Free Easy Hymn PDFs
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I am slowly doing up PDF files of public-domain hymns with simplified harmonies designed for beginner organists. To this end, I have eliminate reaches of more than an octave-span, made the music clear and easy to read. As noble as this may sound, the reality is that I needed simplified versions for myself to play, and since I have gone to the effort of producing them as PDFs, I might as well share them.

    Firmly I Believe And Truly - set to Drake's Broughton
    (General Hymn, also suitable for Trinity Sunday)

    Forty Days And Forty Nights - set to Aus Der Tiefe
    (Lenten Hymn)

    Lord Jesus Think On Me - set to Southwell
    (Lenten Hymn, also suitable for reconciliation)

    Feel free to pass around and share them.

    Eventually I will compile them into booklets along the lines of "6 Essential Lenten Hymns for the Parish Organist" or "20 Essential Hymns for the Parish Organist" or something similar. I've staked the claim to the title, so leave off!
    Thanked by 3ryand mgearthman veromary
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I'm sure you know you're not the first one to write simplified organ accompaniments for common hymn tunes.

    M. Mealey's book has been on my shelf since High School, for the occasional (and increasingly unlikely) situations where I'm the only person available to play.

    http://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=4142

    (These days I'm confident enough in my abilities that when this situation arises I program all unaccompanied music.)
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I'm not the first and will not be the last either. These are just the ones that I have done up for my own performance folder. Eventually, I'll have a selection covering Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Ordinary Time, Marian Hymns, Eucharist/Communion, Offertory, Saints, Divine Office, etc which are all simplified and ready for me to play at a moment's notice.

    I wrote them for myself, but intend to pass them around as a free resource for other organists, especially to encourage beginners.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Right- I hope you didn't think I was suggesting you were wasting your time or anything.
    I think it's great.

    I just figured, if anyone was interested in yours, they might be interested in the Mealey book as well. And you know (or should know) how much I appreciate "Free."
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    "Free" and "Public Domain"

    So you have no worries about copyright, royalties, etc.

    I am hoping to set up my folder so that I can sing and play whatever I need without worrying about copyrights and royalties.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Thank you!!!
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    You're quite welcome. There will be more in due course. I had to finish writing a theology presentation on Leviticus and now I have 3 days to read Crime and Punishment, so the next few might be a couple of weeks away.

    Since we are in ordinary time I might do a few general hymns and then look at a selection for Advent and Christmastide, though I am certain that there are plenty of easy Christmas Hymns and Carols out there.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    This one isn't really simplified so much as it is transposed from F minor (4 flats) to E minor (1 sharp) I'll work on a simplified accompaniment in due course.

    "The God of Abraham Praise" - Hymn Tune "Leoni"

    No words are on this document, but anyone who wants to play this in a slightly easier key may find it useful to add to their music folder.
    THE GOD OF ABRAHAM PRAISE.pdf
    114K
  • veromaryveromary
    Posts: 160
    Thank You! The bit in Drakes Broughton where the tenor and alto cross was driving me insane. Unaccompanied the tune seems to drag. I like Omni Die better, from the newish Westminster Hymnal I think. That's how they sang it back when I was going to Maternal Heart, Lewisham.

    I'll put these in my folder of adjusted hymns - and see if there's anything I've done that might be worth sharing here, though I was tending to just take the soprano and bass lines.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    Indeed, I had marked the change where the alto and tenor cross in my hymnal.

    Drake's Broughton only drags if you let it, as does most hymns.

    There is a correction I need to make in "The God of Abraham Praise" - there is an accidental D# missing. I might also re-work some of the harmonies, since a number of the chords sound different to most recordings that I have heard (suspensions and all that), but as it stands it isn't too difficult to play and still sounds quite good.
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