O Spirit All-Embracing

This hymn concertato on Holst's noble tune THAXTED provides two texts: one by Delores Dufner, for Pentecost/Confirmation, and Michael Perry's more familiar general text. The opening fanfare and interlude for brass, timpani, and handbells facilitate festive processions, but the piece may be adapted for use with only organ accompaniment. An elegant SATB harmonization of the middle stanza may be sung by choir alone. Instrumental parts include: brass quartet/quintet (two trumpets in C and B-flat, two trombones with horn in F substituting for trombone 1), tuba, timpani, suspended cymbal, 2-octave handbells.