Arntz’s “What Sweet Love” dances with dynamic meter and tempo changes. The diatonic harmonies and lack of divisi make the piece easy to learn, but the legato textures and key changes will keep the singers on their toes. The strong, climactic and satisfying conclusion proclaims the power of love.

Patti Arntz has been a music educator and church musician in the Twin Cities area for over 40 years. She has degrees in music from Hamline University, St. Paul, MN and Drake University, Des Moines, IA and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.

She recently retired from teaching elementary music with the Robbinsdale Area Schools in the Twin Cities. During her 30 years of instructing young children to sing and make music, she also directed the Robbinsdale All-District Elementary Honors Choir for 15 years. Throughout her teaching career, she served as an organist and director of youth/adult choirs in local churches.

In 2003, Patti was contacted by St. Olaf College to see if she would take a student teacher. The answer was yes, of course. That student teacher was Jocelyn Hagen. The favor was returned when Jocelyn served as a mentor for Patti’s compositions and arrangements.

In 2010, Patti commissioned Jocelyn to compose a children’s choir piece in memory of Teresa Benjamin, Assistant Director of the Robbinsdale Elementary Honor Choir. Teresa passed away in the spring of 2003. This composition, “I Started Out Singing,” has become very popular in recent years.

Keeping in touch with her elementary music roots, she serves as an online adjunct professor at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota, instructing elementary education majors on teaching and integrating music into their future classrooms. Continuing the concept of core subject integration with music, she has recently been writing curriculum for the Minnesota Orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts.

Patti lives in the Twin Cities area with her husband, Rolland, where she enjoys outdoor activities, traveling and cooking. She sings with Singers in Accord and is a charter member of the choir. Her adult children, Kyle and Melani are both very involved in music in the Twin Cities area.

Composer’s Notes

Recently as I was visiting the city of Prague in the Czech Republic, I went in search of a collection of Czech and Slovakian folk tunes. When traveling, I often look for songbooks from foreign countries. Browsing through a few Czech/Slovakian songbooks, I came across one folk song that stood out with its combination of a beautiful melody, an interesting chord progression and a timeless story of young love.

The original Slovakian lyrics were about a young couple meeting for the first time. I expanded the lyrics to create a love story and the ups and downs of their courtship. Wanting to be inclusive of all love stories, there is no reference to gender.

Although I began with the SATB arrangement, with Jocelyn’s encouragement, I arranged “What Sweet Love” for SSA and TTB, thinking that singers in high school might benefit from experiencing the emotions of first love. It’s a story that will resonate with singers of all ages. Whatever arrangement you might decide to sing, be sure to allow yourself to be drawn into the story and sing it with heartfelt emotion.

– Patti Arntz