Dixieland Swing on What a Friend We Have In Jesus
We travel to New Orleans for the fourth of Cathy’s jazz hymn arrangements. The opening two stanzas are reminiscent of a Dixieland jazz funeral procession, as the handbell choir enters slowly and the clarinet and tuba players follow. When the players are all in place, faster, joyous rhythms break out with the addition of the drum set. Solos that mimic improvisation are written out for the instrumentalists and the bells, but the bell solos may be omitted if desired. 137 measures in length, this arrangement is set in Eb Major.