Choral Music for Ascension and Pentecost

The list on this page focuses specifically on hymn concertatos for this part of the church year. A hymn concertato is a festive arrangement of a hymn, usually featuring congregational as well as choral and instrumental involvement. Brass fanfares and accompaniments appear frequently in concertatos.

A few of the compositions listed below are hymn anthems that do not involve the congregation. These are marked with an asterisk (*). Choir directors can create their own concertatos by using portions of these hymn anthems as alternate stanzas during congregational singing.

All of the tunes and texts in this list are included in at least one of the following hymnals: The Hymnbook, Psalter Hymnal, Rejoice in the Lord, or Trinity Hymnal. Compositions are all SATB with organ accompaniment and congregational participation, unless otherwise noted. Those marked "easy," "medium," or "difficult" I have used with my choirs and recommend. The remaining titles were taken from publishers' lists.

ASCENSION    
CHRIST 1ST ERSTANDEN    
-Christ the Lord Ascends to Reign
CRC Publications, 241407
  Kloppers
-Christ the Lord Is Risen
H. W. Gray, CMR-1129*  
medium/easy Whitehead
- His Spirit Leads On (Easter Carol)
G. Schirmer, 91972*   
brass or organ, percussion
difficult Pfautsch
DARWALLS 148TH
-Rejoice, the Lord Is King
G.I.A., G-2223
one or two trumpets
  Goemanne
Concordia, 98-2552
two trumpets
  Wolff
DIADEM ATA
-Crown Him with Many Crowns
Concordia, 97-5142
brass quartet
  Gieschen
Augsburg, 11-9093 
descant, three trumpets
easy Pelz
Augsburg, 11-9167
brass sextet
  Proux
DUKE STREET
-Jesus Shall Reign    
Augsburg, 11-2107
trumpet
  Engel
G.I.A., G-2135   Hopson
HANOVER
-Oh, Worship the King
Augsburg, 11-2019
SAB, trumpet
  Beck
Augsburg, 11-2034
descant
easy Pelz
KING'S WESTON
-At the Name of Jesus
Oxford, 40 P 100
descant, congregation
medium Vaughan Williams
LLANFAIR Powell
-Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise
G.I.A., G-2418   Powell
LYONS
-O Worship the King Stevens
Mark Foster, EH 6* easy Stevens
ST. MAGNUS
-The Head That Once Was Crowned
G.I.A., G-2235   Schalk
PENTECOST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
BLAENWERN
-For Your Gift of God the Spirit
CRC Publications,
Reformed Worship 3    
a free organ accompaniment with treble descant for the final stanza
easy Sweetman
DOWN AMPNEY
-Come Down, O Love Divine
Hope, APM 241*  easy Dietterich
H. W.Gray, GCMR 3367*   Spaulding
MORECAMBE
-Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart
Gaither,GG5187*   Parks
J. Fischer, 7812*
SSAATTBB a cappella  
out-of-print, but worth locating and photocopying
with the publishers permission.
easy Harris
VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS
-Come, Holy Ghost
G.I.A., G-1896
trumpet
  Goemanne

Howard Slenk is director of music at Woodlawn CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

Reformed Worship 7 © March 1988, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Used by permission.