Rearranging the Familiar

I would love for you to be able to listen while you read. Click here to hear one of the arrangements I'm talking about. And don't worry--there's only the one picture, so you don't have to keep watching!

I have a friend who is a gifted musician. When I was the primary chorister I asked him on many occasions to make an arrangement of a specific song for me, or add a key change or an interlude. His generosity with his talent enhanced most the the primary sacrament meeting programs that I was involved in.

One day he made a comment about wishing he could contribute in a meaningful way to the music of the church. I reminded him of all of the arranging that he had done for me and for many other people. He was almost dismissive. He felt that because what he had done was merely change or enhance someone else's composition, it was not that meaningful.

At Christmas I bought a new cd. I am always cautious about buying a cd by someone I've never heard before, but for some reason I decided to take a chance on this one. I was immediately enraptured by the beauty of these arrangements for piano and violin, and it was one of my favorite cds to listen to this Christmas.

Last week I decided to take a chance and buy another of their cds; hymns this time. I wondered if I would like this cd as much--if it could be as beautiful as the Christmas cd. I didn't consider that the content could make it even better. As I had the cd in my car last week I considered again and again how wrong I think my friend is.

Sure, to write a new piece of music that would could people everywhere in the church would be exciting. I'm very grateful to people like Janice Kapp Perry and Sally DeFord for sharing their musical talent and adding to the music available to us.

Arrangements serve a different function, though. They breathe new life into tired old music; music that we have heard so many times before that we no longer even listen to it. Arrangements surprise us and make us start paying attention again. While we are listening to a beautiful arrangements the words come to our mind and we are reminded of them...over and over again.

I would never (ever) (ever) listen to the church recordings of the hymns--either with or without the words. But I listened to this new cd over and over last week. Touched by the beauty of the piano and the violin, and touched by the doctrinal beauty of the words that echo in my mind...



I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me...

I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

Oh it is wonderful, that he should care for me,
enough to die for me!
Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

I am convinced that the combination of the beautiful music and frequent repetition of these lyrics in my mind last week was a blessing to me and helped me feel the spirit more clearly.

Alleluia indeed.

In case you're interested, here's an impromptu hymn arrangement of "Press Forward Saints" by my friend. It's really a two-for-one, because I added pictures from our trip to Duke Gardens last week and made a (very quick) little slideshow. Not that Duke Gardens has anything to do with "Press Forward Saints"...but so you would have something to look at while you listen!