Weddings and Hymns


NEW: Hymn 63, House Upon the Rock

Notes

A few years ago, after I had cut my teeth on MIDI, I decided to tackle a new territory: the Berean Christadelphian Hymn Book. I love many of the hymns in there, and I wanted too see how well I could bring them out.
When I write my arrangements, I don't always go for the exact same way that they are sung. I usually try to see if I can get an entirely different feel of the music altogether. And since hymns are simply verses repeated, I usually put some sort of interlude to break it up. Thankfully, I haven't ruffled TOO many feathers with my take on these tunes...yet. ;)
You can thank my friend, Ricky, for encouraging the start of this project. He really wanted there to be hymns he could listen to whenever he wanted, and was hoping to one day to burn CD of them. At the time, I didn't write JUST ENOUGH to get it done, as time and other projects took me away.
A boost, though, came in the form of Steve Male and Elizabeth Phillips's wedding in October 2000. I asked them if they'd like me to offer what I had and write some more. Eventually, many of these pieces were used in the reception following, and there was new, non-hymn material as well.
The desire to arrange had come back, and by mid 2001, I was determined to keep going until I finally had that decent collection of hymns that I wanted. So that is the plan now. Please enjoy, and let me know how I'm doing.

For the wedding prelude:

Intro
The plan was to get everyone's attention first, and so I through together a rich, loud intro piece to do just that. A bit of it comes in the middle of the next tune, too...

Two Hearts Joined
Steve, Liz and I tossed around a lot of ideas about how the music was to be arranged for the service. I had originally planned this piece as the recessional, but both it and the processional were to be played on the piano by another friend named Kitty Connolly. So I asked about moving it to before the service, as music for everyone to get settled. Liz agreed, but in its original form (listen to it here), it was a bit too upbeat. So I softened the arrangement. As it turned out, everyone sat down pretty quickly, so it was a bit too long...oops! <:) But all the same, I loved how it turned out, and thankfully, so did Steve and Liz.
p.s. By the way, as a little wink, I snuck a bit of "Caerphilly Castle" and "Hye 2000" into the middle. Can you spot them? :)
p.p.s "Two Hearts Joined" made its way into a bunch of the hymns after I began the arranging project again. So, you'll see it referred to as "2HJ" from hereon out.

Hymns:

(Not all of these were used in the reception. This has become a general collection instead.)
Hymn 1
As the very first hymn, my rationale was that it should have a gentle intro, as if it was opening an album. As for the tune, it retains the gentle air throughout, led by a flute and backed by strings.
With the stereo editing, I changed the string style and added one low note in the beginning to give it more depth

Hymns 4 and 5
Both of these hymns are written in a 3/4 time, and were in the same key. So I thought I would weave them together into one piece, a cheerful waltz led by clairnet.
Well, I always said it should be a little faster, so I went ahead and did that with the stereo remix. But was it too much...? :)

Hymn 11
A gentle hymn about mortality. I took the minor key the music was written in, and created an exploratory feel.
There's a change in the string style with the stereo remixing.

Hymn 23
Backed by a gentle harp and guitar, a saxophone takes the first two verses, plays a small bridge, and then the strings take a verse as the rhythm kicks in. The sax comes back on the last verse, and wraps up the piece.

Hymn 25
The first line of this hymn is "Oh Lord, thy judgements give the king," so making an upbeat march-style piece just seemed right for the occasion. I gave this piece a long bridge between every two verses...there were six in this hymn.

Hymn 39 2nd Tune
When I first arranged this, I thought my experiment may have went a little flat. All it uses is a guitar, fret squeaks and all. But if a real guitar player was to do this hymn, it'd probably sound a lot more natural. <:\
Anyways, the first verse is very gentle, and the remaining three are quicker in tempo, slowing down in the end. And with the stereo remix came a major reworking, so hopefully it does sound more natural this time around...

Hymn 42a
This hymn is based on Psalm 23, and has always been a favorite. The arrangement is gentle harp and celestia, and starting with the third verse, a voice in the background sings a soprano line that I've heard some women sing with this hymn. Since this part isn't included in the hymn book, I had to guess at how it went...I hope I got it close. :)

There should have been a stereo remix of this one, but where did the original work file go?!? <:(

Hymn 43
A simple tune gets a relatively simple arrangement. The feel is very lighthearted and cheerful, a kinda going-about-town feel to it. A bit more bass to the drumline than I expected, though... :)

Hymn 46
I can't deny it...as much as I play games, the music rubs off on me. In Dragon Warrior 3 (Super Nintemdo version), composer Koichi Sugiyama created a lovely village theme, and then made it even more beautiful by writing a softer nighttime arrangement. I take my cue from this, presenting the already-beautiful Hymn 46 (God is wisdom, God is love) with a high piano over soft strings.

Hymn 52 2nd Tune
I think this hymn has some of the best words I've ever read, and the second tune in the hymn book just works so well with them. For an arrangement, I tried a soft pop styling led by a saxophone.

