In celebration of ALCM's 30th anniversary in 2016 and looking forward to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, the ALCM board commissioned Susan Briehl (text) and Zebulon Highben (tune) to write a new hymn based on Psalm 46. As Zeb worked with Susan's text ("God Alone Be Praised"), two different tunes emerged. He submitted both hymn tunes to the board, so that they could choose which to use. They decided to make both tunes available.
PER CRUCEM features a standard four-voice harmonization that can be sung by the assembly. AD LUCEM is for unison singing with a basic keyboard accompaniment and chord symbols. These two distinct renderings of the text will allow much more versatility and will hopefully make it accessible within the broad contexts of differing worship communities. Permission is granted to members of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians to use "God Alone Be Praised" in their congregations' worship between July 2016 and December 2017. (NOTE: TIF files for insertion into service folders will be available soon in the Members Area of the website.)
For the first project of the expanded Raabe Prize, ALCM has commissioned additional resources to accompany and enrich "God Alone Be Praised." The following additional resources will be available in January of 2017:
- Organ chorale prelude, PER CRUCEM (2 versions) - Kevin Hildebrand
- Handbells, PER CRUCEM (one stand-alone piece, one accompaniment for singing) - John Behnke
- Choral concertato (one for each tune) - Zeb Highben
- Piano, AD LUCEM (one stand-alone piece, one accompaniment for singing) - John Helgen
- Praise Band, AD LUCEM (audio recording and print materials) - Kip Fox
Thanks to Susan and Zeb for this wonderful new hymn and to Bill and Nancy Raabe, whose expansion of the Raabe Prize makes it possible for a complete set of resources to accompany the hymn!
