DOWNLOAD

FLOWER, Eliza – Hymn ‘Nearer Thy God’ – FOUR CELLOS (easy)

Other Identification:
Eliza Flower (1803 – 1846) was a British composer and radical figure in early 19th-century London. Her younger sister was the poet Sarah Fuller Flower Adams. From the age of four, Eliza Flower showed a promising aptitude for music and composition.

She was well-known for her original vocal music and also for her role at the South Place Unitarian Chapel. Collaborating closely with her sister Sarah Flower Adams and others like Harriet Martineau, she composed dramatic hymns, protest songs, and other musical works that served as part of the progressive, humanistic services at the chapel.

Flower’s first published musical work was Four Musical Illustrations of the Waverley Novels in 1831, setting to music several of Sir Walter Scott’s romantic songs. Her compositions included music for her sister’s words and arrangements of classical works, Her chorus ‘Now pray we for our Country’ achieved some popularity. She wrote the music sung at the funeral of Hindu reformist Ram Mohan Roy. During her lifetime, reviewers considered her perhaps the greatest female composer in Britain, but sadly many of her musical works have been largely forgotten.

Movements or sections:
“Nearer, My God, to Thee” is a 19th-century Christian hymn set to words by Sarah Flower Adams, which retells the story of Jacob’s dream. Genesis 28:11–12 can be translated as follows:
“So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it…”

The hymn is well known, among other uses, as the alleged last song the band on RMS Titanic played before the ship sank.

Instrumentation: QUARTET OF FOUR CELLOS (easy)
Possible with a larger cello ensemble

All the music (score and parts) is contained in 1 PDF.

Approximate difficulty: EASY
The arrangement for four cellos (or larger cello ensembles) is reset into the superb cello key of C Major, and is very comfortable for cellists in their first years of experience though will be effective for all; the register only proceeds to fourth position and the octave ‘A’ note (which may be played as a harmonic though usually not Johnstone’s first option choice!), and extensions are kept to a minimum (unless one experiments with fluid position change).

David Johnstone has utilized two verses and a half, which allows ALL the four voices to share the discreet warm melody line – the music rises up in an arch before resting gently at the end. The signs ⌐ to ¬ show where each part has the melodic importance; however this signaled part should never have to force the sound out – rather the other lines must be contained enough to be able to hear this!

Go back to this section and continue searching for more music

Go to COLLECTION POINT to receive all selected items

Poster of Johnstone-Music

Who plays Johnstone-Music?

Johnstone Music has been performed by orchestras and conservatories worldwide, earning international recognition in cello repertoire.

Free sheet music

Instantly download a wide variety of scores – from cello solos and chamber works to orchestral parts and educational material