Please turn to number 54 (Second Tune) and join with the clarinets in “O Thou, Who by a Star”.

Number: 54 (Second Tune)
First Line: O Thou, Who by a Star
Meter: C.M.D.
Tempo: In moderate time
Music: Henry Hiles, 1826-1904
Text: John Mason Neale, 1818-66

In the previous tune, the arranger pretty much used a quarter note per word. In this version, the arranger uses a note for every syllable, turning what was an 8 measure tune into a 16 measure tune. I would also say the style of Henry Hiles’ composition is much more influenced by what was contemporary music (at the time) than was Thomas Clark.

Clarinet Arrangement: 054b-othouwhobyastar

Due to the delicate nature of Hile’s harmonies, I only tracked each part once. Applied the Audacity “Medium Room” Reverb effect.

There isn’t always a lot of room, or call for, dynamic variation in the tunes of the hymns. This one strikes me as being a tad romantic, so I tried to reflect that in my playing.

It’s funny, how, depending on how they are played, the same intervals can sound “wrong” or “right”. It took a fair bit of effort to get some of the more unusual intervals in this tune to sound “right”, but in the end I’m pretty pleased with how it came out.

Red Service Book and Hymnal
Red Service Book and Hymnal