It Is Well With My Soul (SATB)

It Is Well with My Soul – Mack Wilberg SATB Choir Sheet Music

A powerful, triumphant setting of one of Christianity's most beloved hymns, arranged by Mack Wilberg for SATB choir and organ or orchestra.

It Is Well with My Soul combines the enduring hymn tune by Philip Paul Bliss with the deeply moving words of Horatio G. Spafford in a stirring choral arrangement by Mack Wilberg, Music Director of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

Wilberg begins simply, allowing the familiar melody and text to speak with clarity. The first two verses are sung in unison—first by the women and then by the men—before the arrangement expands into richer SATB choral textures. Two dramatic upward modulations build the intensity and carry choir and accompaniment toward a magnificent, triumphant conclusion.

Scored for SATB choir with organ or orchestra, this approximately five-minute sacred anthem is an outstanding choice for worship services, sacred concerts, conferences, festivals and other occasions centered on faith, hope, perseverance and peace.

Minimum Order: 8 Copies
Educator and Bulk Pricing Available. Contact Teton Music for a quote.

Watch It Is Well with My Soul – Mack Wilberg

Hear Mack Wilberg's magnificent arrangement performed by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square:

About Mack Wilberg's It Is Well with My Soul

Rather than overwhelming this beloved hymn with complexity, Mack Wilberg allows the arrangement to grow naturally from simplicity to grandeur.

The opening verses maintain the directness and intimacy of Spafford's text. The first verse is presented in unison by the women, followed by the second verse in unison by the men. From there, Wilberg opens the arrangement into increasingly full choral textures.

As the anthem develops, the familiar hymn takes on greater weight and intensity. Two upward modulations by major thirds lift the music dramatically, culminating in a powerful final declaration of faith: It is well with my soul.

The result is quintessential Wilberg: accessible, deeply expressive and capable of producing an enormous emotional impact without losing sight of the hymn itself.

It Is Well with My Soul SATB Choir Arrangement

This edition is scored for SATB mixed choir with accompaniment and is published by Oxford University Press.

The vocal writing progresses from unison singing into fuller SATB textures, making the expansion of the choir itself part of the emotional arc of the arrangement.

That structure makes the piece especially effective for a choir capable of creating contrast—from the restraint of the opening verses to the breadth and power of the closing pages.

Organ or Full Orchestra Accompaniment

It Is Well with My Soul may be performed with organ or with Wilberg's full orchestral accompaniment.

The orchestral scoring calls for:

• 3 Flutes (Flute III doubling Piccolo)
• 2 Oboes
• 2 B-flat Clarinets
• 2 Bassoons
• 4 Horns
• 3 Trumpets
• 3 Trombones
• Tuba
• Timpani
• Percussion
• Harp
• Organ
• Strings

This gives directors the flexibility to perform the anthem with organ for worship and church settings or expand to full orchestra for major concerts, conferences and festival performances.

The Story Behind It Is Well with My Soul

Few Christian hymns have a story as moving as It Is Well with My Soul.

The words were written by Chicago attorney and businessman Horatio G. Spafford following a period of devastating personal loss. His young son died, much of the family's financial investment was lost following the Great Chicago Fire, and in 1873 tragedy struck again when the ship carrying his wife and four daughters across the Atlantic collided with another vessel. His wife survived, but all four daughters were lost.

Out of profound grief came a text centered not on despair, but on faith and spiritual peace:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll...

Philip Paul Bliss later provided the hymn tune that has carried Spafford's words through generations of Christian worship.

Mack Wilberg's arrangement preserves the emotional directness of the original hymn while gradually expanding it into an uplifting declaration of faith and hope.

Performed by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Mack Wilberg's arrangement has become closely associated with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, which has performed the work under Wilberg's direction on multiple prominent occasions.

The Choir's combination of restrained unison singing, expansive SATB sound and powerful accompaniment showcases the dramatic architecture of Wilberg's setting beautifully.

The arrangement has also been featured in General Conference performances, introducing the setting to audiences around the world.

A Powerful Sacred Anthem for Worship or Concert

The message of It Is Well with My Soul makes this arrangement appropriate for many sacred settings throughout the year.

Consider it for:

• Sunday worship services
• General sacred concerts
• Choir festivals
• Church conferences
• Services centered on faith and perseverance
• Memorial or remembrance services
• Programs focused on hope and healing
• Interfaith sacred concerts
• Large choir and orchestra performances

Because the text speaks so directly about maintaining faith through sorrow and adversity, the anthem can be particularly meaningful when programmed around themes of peace, trust, hope, comfort and enduring faith.

Why Choir Directors Love Mack Wilberg Arrangements

Mack Wilberg has a remarkable ability to take a familiar hymn and create a large emotional arc without losing the character that made the original melody beloved.

In It Is Well with My Soul, the progression from unison singing to full SATB textures gives the arrangement a natural sense of growth. The upward modulations intensify the final portion of the anthem and help create a closing section with genuine power.

It's the kind of arrangement that can feel intimate at one moment and monumental just minutes later.

It Is Well with My Soul – Product Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Who arranged It Is Well with My Soul for The Tabernacle Choir?

This arrangement of It Is Well with My Soul is by Mack Wilberg, Music Director of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

Who wrote It Is Well with My Soul?

The hymn text was written by Horatio G. Spafford, with music by Philip Paul Bliss. This SATB choral setting is arranged by Mack Wilberg.

What voicing is the Mack Wilberg arrangement?

This edition is written for SATB mixed choir.

What accompaniment is used?

The choral score is written for SATB choir with organ or orchestra. Full orchestral materials are also available for the work.

How long is It Is Well with My Soul by Mack Wilberg?

The published duration is approximately 5 minutes.

How difficult is the Mack Wilberg arrangement?

The publisher lists the work as easy. Directors should still consider their choir's vocal balance, range and ability to sustain the increasingly full textures required as the anthem builds toward its conclusion.

Does the arrangement begin in four-part harmony?

No. One of the arrangement's most effective features is its gradual expansion. The first two verses begin in unison—first the women and then the men—before Wilberg introduces fuller choral textures.

Does the arrangement change keys?

Yes. Two dramatic upward modulations by major thirds help propel the final portion of the anthem toward its triumphant conclusion.

Is this the arrangement performed by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square?

Yes. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has performed Mack Wilberg's arrangement of It Is Well with My Soul, and you can watch a performance above.

Can It Is Well with My Soul be performed with orchestra?

Yes. In addition to organ accompaniment, the work has a full orchestration for woodwinds, brass, timpani, percussion, harp, organ and strings.

Is this suitable for a church choir?

Yes. This is a sacred SATB setting of the classic Christian hymn and is particularly well suited to worship services, sacred concerts and programs centered on faith, peace, hope and perseverance.

Are bulk choir discounts available?

Yes. Teton Music offers educator and bulk pricing. Contact us for a quote when ordering music for your choir, school, church or organization.

Order It Is Well with My Soul by Mack Wilberg

Few hymns express peace in the midst of adversity as powerfully as It Is Well with My Soul, and Mack Wilberg's arrangement allows that message to grow from a simple unison melody into a magnificent SATB declaration of faith.

Whether performed with organ in a worship service or with full orchestra in a major sacred concert, this is a choral arrangement capable of creating a deeply moving experience for singers and listeners alike.

Order Mack Wilberg's It Is Well with My Soul for your choir from Teton Music.

Minimum Order: 8 Copies
Educator and Bulk Pricing Available. Contact Teton Music for a choir quote.