Free Downloads - Amidon Community Music

Here is an alphabetical list of Free Downloads, with links to the free pdf files.

Unless otherwise noted, all of these are SATB a cappella, arranged by Peter Amidon.

Abecedarius – Peter’s unison setting of a 19th century Shaker poem; a children’s alphabetical list of animals.
Abolitionist My Country Tis of Thee – Peter’s piano/unison arrangement of an updated 19th century abolitionist hymn.
All Through the Night – simple harmonization of this beautiful Welsh hymn (“Ar Hyd y Nos”).
Amazing Grace hymn – Peter is fussy about hymn harmonizations, so he came up with his own for “Amazing Grace”.
And When I Rise – piano/SATB arrangement (can also be a cappella SATB) of this chant-like Wendy Tuck setting of a fragment of a Wendell Berry poem.
Angel Band – The Amidons first learned this in folk singing circles. Mary Alice remembers Arkansas’s Almeda Riddle singing this at a Washington D.C. Folk Music Festival in 1976.
Angels Hovering Round – simple harmonization of this extraordinarily beautiful and simple song often sung by the Amidons at Christmas Eve services and hospice sings.
Balm in Gilead – Peter based his harmonization on versions from several different hymnals.
Blessed Quietness – The Amidons always enjoyed singing this with Lucy Picco Simpson (see “What’s in a Song”). They often sing it in their hospice sings.
Brotherhood & Sisterhood – Peter’s song about celebrating our differences. It includes a couple of anti-bullying verses. Unison/guitar chords.
Children’s Miracle – Peter’s ballad that tells the story of the extraordinary “Children’s March” in Birmingham Alabama in 1962 that brought national attention to the Civil Rights Movement. It can be sung simply with guitar or banjo, there is also a through-composed arrangement for piano/SATB.
Christ Was Born in Bethlehem – Arrangement of this Appalachian ballad that is great for Lent, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Come O Thou Traveler – piano/unison or solo arrangement of this hymn/ballad with Isaac Watts lyrics about wrestling with the angel; great for Lent/Good Friday.
Easter Anthem – William Billings’ circa 1800 classic, well, Easter anthem.
Elijah – Bill Harley’s song in memory of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old African-American massage therapist from Aurora, Colorado.
Fear Not the Pain – Arrangement of Rachel Pollak Kroh’s simple setting of a Rilke poem.
Flower Carol – Simple arrangement of an ancient eloquent carol for spring. “Spring has now unwrapped the flowers, day is fast reviving…“
Free at Last – Simple arrangement of the African American spiritual Dr. King referenced at the end of his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Gate of Sweet Nectar – Arrangement of Krishna Das’ setting of a Buddhist invocation. “Your joy and your sorrow I make it mine.“
Hard Times – Two a cappella arrangements of this Stephen Foster classic: one a simple hymn-like harmonization, the second through-composed over three verses.
How Can I Keep From Singing – Simple harmonization of this 19th century hymn that Pete Seeger & others turned into one of the anthems of the folk revival.
Joy Shall Come in the Morning – by Mary Alice, from Psalm 30.
Land on the Shore – piano/SATB or a cappella SATB. Traditional parting hymn.
Let the Life I’ve Lived – old American spiritual beautifully harmonized by Andy Davis.
May the Road Rise Up to Meet You – piano/SATB, can also be a cappella SATB, by Scottish harpist Wendy Stewart.
May Today There Be Peace Within You – Peter’s setting of a text by St. Thérèse of Liseaux.
Morning – powerful setting of Isaac Watts poetry set to music in 1799 by Amos Pilsbury. Great song for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. From the Sacred Harp.
Noah Heist the Window – “…and let the dove come in.” Joyful African American spiritual from Bessie Jones. Solo and SATB choir.
O Mary – piano/SATB through-composed arrangement of this exuberant Christmas spiritual from Louisiana. Check out Ron Kelley’s great improvised saxophone work on the recording.
O, the Comfort – Peter’s setting of this 19th century poem by Dinah Mulock Craik that speaks of friends who take your words and “…sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.”
Parting Friends – by John J. McCurry from his 1855 “Social Harp” collection of American shape note hymns.
Precious Memories – Sweet old American hymn about, well, precious memories.
Ride on King Jesus – African American Palm Sunday spiritual.
Shout for Joy – A joyful Christmas spiritual that is a wonderful and accessible anthem for a Christmas Eve service.
Sonnet 18 – Yes, Shakespeare’s. Peter’s setting of “Shall I compare thee to a summers day…” Piano/solo or unison.
Sonnet 30 – Yes, Shakespeare’s. Peter’s bawdy pub-sing style ode to the bard. “When to the sessions of sweet silent thought…”
Steal Away – African American spiritual.
Sunny Bank – traditional American children’s Christmas Carol.
Sweet Hour of Prayer – Simple harmonization of William Walford’s sweet 1845 hymn.
Swing Low Sweet Chariot – traditional African American spiritual.
This Little Light of Mine – This Harry Dixon Loes gospel classic can bear a wide range of interpretations. Try slowing it down and feeling the back beat.
Through All the World Below – (“…God is seen all around…”) – an eloquent and moving anthem for the earth from the Southern Harmony, published in 1835 under the title “Captain Kidd”. Peter has added an alto line. It can be done a cappella, or with the piano accompaniment, which is basically a doubling of the vocal harmony parts.
Waltzing Through Time – by Scottish harper Wendy Stewart. Piano/SATB.
What Wondrous Love Is This – traditional camp meeting song from 1811. piano/2 part harmony.
What’s in a Song – Lucy Picco Simpson’s perfect song about why we sing. The Amidons learned much of their early repertoire of gospel songs from their singing with Lucy.
Wild Mountain Thyme – Wonderful for group singing, this song has Scots/Irish roots.
World Wide Peace – Composed at the start of World War I by Arkansas’s Will Ramsey, and sung by the great Arkansas ballad singer Almeda Riddle. The Amidons learned it from the singing of Mike Seeger.