The Solo Edition of the Secular Hymnal contains all 144 Secular Hymns, but instead of being written on 4 SATB staves, they appear in lead sheet format (melody and chords). Another welcomed feature of the Solo Edition is that the melody has been lowered in pitch to better fit the range of most singers. The purpose of the Secular Hymnal is to make our rich heritage of hymn tunes accessible to all people. Although nothing can replace the grandeur of the traditional religious verses, these rich new lyrics (created by a former public school music teacher) are respectful and have a gentle beauty and intelligence of their own.