Grade 2.
Arranged for baritone solo and TTBB choir.
“HOW GREAT THOU ART” traces its origins to an 1885 poem by Swedish writer Carl Boberg, set to a traditional Swedish melody. Through translations into several languages, the hymn gradually spread around the world before English missionary Stuart K. Hine created the familiar English version, adding two original verses of his own. Today it is one of the most widely loved Christian hymns, celebrated for its message of awe, gratitude, and praise for the beauty and majesty of God’s creation.
The Māori hymn “WHAKAARIA MAI” (“Show Your Cross To Me”) is traditionally sung to the same melody. Although its text is not a translation of How Great Thou Art, it shares a similar spirit of faith and devotion, and the pairing of the English and Māori texts has become a cherished part of New Zealand’s musical heritage.
