About the piece
The words are by Isaac Watts (1719); the tune, called “Antioch”, was published by Lowell Mason in 1839 and draws on passages by Handel.
It starts with a scale falling through eight notes: a great exercise.
The arrangement was written by us for Piano Learning; the app also has a ★★ version with chords.
The notes of the melody (right hand)
Notes with a coloured border are longer. The video also shows the left hand.
DC♯BA
GF♯E
DAB
BC♯C♯D
DDC♯BAAGF♯DDC♯BAA
GF♯F♯F♯F♯F♯F♯GA
GF♯EEEEF♯G
F♯EF♯D
BAGF♯GF♯
ED
How to practise it
- Read the notes above and find the hand position: most of the time the fingers stay on five neighbouring keys.
- The opening scale falls an octave: a good moment to learn the thumb crossing.
- Add the left hand only when the right hand is secure, first at 60% as in the video.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read music?
No: the notes are written in letters and the video shows which key to press and for how long.
Can I play it with one hand?
Yes, the right-hand melody alone is already recognisable. In the app, if you practise one hand, the app plays the other.