available (sold separately at
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/gracious-spirit-dwell-with-me-orchestration-digital-sheet-music.....
Thinking of the many church choirs who have fewer men than women, I have created this SAB edition. (The original SATB edition is available separately at https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22256369. The orchestration, available at https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/22237960, fits either edition as well as the original SATB version published in 1983 (in case you have the octavo already in your music library and would like to re-introduce it with orchestral accompaniment.) This demo is the 1983 SATB/Piano edition.
This moving text is perfect for Pentecost! In addition, as a general prayer
of aspiration its suitable just about anytime in the church year.
In the process of re-releasing the anthem I have edited my
1983 self, adding optional alternate lyrics in places and making other
improvements based on 40 years of "beta-testing". Some
of the lyric options include replacing the word "with" with "in" (as in
"Gracious Spirit, dwell in me"). Some traditions emphasize the Spirit
dwelling in the believer, hence the option of using that preposition.
However, the original "with" is also correct theologically, according to
my wise theologian friend, Dr. Richard H. Neiderhiser. He writes: ESV
translates the section from John
14:16: . . .I will ask the Father, and he will give you
another Helper (Counselor, Advocate), to be with you forever. The word Advocate or Counselor is
presuming to mean someone who stands beside you, which
would presume "with".
***********************
It
has been my lifelong endeavor to provide fresh, yet accessible music
for
the churches and schools with whom I have been associated. Because of
the slowdown caused by Covid-19 in 2020, I finally had the time to start posting 45 years' worth of custom
arrangements on Sheet Music Plus. If you are curious about what else is
available, please navigate to my publisher page here on SMP
<
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/leatherman-music-services/16718 > or slip over to Facebook
< https://www.facebook.com/leathermanmusicservices >, where you can
see and hear more published works. Thanks for your interest!
God bless!
Lyndell Leatherman, ASCAP
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.