Product Description
Traditional folk and bluegrass song. Arranged by Mark Templeton. This arrangement of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" was commissioned in 2003 by the choir of St. Johns Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia. The original hymn, written by Ada Habershon and Charles Gabriel and published in 1907, became popular amongst congregations in the southern United States. Throughout the 20th century, it was arranged and rearranged many times by numerous gospel groups and folk artists. In 1972, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band famously used the song as the title to one of their albums featuring various bluegrass and country-western musicians. The text used in that album was written by A. P. Carter of the Carter Family and was significantly different from Ada Habershons original text. The text used for this arrangement is also different but still emotes the same sentiment of leaving loved ones behind. All the verses are taken from either the "Southern Harmony" or the "Sacred Harp" and are appropriately suited to compliment the refrain. The syncopated and driving rhythms juxtaposed with the straight forward melody make this a fun song to sing. The slow barbershop style harmonies of the fifth verse also give a welcome contrast to the overall flair of the piece. With an ever increasing climactic ending, this song is sure to bring down the house.
Mark Templeton, born 1974, is an American choral composer, conductor, and countertenor. Templetons music has been performed all over the world at various international festivals and ACDA conventions. Some of his music is published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and he has recently started to self-publish. He teaches and resides with his wife, Becca, at West Nottingham Academy in Colora, MD, the oldest boarding school in the United States. He also enjoys coaching, playing, and watching soccer when he is not working. He is available for commission upon request.
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.