Baptism Piano Duet (Garlock)

Description

This is an arrangement of Crawford Gates’ children’s song “Baptism.” Many pianists are familiar with this children’s song as the most difficult in the Children’s Songbook. This primo part of this arrangement is easy—perhaps easy enough that a child of eight with a couple years of piano lessons could play it. If not the eight-year-old child, then his/her ten-year-old sibling could. The secondo part is more difficult—an intermediate level.

This could be used as a solo for sacrament meeting or a baptismal service. It could also be used as prelude or postlude for any meetings that don’t require an organ. Often children and youth are more comfortable performing as part of a duet team. This arrangement allows the less-accomplished pianist to practice performing. I think it’s a valuable arrangement to keep around, from both musical and pedagogical perspectives.

Reviewer: Jessi Vandagriff