Hymns don't hold the place in today’s Christian church they once did. Reasons, some legitimate, are not hard to find: dreary renditions, old-fashioned lyrics, lack of a beat, each generation's fascination with novelty. But the greatest hymns are unrivaled among congregational worship music in lyrical and musical craftsmanship, and they have a melodic and harmonic depth and suggestiveness inviting creative reinterpretation. Hymns at their best open the door to joyous, awestruck worship while forging links across generations of worshipers.
This album is a tribute to the multi-faceted, gem-like excellence of the Christian hymn, to its enduring vitality, beauty, expressiveness, and adaptability. May these arrangements help to stimulate or rekindle in you an excitement for hymns as a means of worship and delight.
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