The Old Rugged Cross

The Old Rugged Cross (Were You There?)

SATB with piano accompaniment

Cover art This piece was commissioned by Teddy Westlake, the then director of the Vintage Voices of Granville, Ohio. It was then premiered at their Palm Sunday concert in 2007.

It is an original arrangement of two most beloved traditional Good Friday hymns, blending the two in a most dramatic and moving fashion.

Score download:

This piece should be accessible to most SATB choirs, though it does have its challenges.

The recording here is from the premiere performance.

Tip: To best experience the demo, first load the PDF in another browser tab. Then start the playback of the recording and follow along in the PDF.

“Qui cantat laudem non solum cantat, sed et amat eum quem cantat.”
(He who sings praise is not only singing, but also loving Him whom he is singing about/to/for.)

— St. Augustine of Hippo
Corpus Christianorum
Latinorum, vol. 39

The music of Charles O. Beck

The Old Rugged Cross (Were You There?)

SATB with piano accompaniment