Sunday Morning Styles Companion: 30 Favorite Selections Arranged in Various Styles.

Sunday Morning Styles Companion: 30 Favorite Selections Arranged in Various Styles, arranged by Victor Labenske. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 2012. www.alfred.com; 116 pp., $24.99. Late-intermediate to early-advanced.

This is a delightful book! I find the arrangements of 30 favorite hymn tunes from the 20th-century hymnals to be interesting and fun to play. They are of medium difficulty, accessible to a church pianist or late-intermediate student. Those listening to the performance will have a joyful sense of worship.

The 30 hymn tunes are set with accompaniments in the following styles: Celtic, jazz, pop, Latin and Southern gospel, with four in each category. For the church that enjoys a lively and uplifting piano solo, these will be most appropriate.

Most of the pieces have the melody on the treble clef with an accompaniment style of basic intervals or broken chords, even though there is good use of full three note chords. The challenge in properly performing these will be the rhythms.

The book opens with a lovely jazz accompaniment for "Brethren We Have Met to Worship" and closes with a gentle Celtic version of "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow." In between there is a stirring arrangement of "Sweet Hour of Prayer" and "Have Thine Own Way" in the gospel style, while a Celtic accompaniment highlights "Lead On, O King Eternal" and "Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow." A jazz accompaniment enhances "Higher Ground," and "Were You There?" The Latin style was chosen for "Come Thou Almighty King." Southern gospel style includes "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," "A New Name in Glory," and "There is Power in the Blood." One hymn, "Our Great Savior," is arranged as a set of variations.--Reviewed by Sue Arnold Dorsett, Charlotte, North Carolina