Imagine*

John Lennon started writing “Imagine” in 1969 during The Beatles’ Let It Be sessions. The lyrics were inspired by poems in Yoko Ono’s book Grapefruit, but it wasn’t until 2017 that her name was added as a songwriter alongside Lennon.  The song was completed and recorded for the 1971 album also titled Imagine. The single peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it the best-selling single of Lennon’s solo career.
Since its release, “Imagine” has become one of the best-known songs of all time. It has been performed and recorded worldwide by countless artists including David Bowie, Queen, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Madonna, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Keith Urban, and even Hans Zimmer created an arrangement that was used at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. The song was also performed at the Olympic Games in 2012, and 2018. Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” ranks “Imagine” at number three.
The song is not without controversy, particularly the line suggesting to imagine no religion. Lennon clarified his meaning of this lyric in a 1980 interview saying: “…if you can, imagine a world at peace, with no denominations of religion—not without religion, but without this ‘my God-is-bigger-than-your-God’ thing—then it can be true…”
This arrangement for horn quartet preserves the hymn-like quality of the original recording, making it perfect for weddings, sacred services, and recitals. The melody is passed around the quartet making it enjoyable and interesting for every player.