Amazing Grace

North American
Words: John Newton
Original Melody: Unknown?
Arrangement: Steven Hatfield (Canada)
The version we sing is derived from Dr. Ysaye Maria Barnwell 3-part vocal version, inspired by Steven Hatfield’s arrangement for voice and oboe.

Kaitie says:
Maggie Wheeler arranged Ysaye’s adaptation for Goldenbridge Choir, which is where I learned it (Maggie is my mentor, and Ysaye is hers.) I made some slight adjustments from that for Living Room Choir in 2016.

Fall 2022: We often sing the arrangement from Ysaye, but this year so far we’ve sung the original melody in heterophony, a technique where the singers are intentionally out of sync with one another. We learned the name for this technique while singing in the SF SingFest with Mark Growden in 2019. Heterophony has a long and worldwide history, and is a common feature in non-Western traditional music. We found using heterophony over Zoom to be a sweet way to hear each other’s voices when we couldn’t sing in sync during lockdown.

Teaching tracks and recordings to be added.
Please do not change the words when teaching this song.

Lyrics:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a soul like me
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.