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Songbook Review: This I Know
Jeff Bjorck
Cover image of the songbook This I Know by Jeff Bjorck
This I Know
Jeff Bjorck
2012 / Pure Piano Music
86 pages / 15 songs
Review by Kathy Parsons
This I Know is the complete songbook for Jeff Bjorck’s 2008 CD release by the same name, now available as a paperback book or a download. All fifteen of Bjorck’s hymn arrangements from the album are included, and all are at an upper-intermediate/early advanced playing level. These arrangements are perfect for church musicians who would like solo piano hymn arrangements that don’t sound like they are straight from a hymnal. They are also excellent for advancing piano students and anyone who would like to play more intricate and expressive versions of favorite hymns. Timing is not overly complex and there are no reaches of more than an octave. Pedaling is indicated on most of the songs, and expression is clear and easy to read.

Jeff Bjorck has made it a tradition to begin and end his recordings of mostly original music with hymns, and then he released This I Know, which is all hymns. A professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in Southern California, Bjorck is exceptionally knowledgeable about many traditional hymns and their histories, and his arrangements are respectful of the originals while updating them and giving them a personal touch. Below is a list of the songs, the keys they are in, and the number of pages for each. The printed songbook for This I Know is available from Amazon, and the printed and downloadable books are available from www.purepiano.com. Recommended!

All Creatures of Our God and King - Key of F (1 flat)/ C (0 sharps or flats)/ D (2 sharps) - 7 pages
Be Still My Soul - Key of F (1 flat)/ D (2 sharps) - 7 pages
Be Thou My Vision - Key of C (0 sharps or flats)/ G (1 sharp) - 4 pages
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Key of C (0 sharps or flats)/ F (1 flat) - 7 pages
Day By Day - Key of F (1 flat)/ G (1 sharp)/ C (0 sharps or flats) - 7 pages
Fairest Lord Jesus - Key of G (1 sharp) - 5 pages
Give To the Winds Thy Fears - Key of G ( 1sharp)/ C (0 sharps or flats) - 7 pages
Holy, Holy, Holy - Key of C (0 sharps or flats)/ F (1 flat) - 7 pages
It Is Well With My Soul - Key of G (1 sharp)/ C (0 sharps or flats)/F (1 flat) - 4 pages
Jerusalem - Key of C - 6 pages
Jesus Loves Me - Key of Bb (2 flats) - 1 page
O, The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus - Key of G minor (2 flats) - 6 pages
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling - Key of G (1 sharp) - 3 pages
‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Key of Bb (2 flats)/ C (0 sharps or flats) - 5 pages
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - Key of Bb (2 flats)/G (1 sharp)/A (3 sharps)/C (0 sharps or flats) - 5 pages
October 4, 2019
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