Love Divine (Blaenwern) arr. Kenneth Downie - Melbourne Staff Band

Published by BrookWright Music - www.brookwrightmusic.com

PDFs available from www.brookwrightmusic.com/product-page/love-divine-blaenwern-brass-band-william-rowlands-arr-kenneth-downie

Sheet music available from www.brassband.co.uk

This delightful setting for brass band by Kenneth Downie is based on the much loved hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, alternatively known as Blaenwern. An optional organ part which will enhance the last verse is included.

Kenneth Downie writes:

‘It has been a delight to work on this wonderful Welsh hymn tune called Blaenwern, a tune which perfectly suits the majestic words by Charles Wesley, ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’. This hymn is all about a big, expansive, all-embracing God, and I have tried to capture this aspect of the words.

The rising interval in the introduction is an important feature in developing the notion of a ‘big God’, and its reappearance near the end is intended to be very significant.

The hymn is full of memorable phrases which will hopefully inspire players, singers and conductors as they contemplate the text in preparation for any performance. ‘Joy of Heaven, to earth come down’, ‘Enter every longing heart’, ‘Finish then thy new creation’, and then the last amazing four lines:

‘Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise’.

The addition of the organ in the last verse, by special request of Peggy and Scott Thomas who commissioned the arrangement, should add to the majesty of the music, but of course, it is not fundamental to any performance.

May this music bring honour to our amazing God!’

Difficulty Level: 4th Section +