Product Description
Experience a novel and meaningful expression of the classic "Amazing Grace" with your string ensemble. "Minor Detour" utilizes a rich minor tonality to explore a deeper, more serious side of "Amazing Grace". The melody remains recognizable, but is substantially altered. "Minor Detour" brings a transformative freshness and surprise to the well-known tune. This familiarity will connect with your audience while the novelty engages their imagination.
Composed with strings in mind, "Minor Detour" stays within such string-friendly keys as F# minor (A major), G major, and A minor (C major). Most parts are in first position, making "Minor Detour" a good programming choice for high school ensembles. "Minor Detour" also works well as a church service instrumental. With a running time of 2:00, "Minor Detour" is an ideal special music piece, offertory, or closing meditation.
Minor Detour has no tempo changes and may be performed with or without a conductor.
"Amazing Grace" has become a timeless classic of Christian Hymnody. "Minor Detour" preserves its rhythmic signature and melodic movement, yet transforms the melody into a minor key. Stylistically, the harmonies ebb and flow between antique baroque patterns and modern suspended chord sonorities, a unique combination symbolizing the timeless nature of this cherished hymn. John Newton (1725-1807) wrote the lyrics of Amazing Grace as an autobiographical depiction of his conversion from slave trader to abolitionist and Anglican minister. Newtons text was set to its current melody, "New Britain", by 1835.
2016 Chamber Music Contest Entry
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.