Great Is Thy Faithfulness
This creative and dynamic setting of the favorite hymn is for a handbell quartet and piano in equal importance, with the parts alternating between verses and refrains, ultimately joining together on the final refrain. In the bell quartet, each ringer has only two notes from the D major scale (no accidentals); thus, the piece can be played without tables. Since Mike is a pianist, he wrote the piano score in more of a Classical/Romantic style and included some creative jazz-chord reharmonizations. This is a celebratory piece for all occasions, featuring bell peals and shakes in the quartet with colorful and varied accompaniment in the piano part.
Recording is of the premiere performance at First United Methodist Church, Corpus Christi, TX, with four ringers from the church's handbell choir and the composer on the piano.