All Creatures of Our God and King is an English Christian hymn by William Henry Draper, based on a poem by St. Francis of Assisi. It was first published in a hymn book in 1919. Draper’s text is usually set to the tune of “Lasst uns erfreuen”.
The theme of the work is introduced after a brief opener. The entire clarinet section is featured and turns into the entire band. Very thick and lush textures will capture the listeners interest. The first variation is more sporadic in nature as short motifs are present throughout. The second variation, in ¾, again is very thick and lush and utilizes a variety of color combinations available with the full concert band spectrum. The third variation, in 6/8, focuses more on the brass colors with woodwind technical work that will dazzle your audience. The fourth variation was designed to be more of a cadenza like section. The fifth variation has a fugue using the thematic material and moves to a dramatic finale to the conclude this serious work. Both audiences and performers will enjoy this setting of All Creatures of Our God and King.