Lord Bless You and Keep You, The

The Lord Bless You and Keep You
Composed by Peter Christian Lutkin
For Low Flute Choir
Arranged by Martin Melicharek
Published by Alry Publications
Includes score and parts

Instrumentation:
3 Alto Flutes
Bass Flute
Contrabass Flute (Contralto Flute – in G)
Double Contrabass Flute (Double Contralto Flute – in G)

New in 2018 for Low Flute Choir, a beautiful arrangement of this familiar benediction and seven-fold Amen. The entire hymn is repeated once, with a very unique descant which just floats over the top of the entire choir the second time through. Perfect for religious settings. It should be noted that because of the key signature, this arrangement for low flutes is not compatible with the arrangement of “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” for standard flute choir.

Program Notes by Martin Melicharek:
      The Benediction has been the subject of many musical settings. One of the best-known and beloved is the arrangement for a cappella choir by Peter Lutkin. His was introduced in a Methodist hymnal, of which he was the musical editor, and many generations of musicians, congregations and choirs have sung this work with its famous sevenfold amen.
      Lutkin was a well-trained musician with early studies in Chicago, studying organ with Clarence Eddy and theory with Frederick Gleason. Following studies in Germany, he returned to Chigaco where he served as organist in several Chicago churches as well as receiving an appointment to the American Conservatory of Music. He became a faculty member of the Northwestern University in 1891 and later became the first dean of the school of music. He served in this position as well as Professor of Theory and Composition, Piano, and Organ until 1931. He is remembered for forming the first a cappella choir in the United States and helped found the American Guild of Organists. 
      As a composer he is best remembered for his choral music, especially for unaccompanied choir. Most of his published choir works were ones he wrote for his choirs. He was frequently a guest conductor who was a proponent of unaccompanied singing and a cappella choir repertoire and is best remembered for “The Lord Bless and Keep You”.