This Sunday I will conduct "Arise and Sing" in two services at the Westminster First Congregational Church in Westminster, MA. Arise and Sing is a 30 second introit piece for SATB unaccompanied choir intended to herald the opening of an Easter service. It is in the key of C and we will be dovetailing it with the opening hymn in the service - Christ the Lord is Risen Today. We tried this last year, and it was pretty cool. The choir lands on a powerful C major chord at the end of Arise and Sing, and while the choir is holding the last chord (fff of course) the organ comes in like a bulldozer, starting the introduction to the hymn. It's powerful - trust me. (Or better yet, come hear it on Sunday!)
Below is the King's College Choir singing Jesus Christ is Risen Today (same hymn as Christ the Lord is Risen Today). We will be singing it out of our hymnal, but Ashley and I co-wrote a descant for the last verse! Should be quite a morning! Happy Easter to all!