Hymn 56
Okayyy...I REALLY went out on a creative limb this time... ;)
Another game composer whose work I enjoy is Motoi Sakuraba, a progressive keyboardist from Japan. But before he even got into the business, he had already been with a critically-acclaimed Japanese band called Deja Vu, and even released a solo album. Progressive music is known for heavy keyboard dependence, and often fiery solos.
For this hymn, I took a cue from his more jazzy methods, and the result is a highly unusual take on this hymn. Note the unusual rhythm patter, sudden tempo and time changes, and MOST UNUSUAL instrument choices. :)
...am I in trouble yet for what I've done to these hymns? No? Ah...you must not have heard the NEXT one yet... ;)

Hymn 58
Well, if I'm going to catch any heat on my arrangements, this might be the one I get in the most trouble for. (An honor previously held by Hymn 91 :)
Probably the last thing you'd expect by clicking here is a Final Fantasy flavored battle-type track. But when presented with such great words as "Christ's true soldiers, onward go," how could I resist? If you've played those games, you know what to expect. If not...watch out... ;)
It even concludes with a "victory fanfare," courtesy of "2HJ."

Hymn 60
Now here's an experiment that worked. I took this beautiful music and put it though a music box sound, and it's just gorgeous. To capture the music box feel completely, I put in some sound effects at the beginning to represent winding and setting it down on a table, as well as winding down at the end. Pretty cute. :)

Hymn 63
This one comes after a looooooong vacation from this page. <;) No crazy styles here. Just a soft orchestral take on a very nice hymn. Since it's so short at two verses, I doubled the refrain on each verse, and created a long bridge as a counterpart. Turned out very nice.

Hymn 75
A great hymn about Jesus as the Great High Priest. The arrangement is flute over strings. On the second verse, bass and light percussion come in, which is filled out as a full drum track on the third.

Hymn 89 1st Tune
While trying different things with this tune, I discovered that the electric piano can be a really beautiful instrument in the right setting. So I mixed it with light accoustic guitar and strings. It takes the lead through this tune, except the third verse where a vibraphone is used. As with hymn 75, percussion is used sparingly, and the full drum track is held off until the last verse, where it brings the hymn to a cheerful, upbeat close.

Hymn 91
I have a knack for getting in trouble, don't I? ;)
For some reason, I made the very quirky decision to give this one a Scottish flavoring, and thus the lead is a droning bagpipe! The entire piece has a cheerful medieval flavor as a result. I joked with some of my friends about how "international" this piece was...the tune is called the "SPANISH Chant," played in a SCOTTISH arrangement, at a wedding between an AMERICAN and a WELSHMAN! :D
As of today, nobody's tried to smite me for heresy, so I guess it's okay... ;)

Hymn 104
I wrote this one for the wedding reception, but we chose to exclude it because it was a bit too loud and exciting for the situation. But it was the only way I could think of this tune! Since the hymn is about the final victory of Jesus at his return, I just think the music SHOULD be this grand and upbeat. Don't you? :)

Hymn 106 Alternate Tune
At my meeting in Lampasas, we have a piano player named Ruby who has played a few hymns based on old-time melodies she has arranged. (At least I think they are...I ought to ask her. :) Anyways, I took a spin on her tune for Hymn 106, gave it an upbeat style, and make a few changes here and there.

Hymn 110 Processional Version
Since Liz and I weren't sure if we would have Kitty's help at first, I began working on a version of Hymn 110 - the one to be used for the processional - in orchestral style. When Kitty's help was enlisted, I set the track aside and went to work on others for the reception. So it's been sitting on my computer, abandoned and unfinished, for a while now.
However, I've decided to dust off this piece and complete it. Here's how it may have played out if used: after a slow intro, two of the three verses are played, as two of the bridesmaids would walk down the aisle per verse. Since there were only three verses, my plan was to create a long bridge for the third bridesmaid, mixing elements of the hymn and "2HJ." Then, as the bride comes down the aisle, the final verse is played in grand fashion.

Hymn 133
In order to tackle this hymn, I once again turn to Final Fantasy...no, wait! You might like this one! <:) A common theme is that of airships, so I created a "joy of flying" arrangement. "2HJ" is used liberally in the opening and the little bit before the verses loop. I like it, but then again, I'm biased... ;)

Hymn 168
This hymn was written specifically as a parting song. So I chose to put it at the very end of the reception tapes. It startes out very quiet on the first verse, swells up beautifully on the last verse, and then closes with another take on the harp piece heard in the end of "2HJ."

Hymn 181
Oh boy...I'm not sure what I was thinking when I did this one. The hymn is a cheerful one about caring for one's brother, and I think I just blew the cheerful factor out proportion. Too cute for words... ;)

Hymn 183 Composite Tune
Based on a selection I heard on Sakuraba's Star Ocean 2 Arranged album, I decided to try something new...combine the two tunes of this hymn into one unified piece. The first thing heard is two verses of the second tune by a soft piano. Next, it moves into a bridging piece, the piano getting louder. Then, the strings come in with the first, anthem-like tune. Horns are added midway through. After it plays, the orchestra reverts back to the second tune as the piano returns. A sudden stop...and then the piano plays a few last soft bars, ending on one final low note.

