Three Advent Hymns

“Recently I have been corresponding with a recorder player in Switzerland, who is also a member of a couple of gemshorn groups.

This instrument is traditionally made from the horn of a chamois goat, but cow horns are also used now. They have a fipple, like a recorder, and finger holes along the horn, and they come in various sizes, similar to recorders. However, the range is only a ninth, like a crumhorn.

I thought it would be interesting to write some music for SATB gemshorns, and I chose three old German Advent hymns. I sent them to my friend, and he said the arrangements were well received by the players.  

Although written for gemshorns, they work perfectly well on recorders — and for those brave enough, on crumhorns. “ Lance Eccles Sep. 2024

Three Advent Hymns comprises:

1. Nun jauchzet, all ihr Frommen  (*English translation:Rejoice you pious souls by Johann Cruger, 1640. Arranged Lance Eccles)

2. Gott sei Dank durch alle Welt  (*English translation: Thanks to God throughout the world by Johann Stotzel, 1744. Arranged Lance Eccles)

3. Wie soll ich dich empfangen  (*English translation: How should I receive you by Johann Cruger, 1653. Arranged Lance Eccles)

Composer and arranger, Lance Eccles was a member of the Reluctant Consort, A Sydney based recorder group, for 20 years, and nearly all his recorder compositions and arrangements have been written either for that group or for meetings of the Sydney Society of Recorder Players. He recently retired from being a senior lecturer in Chinese at Macquarie University and now lives in Goulburn. 

Score: 6 pages. 4 parts @ 3 pages ea.