canasg choral music publishing

SA5003

Amazing grace

words by John Newton (1725 - 1807)
tune traditional, arranged by Sheena Phillips

for soprano, alto, tenor and bass chorus (S & A divided)

SATB performance time approx 3m 00s

Arranger's note

John Newton was a slave trader before he dramatically converted to Christianity and trained for ordination, and this hymn beautifully expresses the feeling of thanks for finding a good path through life. The setting builds up from a very quiet and slow first verse, via a suddenly more upbeat second verse, to a joyful jazz finale. I have changed the pronoun in verse 3 from Newton's original 'I' to 'we', as I like the way the song then moves from a private and relatively unadorned statement to a collective choral one.

A recording by Rudsambee company of singers is available on their album bottled at source (RUBEECD003).

Music

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Words

Amazing grace

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fear relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
We have already come;
'Tis grace that brought us safe thus far,
And grace will lead us home.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.

John Newton

Price

The price of this piece depends on the number of singers in your group. This is a single payment for a licence to make as many copies as you need for your group to rehearse and perform the song as often as you wish. Copies of the song must not be given, lent or sold to any other group.

Number of singers in your group
up to 12 singers	13 to 24 singers	25 singers or more
Ł7 (approx US$10)	Ł14 (approx US$20)	Ł21 (approx US$30)
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Companion pieces

Browse the 'Sacred' section of the Canasg catalogue for more songs like this one. To go there now, click on the 'catalogue' box to the right.

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