C Instrument, C Instruments - Level 5 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1852469
By Traditional. By Philip P. Bliss. Arranged by George Willson. This edition: pdf, streaming. 19th Century, Christian, Praise & Worship, Religious, Sacred. Lead Sheet / Fake Book. 1 pages. George Willson #1412108. Published by George Willson (A0.1852469).
Written in the wake of unimaginable personal tragedy, "It Is Well With My Soul" stands as perhaps the most profound testament to peace in the face of adversity. Horatio Spafford’s lyrics, penned near the very spot where his daughters were lost at sea, are perfectly married to Philip Bliss’s stirring melody, "Ville du Havre." While the original four-part hymnal arrangement captures a majestic, choral gravity, it can be notoriously difficult for a single instrumentalist to navigate while trying to maintain a steady flow for a congregation or small group.
This lead sheet simplifies that complexity, distilling the thick vocal harmonies into a clear melody line supported by essential, primary chords. By stripping away the dense notation of the traditional hymnal, this version allows guitarists and pianists to focus on the emotional weight of the lyrics rather than the technical challenge of transposing a choral score on the fly. Each verse and the iconic refrain are clearly mapped out, providing a reliable roadmap that ensures the "peace like a river" remains the focus of your performance. Whether for a contemporary service or a quiet moment of personal reflection, this arrangement honors the 1876 original while making it perfectly accessible for today’s accompaniment.
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: A0.1852469
By Traditional. By Philip P. Bliss. Arranged by George Willson. This edition: pdf, streaming. 19th Century, Christian, Praise & Worship, Religious, Sacred. Lead Sheet / Fake Book. 1 pages. George Willson #1412108. Published by George Willson (A0.1852469).
Written in the wake of unimaginable personal tragedy, "It Is Well With My Soul" stands as perhaps the most profound testament to peace in the face of adversity. Horatio Spafford’s lyrics, penned near the very spot where his daughters were lost at sea, are perfectly married to Philip Bliss’s stirring melody, "Ville du Havre." While the original four-part hymnal arrangement captures a majestic, choral gravity, it can be notoriously difficult for a single instrumentalist to navigate while trying to maintain a steady flow for a congregation or small group.
This lead sheet simplifies that complexity, distilling the thick vocal harmonies into a clear melody line supported by essential, primary chords. By stripping away the dense notation of the traditional hymnal, this version allows guitarists and pianists to focus on the emotional weight of the lyrics rather than the technical challenge of transposing a choral score on the fly. Each verse and the iconic refrain are clearly mapped out, providing a reliable roadmap that ensures the "peace like a river" remains the focus of your performance. Whether for a contemporary service or a quiet moment of personal reflection, this arrangement honors the 1876 original while making it perfectly accessible for today’s accompaniment.
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: It Is Well With My Soul (Hymn Lead Sheet)
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