Nathan Howe Music

Father in Heaven (SATB)

NathanHoweMusic — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:09:45 +0000

SATB a cappella

This hymn is a prayer for peace in the world and in our hearts. Nathan Howe’s women’s choir arrangement from 2007 has been updated and adapted for SATB mixed choir. It features natural voice leading and shimmering chords.

For choirs that are not up for the challenge of singing this arrangement a cappella, piano or organ may double the vocal parts quite naturally.

Downloads:

PDF Sheet Music

MIDI File

Sonnet on Endurance

NathanHoweMusic — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:39:00 +0000

SATB a cappella or with piano or organ

This piece was written for a good friend in Berkeley, NSW Australia in 2003. The three verses are four-line stanzas of a sonnet describing the relationship of the believer with Christ, while the refrain is the final two-line prayer:

O Father, wilt Thou help me to endure
The fire that will refine and make me pure!

This hymn was written to address discouragement and depression with the light Christ can bring.

This is a new edition with improved readability and formatting. Special thanks to site visitor Douglas who found a dead link to the GrateMusic edition of this piece and requested that it be reposted. If you can’t find a particular Nathan Howe piece that was once available, please request it through the contact page.

Downloads:

PDF sheet music

MIDI file

SugarDoodled

NathanHoweMusic — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:16:45 +0000

For Latter-day Saints out there, if you haven’t heard of SugarDoodle.net, you probably haven’t been paying attention. The site has tons of resources for Primary, Young Women, Relief Society, and more. My wife loves it.

Today, NathanHoweMusic.com has gotten hundreds of new site visitors from a post on SugarDoodle. For you new folks, you can find out when new free music is posted by liking on Facebook, following on Twitter, or circling on Google+. Thanks for visiting, and thanks to SugarDoodle for the mention!

The Spotlight Song

NathanHoweMusic — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 07:34:45 +0000

Children’s voices and piano

I play the piano for Primary every Sunday, where I get to hang out with kids ages 3 to 11. When I was in Primary, they had a “child of the month” or “child of the week” or “star child” or something, which was basically a way to help the kids get to know each other. In our ward, we now do a similar activity called the Spotlight.

I wrote this song to go with the spotlight activity. Activity instructions, sheet music, and song actions are included in the one-page PDF file below. It’s short and ridiculously simple, so it’s good for use with even young kids.

This song is purely an activity/action song. It contains no doctrine and teaches no Gospel concepts, although the activity associated with it can teach a few basic true principles.

By the way, check out the new Primary page on NathanHoweMusic.com for links to other pieces that are good for use with children.

Downloads:

PDF sheet music

mp3 recording

Promises

NathanHoweMusic — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 06:07:03 +0000

Medium voice with piano

This song was written for the baptism of our niece Zoey. It describes our relationship with the Savior by discussing what we promise him, and what he promises us in return.

Promises was written as a vocal solo with piano. At the 2011 Church Music Festival on Temple Square, it was performed by a wonderful chorus of Primary children. This inspired me to write a simplified arrangement, more suitable for inexperienced soloists or groups, especially groups of Primary children or youth.

Here is a summary of the differences found in the simplified version:

In the original version, the piano does not usually follow the melody line, while in the simplified version, the piano plays every note that is sung.
Some rhythms have been simplified, including many of the syncopated passages.
The low B has been omitted.
In the piano part, all reaches beyond one octave have been eliminated, and several tricky passages have been simplified.
The score fits on 3 pages instead of 4.

The live performance recording is from a 2011 fireside for the youth of Cordera Ward in Colorado Springs. The quality of the recording is low, but it demonstrates how the song fits together.

A quick note: some pieces of sheet music take a lot more time and effort than others. Promises took a longer time because it essentially had to be written twice in order to make the simplified version. If you download and use this song, I’d appreciate a small donation to help cover the costs of maintaining this site. Thanks very much.

Downloads:

Original Version

PDF sheet music
mp3 recording of live performance by Nathan Howe
mp3 recording of MIDI performance

Simplified Version

PDF Sheet Music
mp3 recording of MIDI performance

Awards

NathanHoweMusic — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:15:24 +0000

Some of the most requested songs on NathanHoweMusic.com are those that have won awards. A new page listing these pieces and the awards they have received is now available. Find the list here.

Silent Night: Merry Christmas 2011

NathanHoweMusic — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:30:45 +0000

I have been playing around with recording software, and I made this audio Christmas card for visitors to my site. Thank you for supporting my music by performing it around the world and making donations to maintain this site. I am truly blessed that so many talented strangers around the globe choose to bring my music to life.

Link to download the mp3 is below the video.

mp3 recording: Silent Night (NathanHoweMusic.com)

P.S. There are a few notes on my process for this recording here.

I Have a Garden

NathanHoweMusic — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:06:36 +0000

SSAA a cappella

A good mother-in-law is hard to find. I got one. She’s a member of an elite squad of singing ladies called Come Saturday Morning (perhaps because they practice early on Saturday mornings). To honor them, I arranged this little ditty for four-part women’s voices.

For those LDS folks who still remember the old orange book used for Primary music, I Have a Garden is one of those children’s songs that didn’t make the cut for the new book. It has a simple tune and sweet words by Maryhale Woolsey. The lyrics of the second verse are perhaps more needed now than when the song was written. It contains an important message for all Christians about controlling our thoughts and caring for our minds and hearts.

Although this arrangement is designed for a cappella women’s voices, a pianist could easily double the voices for use by a group that isn’t quite ready to sing without accompaniment (like many Relief Society or Young Women groups).

Downloads:

PDF sheet music

mp3 recording (computer-generated)

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

NathanHoweMusic — Thu, 26 May 2011 05:29:20 +0000

SATB (SAATBB) Choir with Piano or Organ

A beautiful standard in many Christian hymnals, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing is presented here in a dignified yet modern arrangement.

This arrangement is based on an arrangement by Nathan Howe for the missionary farewell of his good friend Thom Quist in 2001. The piano part is moderately difficult, but it does double the voices when they divide into six parts, making adaptation for a quartet possible.

This piece was originally published through Grate Music in 2007. It is reprinted here because a visitor to the site asked about it (thanks, Shelli!). If there is a specific piece you are seeking, feel free to use the contact page or leave a comment.

Downloads:

PDF sheet music

mp3 recording (computer-generated)

Resurrection Hymn

NathanHoweMusic — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 06:24:10 +0000

Vocal Solo with piano

This solo was written for use in a sacrament meeting on Easter of 2010. The song was subsequently revised and performed for “Reflections on Christ,” a Good Friday cultural event sponsored by the Loveland, Colorado Stake in 2011. It is a musical testimony that through the Atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we will all one day be resurrected and stand before God in the flesh. Also, the song affirms that because of the sacrifice of Christ, we may be comforted and healed through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Files:

PDF Sheet Music

YouTube Video: