Recommendation for a duet for Sacrament meeting?

[wurzel]

My wife and I have been asked to sing a duet for Sacrament meeting, and we're

trying to find something that works. My wife can sing Soprano or Alto, but I'm

definitely stuck in the bass range, can't go much above middle C without

squeaking. Our music director suggested Built Upon the Rock by Sally DeFord,

but it goes up to F (squeak!)

So I was wondering if anyone out there had a suggestion for a good husband/wife

Soprano/Bass or Alto/Bass duet? It doesn't have to be free; I don't mind paying for

sheet music for a good, appropriate tune.

Many thanks!

[georgia2]

According to the talk by Elder Oaks in last conference, we are supposed to have music to invoke the spirit of worship,not performance. I'm the music chairman (woman) in our ward. I have a tough time getting any music for sacrament. What we have found to work very well for us when we do have someone to sing is to offer to them to select their favorite hymn, then sing that as a special. There can be interludes planned between each verse, last line sung twice, so forth. There are also hymns in the back of the hymnal that are arranged for specials. ANother thing I have found to VERY effective is to locate the section in the back of the hymnal that shows how each hymn can be sung to another melody. If you try this you can come up with some BEAUTIFUL arrangements. THis is helpful to cut down on practice time, especially for the pianist.

[Honor]

You might flip through the hymns toward the back that are written for specifically men or specifically women and see if there's not a part that could be sung an octave above or below. OR find a solo soprano hymn arrangement (I Know That My Redeemer Lives, Where Can I Turn For Peace, I Stand All Amazed & Nearer My God to Thee all arranged by Michael R. Hicks are AWESOME). Get creative! Worst case, ask your music chairman if you can make it a quartet and find a Soprano/Tenor couple to sing with you. Also, I don't know where you are from but check out Deseret Book or try cruising the website for sheet music that might work. Good luck to ya! Let us know what you find and how it goes.

[wendy475]

Sally Deford has written a lot of wonderful, free music available for download at her site Sally DeFord Music: Welcome!. Most are appropriate for Sacrament Meeting performance. I know how you feel about needing to find the right piece. It shouldn't be a performance in that it's about bringing the Spirit into the meeting, not about wow-ing everyone with your talents -- as georgia2 stated -- but you also want to select something that is truly do-able so that the beauty of the music carries the message of the Spirit well.

Deford's arrangement of Abide with Me for a duet or two-part choir looks like it is in your range. http://www.defordmusic.com/abidewithmetwopart.pdf It goes up to a Db, just a half-step above middle C. If you needed to, at the end of the song where the high note is held for a long time, you could drop down an octave at measures 73 and 74. That would still sound really good, and shouldn't be too hard to make the jump down from the previous measure.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Edited January 9, 2009 by wendy475
oops, forgot to include link to sheet music

[refman]

Music from Hymns or Children's Songbook is always appropriate.

[Hemidakota]

Find out what is the theme of the Sacrament and look for similar music that is appropriate.