Wall - Just a Closer Walk With Thee for Woodwind Quintet

Just a Closer Walk With Thee, arranged for Woodwind Quintet by Bob Wall. “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” is a traditional African American gospel hymn whose precise origins are unknown, though it became widely popular during the 1930s and 1940s. Its lyrics express a humble prayer for spiritual strength and a closer relationship with Jesus, acknowledging human weakness and the need for divine guidance. The hymn has become a staple of New Orleans jazz funerals, where it is often performed as a slow, solemn procession before the music shifts to a more celebratory second-line march. Published by Cimarron Music Press.

Instrumentation:

• Flute
• Oboe
• Clarinet (Bb)
• Horn (F)
• Bassoon