Near to the Heart of God
Michael Glasgow refers to this arrangement – written 18 months into the COVID-19 crisis – as his "pandemic anthem", and describes the journey in heartfelt detail in the folio's notes. Commissioned for RingFest (an annual advanced-level youth festival in Ohio), this work blends together the beloved hymn tunes McAFEE and BETHANY with flowing lines, rich harmony, and abundant expressive opportunities. The arrangement includes an optional (reproducible) choral tag, an unexpected performance option that closes the piece with the ringers and/or additional vocalists singing an unaccompanied stanza of "Nearer, My God, to Thee"; this is especially compelling in massed-ringing festival settings.