Helen H. Lemmel composed this melody in 1922 inspired by the scripture of Hebrews 12:2. Steve Ash’s introspective treatment of this melody in his trombone quintet arrangement shares the tune between instrumental parts so no one player carries the melodic weight for the whole piece. Other accompanying moving lines around the entire ensemble will keep things interesting for everybody, making for a good exercise in ensemble balance and blend.
While the first two trombone parts go as high as a “G” above the staff, and there are a few characteristic lower notes for the bass trombonist, there aren’t many other technical challenges making for an accessible chart for a broad range of skill levels.
This tender arrangement would fit well when needing a reflective piece on a program.