Hymn 184 2nd Tune
This hymns starts out with a gentle accoustic guitar (why didn't I refer to this piece when I did Hymn 39?!? <:), eventually adding pizzcato, full strings, and bells in the end. I'm happy with the final result.

Hymn 187
Much like Hymn 168, this one was written as a close to evening meetings. As the hymn itself is beautiful, I wanted to capture exactly that essence. Backed by harp and strings, a flute is in the forefront here. One of my first arranged hymns, and still a favorite.

Anthem 4
Instead of verses, anthems are one complete composition. So I expect that any work on them will mostly be in an orchestral style. The straightforward approach is evident in this piece, which is a favorite anthem of many Christadelphians called "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem."

Anthem 5 Well...here's one I thought was lost forever. It was on an old CDR from a while back, and called something completely different. Needless to say, I was quite pleased to find it. :)
This anthem is a different piece of music for what is commonly called "The Lord's Prayer." It's another straightforward orchestral arrangement I've given here, not counting the powerful conclusion that accompanies the "For Thine is the Kingdom" passage. Also note that it's one of my earlier arrangements...and time has not been kind to it. <;)

Anthem 32
Here we have a short but powerful anthem loved by many in my faith. The orchestral arrangement attempts to capture the joy and enthusiasm of the words - "I Will Extol Thee" - and I think, just MAYBE, that it turned out a bit TOO enthusastic...? :)

Anthem 33
A short but beautiful piece called "Search Me, O God." After a gentle harp section begins the tune, the orchestra swells up in the middle. A sudden stop calls a gentle oboe to the forefront, and then it all ends with a powerful Amen.

Anthem 44
This is the last anthem in the hymn book, and so I wanted it to be especially memorable. As the wedding occasion was the impetus that kickstarted this collection, I've used "2HJ" within, starting as a long intro. The anthem itself doesn't come in until about a minute and a half into the piece. The melody was beautiful to work with, and there was potential for some great crescendos. There is a particularly exciting moment towards the end, and then the anthem ends solemnly as written. As an outtro, the harp ending from "2HJ" is brought back, rewritten for more instruments. A clairnet joins/overlays the harp on the main melody, supported by strings. A surprisingly touching ending to the piece, and the collection as a whole.

I've done quite a few more arrangements besides these, such as 180, Anthem 10-11, etc. But I can't find the disk they're on! <:( If I ever find it, rest assured they'll be here.

From the Hymn Book published by the Advocate/Central fellowships:

Hymn 87 (incomplete)
I was with both the Advocate and Central Christadelphians when I was young, and they have a different (and larger!) hymn book than the Berean Christadelphians, whom I'm with now. There are some hymns in that book which I still remember quite fondly.
This is one of them. One day a few years ago, this tune just suddenly came back to me, and I decided to see how well I remembered it. So I wrote this gentle arrangement down. Later, when I showed it to a friend and my parents, they pointed it out as Hymn 87 in that book.
And as it turns out, I got the tune almost 97% correct! What happened to the other 3%, you ask? Well...
1. It's not in the right key,
2. There are five verses instead of the four I arranged for, and
3. There's a couple (but only a couple!) wrong notes in there!
Still, I was astounded by how close I got it. Maybe one day I'll go back and try again...? :)

Miscellaneous Songs


O Worship the LORD (In the Beauty of Holiness)
I cannot say which hymn book this comes from. But I can say that I heard it when I visited Wales the second time, and it is a beautiful work. Thanks to Steve and Liz sending me the sheet music in advance, I was able to produce this version and get a feel for it. Oh...and there's a little touch of "2HJ" at the end, too.

Sing Hosanna
I've also heard it called "Give Me Oil in my Lamp." There are different words that can be sung to this tune, which is given an upbeat performance here. Only three verses are scored, though...sorry. <;).

God Takes Care of Me
Okay, now I need your help. This is a lullabye my Dad would sing to me when I was young. As you can see, I was able to remember the music just fine. But the words...I can't remeber them completely! :\ If you've EVER heard this one, please help me out!

House Upon the Rock
This classic children's Bible song is based on Jesus's parable of the houses on rock and sand. It's been around for a long time, since I was young. ;) This is a charming mix of styles here...and when "the house on the sand went SPLASH", it's quite dramatic. :)

Other Tracks under Reception Consideration:

Theme from Hye 2000
Arctic Village Glace
Big City Swing
Threads of White and Blue
Fanfare from Cymru
Theme from Caerphilly Castle
Market Day in the Town
A Modest Castle
The Calm Seas
In the Company of Clouds
Hamlet of Snow
Spring Comes to the Town
Leeva Celebrates the Water Festival
Caelian Oceans
Poem 000
Poem 008
Poem 009
Poem 014
Poem 019
Poem 022
Poem 023
Poem 093

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