Immortal Invisible

I love this old Welsh hymn tune.

The text has a very mysterious quality to it.

"Immortal, Invisible, God only wise.

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes.

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days.

Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise."

So when I set this tune for handbells I began the piece with a rather mysterious sound with the lower bells played quietly with mallets. The tune is then played in a mode - not quite minor, not quite major, which adds to the mysterious sound. Later the tune is played in a bright major key before it returns the the modal quality of the beginning. It ends with exciting shakes of big chords to the phrase "Thy great Name we praise!"

You can hear it by clicking on the link below.

http://www.beckenhorstpress.com/lister.asp?qry=arranger&qryTitle=R.+Lyndel+Littleton&qryStr=183