1. To me, "standard" is what Holst intended: unison singing of the cantabile melody, with the counterpoint of broad accompaniment - IMO, SATB writing would obscure that counterpoint.
OK... really don't like this hymn at all... (imho it should stay in the Planets where it belongs), but I have to play it today for a wedding so I made a quick down and dirty arrangement with "almost" proper voice leading. (difficult to do maintaining integral minimilism and the dominating C pedal point throughout, but, hey... dropping thirds and other oddities of the harmony make it what it is) It is sized to fit (because I now play from) a 10" iPad.
There is an anthem arrangement that in reality has verses like the hymn. I dread mentioning the name of the arranger since I would get less flack if I named Beelzebub. It was arranged by Mary McDonald of big hair fame. It's not bad and easily learned and sung.
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