C Instrument, C Instruments - Level 5 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1852474
By Traditional. By William Runyan. Arranged by George Willson. This edition: pdf, streaming. 20th Century, Christian, Praise & Worship, Religious, Sacred. Lead Sheet / Fake Book. 1 pages. George Willson #1412113. Published by George Willson (A0.1852474).
Unlike many centuries-old hymns, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" began as a personal poem by Thomas Chisholm, sent to musician William Runyan, who felt the words were so deeply moving they required a melody of equal stature. Since its publication in 1923, the hymn has become a global anthem of God’s unchanging nature, defined by its soaring refrain and rich, orchestral-style harmonies. However, those very harmonies—spread across four vocal parts in a traditional hymnal—can be a daunting "wall of notes" for a single pianist or guitarist trying to provide a steady, rhythmic accompaniment without a dedicated chord chart.
This lead sheet honors the majestic reach of Runyan’s original score while distilling it into a clean melody line supported by simplified primary chords. By stripping away the complex internal voicing of the choral arrangement, this version allows you to focus on the powerful progression from the steady verses to the triumphant chorus without the "analysis paralysis" of decoding a traditional hymnal on the fly. Every verse and the iconic refrain are clearly labeled and logically mapped, providing a dependable roadmap for worship leaders and soloists alike. Whether for a large congregation or a quiet moment of personal reflection, this arrangement ensures that the message of "new mercies" remains the heart of your performance.
Why a Hymn Lead Sheet? Hymns are found in hymnals and have always been written in classical 4-part harmony for the express purpose of being sung in a congregational setting. These hymnals have no chord changes, and strict changes will change chords almost every note, which is not conducive to instrumental accompaniment. I recorded over 120 hymns on YouTube back in 2020 accompanying myself on guitar, and I decided others might appreciate these reductions I had created with the primary chords written for simple self-accompaniment. The tempos are those I used when I recorded them which are based on other congregational versions I found at the time. I hope these hymns continue to bless you as they have others for generations.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global
self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters.
ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular
titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on
your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music,
you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and
you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page
that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are
only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not
digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not
print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
C Instrument, C Instruments - Level 5 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1852474
By Traditional. By William Runyan. Arranged by George Willson. This edition: pdf, streaming. 20th Century, Christian, Praise & Worship, Religious, Sacred. Lead Sheet / Fake Book. 1 pages. George Willson #1412113. Published by George Willson (A0.1852474).
Unlike many centuries-old hymns, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" began as a personal poem by Thomas Chisholm, sent to musician William Runyan, who felt the words were so deeply moving they required a melody of equal stature. Since its publication in 1923, the hymn has become a global anthem of God’s unchanging nature, defined by its soaring refrain and rich, orchestral-style harmonies. However, those very harmonies—spread across four vocal parts in a traditional hymnal—can be a daunting "wall of notes" for a single pianist or guitarist trying to provide a steady, rhythmic accompaniment without a dedicated chord chart.
This lead sheet honors the majestic reach of Runyan’s original score while distilling it into a clean melody line supported by simplified primary chords. By stripping away the complex internal voicing of the choral arrangement, this version allows you to focus on the powerful progression from the steady verses to the triumphant chorus without the "analysis paralysis" of decoding a traditional hymnal on the fly. Every verse and the iconic refrain are clearly labeled and logically mapped, providing a dependable roadmap for worship leaders and soloists alike. Whether for a large congregation or a quiet moment of personal reflection, this arrangement ensures that the message of "new mercies" remains the heart of your performance.
Why a Hymn Lead Sheet? Hymns are found in hymnals and have always been written in classical 4-part harmony for the express purpose of being sung in a congregational setting. These hymnals have no chord changes, and strict changes will change chords almost every note, which is not conducive to instrumental accompaniment. I recorded over 120 hymns on YouTube back in 2020 accompanying myself on guitar, and I decided others might appreciate these reductions I had created with the primary chords written for simple self-accompaniment. The tempos are those I used when I recorded them which are based on other congregational versions I found at the time. I hope these hymns continue to bless you as they have others for generations.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global
self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters.
ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular
titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on
your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music,
you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and
you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page
that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are
only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not
digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not
print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
Preview: Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Hymn Lead Sheet)
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