Nearer, My God, to Thee, a paraphrase of the Hymn by Carl Nielsen arranged for 10-part Brass Ensemble, Organ, Timpani and Percussion by Niels-Ole Bo Johansen.

The Titanic disaster in 1912 shook the whole world and soon after, a Danish committee decided to produce a charity concert for the Danish victims of the catastrophe. Supposedly, the Hymn Bethany by Lowell Mason (1792-1872) – better known as Nearer, My God, to Thee with text by Sarah F. Adams (1805-1848) was the tune the ship’s orchestra played as it sank. The hymn became the motif of Carl Nielsen’s paraphrase. Due to a heavy workload as a conductor, he gave a hand-written condensed score with some indications on instrumentation to the experienced army band musician and composer Julius Reesen (1854-1932), asking him to orchestrate it.

The music includes a screeching depiction of the ship's collision with the iceberg.

Niels-Ole Bo Johansen's arrangement is scored for 3 Trumpets in C (B-flat parts as well), 2 Horns, 3 Trombones, Euphonium, Tuba, Timpani, Organ and Percussion. It is suitable for advanced performers and is about 4 minutes in length.

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Johansen

Nielsen - Nearer, My God, to Thee for 10-part Brass Ensemble, Organ, Timpani & Percussion

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