Pedal Variations on "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder"

Composer Biography and Tune Background (mostly written with Chat GPT)

Joyce Jones (1933–2022), Queen of the Pedals, was a formidable presence in American organ culture: concert artist, teacher, church musician, and champion of accessible repertoire. A Texas native, she earned degrees from the University of Texas and the University of Iowa, later studying in France with Marcel Dupré and at Union Theological Seminary with Vernon de Tar. For over four decades she taught at Baylor University, where she built one of the country’s leading organ departments and mentored hundreds of students. (I almost studied with her at Baylor, myself. It was a very close match between going there with her versus to University of Florida with Willis Bodine for my masters.) Known for her boundless energy and engaging stage presence, Jones gave over 3000 performances around the world and frequently included American hymnody and gospel in her programs, often in her own witty and virtuosic arrangements. Her published works reflect a desire to make sacred music both joyful and technically rewarding for players of all levels.

The tune "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder" (1893) was written by James M. Black, a Pennsylvania Methodist Sunday school teacher. The story goes that after a student failed to respond to a roll call one day, Black went home and penned both the text and music in a single sitting, imagining a celestial roll call in heaven. Its simplicity, lilting dotted rhythm, and firm gospel harmonies made it a staple in revival meetings and shape-note collections across the South. Today, it remains one of the most widely recognized gospel songs in the English-speaking world, often associated with old-time camp meetings and spirited congregational singing. If you don’t know this tune and its words, I suggest listening to the illustrious Reba McEntire singing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPz5W2e3794.

0:00 Intro
1:02 I
1:46 II
2:31 III
3:09 IV