‘WONDROUS LOVE’ contemporary setting (downloadable PDF)

$1.00

A contemporary setting of the haunting, traditional American shape-note hymn 'WONDROUS LOVE' (a.k.a. 'What Wondrous Love Is This?'), featuring a powerful three-part harmony.  Please see below for more information and audio and video samples.

 

Description

A contemporary setting of the haunting, traditional American shape-note hymn ‘WONDROUS LOVE’ (a.k.a. ‘What Wondrous Love Is This?’), featuring a powerful three-part harmony, as published in ‘An Ift of Efts’ collection. A very similar version was recorded for the Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band’s The Calling album. Though this hymn is uniquely American, the melody may have some English DNA, an early version having likely been used for a 1701 pirate ballad about Captain [William] Kidd (among other English songs). Chord symbols and lyrics are not included in this setting.

If you are seeking the setting of ‘WONDROUS LOVE’ with a harmony part derived from the traditional shape-note version, please see here. There also exists a printed arrangement of this melody for Highland pipes and organ which may be found here. If you are seeking the basic melody alone, without harmony parts, it is available for free here.

Audio sample, from the companion CD to the ‘Ift of Efts’ collection, featuring Scottish smallpipes (A-chanter, with drones tuned to A and E):

A video of shape-note singers singing the original shape-note hymn: