What Wondrous Love
What Wondrous Love, one of my favorite old gospel hymns, for voice, piano and guitar.
Download:
- free lead sheets of the famous hymn melody, or
- a less-well-known pentatonic version, hauntingly beautiful, with free guitar tabs.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
A home-grown hymn from America?
What Wondrous Love is apparently an entirely authentic American hymn.
Almost 200 years ago, William Walker wrote it down as he journeyed through the Appalachian Mountains. It appears, along with other hymns and songs he wrote down, in his compilation book The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1835).
The chords in What Wondrous Love
I have to admit that these are ALMOST the same chord choices you generally find for this hymn... but perhaps tweaked just a little.
The chords are MY favorites, not necessarily any standard choice (though they're not very different).
A pentatonic tune
This alternate melody I mentioned above is entirely pentatonic, so it doesn't wander around much, and the guitar tabs are super-easy in all of the three keys, so it will be fun for beginners!
First, you have to hear this different melody
Listen to Blue Highway singing this bluegrass-style gospel music:
Just one chord
This blue-grass version is a one-chord song; when playing it in the key of Em, for example, you can have the backup instrument just play an Em chord all the way through.
I have provided guitar tabs for several keys, including the key of Fm, which may seem strange, but it makes a very fun tab -- almost like a finger exercise.
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
A 4-part harmony arrangement
If you are interested in a beautiful, easy-to-sing arrangement of this bluegrass-style version for 4-part harmony, go to What Wondrous Love, the ensemble version.
Old song books, Southern Harmony & Sacred Harp
"The Southern Harmony," says Wikipedia, "is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing."
The Sacred Harp is another collection, slightly more contemporary, with much overlap.
Humankind cut off
Like many other old gospel hymns, the hymn lyrics focus on the soul's separation from God because of sin.
How could God and mankind be reconciled?
Though humankind deserved God's "righteous frown," yet because of His great love for those He made, those who were like lost lambs, God took the curse of sin upon Himself.
Death was the cost
By becoming man -- the God-man -- and dying for sin like a sacrificed Lamb Himself, He freed those He loves (all of us, says the Bible). It is the story of a Great Rescue.
A 4-part choral arrangement
The above video features the easy-to-sing version for 4-part harmony I wrote for my students. If you are interested in buying this arrangement (a great deal! $5.00 for unlimited copies) go to What Wondrous Love, the ensemble version.
The free downloads of What Wondrous Love:
The lead sheet links:
Download free printable sheet music What Wondrous Love in Fm
Download free hymn sheet music in Em
Download free piano sheet music for Shape Note hymn in Dm
The lead sheets for the bluegrass-style music:
Download free bluegrass gospel music What Wondrous Love in Fm
Download free guitar tabs for shape note hymn in Em
Download free online guitar tabs for hymn from The Southern Harmony in Dm
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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Deb:
... I watched your video "Wondrous Love" with your eight gals - Magnificent! So refreshing to see good harmonies sung a capella these days; it seems to be rare!
Audrey:
I just wanted to tell you that I have found your website EXTREMELY helpful!
I have a young group of children that I have started a youth choir with and I was searching for music ideas and I came across your website. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Comments
Do you have a funny story about this music, or does it remind you of something you'd like to share with other readers? Do you have a question? I'd love to hear it!
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What Other Visitors Have Said
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Pentatonic Alternate Tune for What Wondrous Love -- More Verses?
I love this tune! I'm so glad I found out about it. I'm wondering if there is a name for the tune by which it is distinguished from the traditional (Walker) …
About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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