Hymns Re-Harmonized - Keepsake Edition: Piano Solo Spiral-bound – July 1, 2006

I can’t believe I paid this much for a single book, but I know I will be able to use it for the rest of my life. The arrangements are lovely and easy enough for an experienced pianist to play without much practice. A really helpful book for church pianists!

I purchased this book for myself over 2 years ago, and have used it constantly since then. The consistent format of introduction, standard first verse, then reharmonized 2nd verse makes it versatile as a playing or a teaching tool. There is a variety of seasonal pieces in this book, such as Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Father's Day, and patriotic which adds to its versatility. I played for a double funeral last week, and every hymn I played came from this book.An intermediate player would enjoy these pieces just as they are written, and they would be beautiful. An advanced level player would be able to improvise to add even more richness and fullness to the existing chord structures.I just ordered a copy of this book for one of my piano students who has been playing standard hymns in her church, but is ready to move it up a notch. We will start with one of the simpler pieces in C major and investigate each measure to see how Tornquist modified the original to produce more modern chord structures. Using this book as an example, I will have her rewrite a favorite song using modern chords. The chord symbols chart and the modulation charts at the back of the book will come in very handy also, particularly for teaching her how to build a medley from two or more songs in different keys.Regarding the layout of the book, two things are extremely helpful....1) the spiral binding (which should be required for ALL music books, in my humble opinion), and 2) the songs are alphabetized, which makes them easy to locate.I own a lot of Carol Tornquist's books, and I use them all frequently, but this one is by far my favorite.

I am so glad to have discovered this collection of hymns. I am a church pianist and as such have to play hymns that augment the singing rather than turn everything into a piano solo. But I still want to challenge myself so this book is perfect for me. To begin, a review from last year says there are no "tunes names" which is not accurate. There is an index in the front of the book that lists the hymns alphabetically. Each arrangement begins with a traditional version of the hymn followed by a verse that augments the chords and arrangement. Nothing veers too far from the traditional so the hymns are still as expected, only richer and more interesting.I like that this is spiral bound - every music book should be - so it lays flat when performing, and each hymn includes chord notations. I happen to play using chords so this is perfect for me.The back of the book includes a chord chart showing how to modulate between any two chords as well as a chart showing how each chord is made up. While I knew a lot of these chords, this chart has helped tremendously and is making me a better pianist. Definitely well worth it even if you just play for your own enjoyment..

This has become my favorite book for offertorys.

Every hymn has a straight-forward verse followed by an arranged-for-piano verse. The arranged sections are beautifully crafted and have a slightly modern feel. I use this book every week at church and for personal enjoyment at home. Easy to combine with solo vocals/violin, etc. as well.

I purchased this copy as a gift, but I have a copy myself and I love it. Each hymn has a traditional arrangement and then one verse that has been reharmonized. They are written at an intermediate level, with some more difficult than others, but I enjoy them all. I play from it weekly at a nursing home and always receive compliments. I just wish the binding/cover was a little more durable; it's pulling away from the spiral binding. I will probably have to take mine apart soon and put it in a 3-ring binder, but I have used it for a few years now.

I love this book. It’s exactly what I needed for preludes and soft music. Easy to play.

This has become a super-helpful resource and I use it all the time! Reharmonized chords give a fresh sound to these well-loved hymns and I often have people come up to me and ask me where I got the music after the service. I've adapted many for preludes as well as accompaniment for vocals/instrumental special numbers. The page setup is nice too having an introduction idea, the hymnal version verse, and segue into final reharmonized verse. Thank you, Carol!

Used for preludes and offertories in church.

Love her arrangements!

Gorgeous arrangements!

Not too impressed with this product.

I LOVE this book and use it almost every week for playing my church services. The harmonisations are excellent. Each hymn has the standard harmony then a bridge into the last verse alternative harmony. Super book and a great asset for organists.