Hymn Arranging: The Old Rugged Cross

I got through my dad's funeral all right. It was actually a lovely service, and even though it was sad, I thought it was a wonderful way to honor my dad.

Each member of my family had some sort of role in the service. My daughter led the Lord's Prayer, and my nieces read Scripture verses. My brother carried in the ashes. My husband, my sister, and, surprisingly, my mom stood up and spoke for a few minutes during the remembrances section. And, of course, I played the piano. I ended up doing a medley of two hymns: a contemporary/reflective version of "In the Garden," and the contemporary/bluesy mashup of "The Old Rugged Cross" that I shared here a few days ago.

I'm developing the bluesy version of "The Old Rugged Cross" into a standalone piece. I've written out the lead sheet and am studying the various concepts from PWJ's "Amazing Grace" Slow Gospel Blues course. I have a lot of work to do, but I'm excited about it. Yes, I am still living in the pit of despair, but the prospect of arranging this hymn is making it bearable.

Here is a more polished version of what I posted the other day. This version is a little fast, and my motions seem very jerky ... not sure what's up with that. Anyway, I'll be sharing later versions of this hymn it as I develop them!

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