Old 100th, the Doxology sung as grace at countless Thanksgiving tables, is the easiest hymn in our collection, and the interactive player below is the fastest way in: hear it at half speed, watch the keys light up, and drag the score to repeat a phrase. The sheet music, fingering for both hands, and a free printable PDF follow.
Learn it with the interactive player
- Slow it down: x0.5 or x0.75 while you learn the notes, back to x1 once they flow.
- Pause anywhere: the current keys stay lit so you can find them on your own piano.
- Drag the score left or right, or use the 15s buttons, to replay a phrase.
The sheet music, section by section
Set the player to x0.5 for Section A (measures 1-6): the first phrase walks down C5-C5-B4-A4-G4 with fingers 4-4-3-2-1, leaps back to C5 and climbs to E5, then phrase 2 sits in C position with three repeated E5s and one reach to F5 before settling on D5.
Section B (measures 7-13) drops the thumb to A4 for the quiet third phrase, then the pinky lands on G5 for the famous last line: a falling E5-C5, the D5-F5 turn, and the final E-D-C under a fermata.
The full score
In the full score, every phrase opens and closes on a half note in the stately 1551 rhythm: start around 60 BPM, hold each long note for its full two beats, and grow toward a broad 88 BPM.
Note by note: keys and fingering
- Right hand: One five-finger position per phrase between G4 and G5, all white keys: phrase 1 starts with the thumb (1) on G4 and shifts up at the leap to C5, phrases 2 and 4 sit in C position with the thumb on C5 and the pinky (5) reaching G5, and phrase 3 drops to A position with the thumb on A4.
- Left hand: Only three keys and the hand never moves: pinky (5) on C3, index (2) on F3, thumb (1) on G3, one or two long bell notes per measure spelling out the I, IV and V harmonies.
| Note | On the Staff | On the Keyboard | Finger |
|---|---|---|---|
| G4 | Second line of treble staff | White key left of the three black keys | RH Thumb (1) |
| A4 | Second space of treble staff | Between last two of three black keys | RH Index (2) |
| B4 | Middle line of treble staff | Right of three black keys | RH Middle (3) |
| C5 | Third space of treble staff | One octave above middle C | RH Ring (4) |
| D5 | Fourth line of treble staff | Right of C5, between two black keys | RH Ring (4) |
| E5 | Fourth space of treble staff | Right of D5 | RH Pinky (5) |
| F5 | Top line of treble staff | Left of the three black keys above C5 | RH Ring (4) |
| G5 | Space above top line | Highest note: fifth above C5 | RH Pinky (5) |
| C3 | Second space of bass staff | One octave below middle C | LH Pinky (5) |
| F3 | Fourth line of bass staff | Fourth white key above C3 | LH Index (2) |
| G3 | Top space of bass staff | Fifth white key above C3 | LH Thumb (1) |
Prefer a video? Watch the keys light up
Same color code as the player: green marks the right hand, blue the left hand, with the score and keyboard in one vertical video.
The story behind Old 100th
Old 100th is the tune behind Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow, the doxology many families sing as grace before Thanksgiving dinner. Louis Bourgeois composed the melody for the Genevan Psalter in 1551, and Thomas Ken's doxology text was added in 1674, which makes it one of the oldest melodies still sung every week in churches around the world. It spread through New England as a sung table grace, and it remains the classic one today. This arrangement keeps the stately 1551 rhythm, with a long note opening and closing every phrase, over a bass of just three notes: C3, F3 and G3.
Get the printable PDF
The printable PDF of Old 100th - full score, hand positions, and a step-by-step practice guide - ships inside our free Thanksgiving pack together with fourteen other Thanksgiving pieces.
A hymn played broad and calm asks for a steady, upright seat, which is exactly what an Adjustable Piano Bench with Back Support set to your height gives you.
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FAQ
How hard is Old 100th on piano?
It is one of the easiest pieces in Level 1 of our Thanksgiving collection. The right hand uses one five-finger position per phrase between G4 and G5, all white keys, and the left hand plays only C3, F3 and G3 in whole and half notes without ever moving.
How long does it take to learn Old 100th?
A few days for most beginners. There are only 13 measures, the rhythm is nothing but quarter, half and whole notes, and phrases 2 and 4 share the same C position, so hands together usually comes within the first week.
What level is Old 100th?
Level 1 of our Thanksgiving collection. One position per phrase, no black keys, a three-note bass and a slow Maestoso pulse make it an ideal first hymn, with the small shift up from G4 to C5 in measure 2 as the only real challenge.
What are the notes for Old 100th?
The melody starts C5, C5, B4, A4, G4, then leaps to C5 and climbs D5, E5. Phrase 2 repeats E5 three times, dips to D5 and C5, and reaches F5 before resting on D5. The left hand holds C3, F3 or G3 under each measure. See the full note-by-note table above.