Who arranged this version of the Lord's Prayer?

March 25, 2017 7:38 AM

I'm playing piano at a Christian wedding and was asked to include a rendition of the Lord's Prayer, but in rehearsal I found out the song I grew up with (missionary high school in Hawaii) is not the "standard" one that most churches sing. I recorded myself playing the tune as I remember it, but couldn't find any similar recordings online - where does this arrangement come from?
posted by perihare to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

That tune is Morning has Broken by Cat Stevens.
posted by SLC Mom at 10:06 AM on March 25, 2017

Ugh. No it's not. I flunk SoundCloud.
I have never heard your Lord's Prayer tune. Sorry.
posted by SLC Mom at 10:12 AM on March 25, 2017

There are at least 3 version on the IMSLP database, but I don't think any of them are yours. There are several on this page.

The nominal American Standard version is by Albert Hay Malotte.

I also saw some hints that Charles K. L. Davis may have written a setting for the Lord's Prayer in Hawaiian.
posted by SemiSalt at 1:14 PM on March 25, 2017

I am familiar enough with that arrangement that I could sing along, which would suggest it's in circulation in Catholic or Methodist churches (but not necessarily in the "official" hymnal because boy-howdy have I been to a lot of "folk" services over the years). Do you know what denomination the high school was, and what hymnal/service book they preferred? Also if you could narrow down a year you definitely knew it before, that would help ... there's a bunch of more folky church music stuff out of the 70s, and then it fades for a while, and then there's a folky revival in the 90s. If you can say "We were definitely singing this arrangement in 1988" or whatever, that would help narrow it down.

(I suspect it's written in English because the music and melody match the English prayer's cadence, but don't work at all in Spanish or Latin.)

I can put it out to a few church music friends and see if any of them know it.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:47 PM on March 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Perihare, is this the same arrangement? It's difficult for me to tell because of the difference between the performing styles. (You play beautifully!) This arrangement was done by Arnold Strals.
posted by bryon at 10:02 PM on March 25, 2017

Response by poster: I got in contact with the chapel at my high school (Punahou) and they gave me the answer. The arrangement was done by Herbert Draesel and was chosen by a former school chaplain to be included in a hymnal supplement specific to my school. Thanks everyone!
posted by perihare at 6:50 PM on March 29, 2017