Description
Hymnsongs is an instrumental album by the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Phil Keaggy, released on Word Entertainment in 2002, a Warner/Curb Company. Manufactured by WEA Manufacturing. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Ric Hordinski and Phil Keaggy at Jersey Beat Studios in Cincinnati, Ohio; and at Kegworth Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
Includes Keaggyesque renditions of your favorite hymns like “Be Thou My Vision” and “Fairest Lord Jesus.” (hype sticker featured on the CD). According to All Music Guide “fans of the guitar will be amazed while casual listeners will be blessed.”
Phil Keaggy’s impressive career in the Christian music scene encompasses over 20 vocal albums and 17 instrumental albums. In his latest artistic endeavors, aptly named HymnSongs, Keaggy offers his listeners 14 instrumental pieces that range from the artist’s own imagination to that of J.S. Bach, Hubert Parry, Keith Getty, and Clement Scholefield, to name but a few of the composers assembled here. I say aptly named because many of the solo acoustic pieces are indeed hymns, whose silky serenity Keaggy has ingeniously captured by employing close-microphone techniques while at the same time managing to impute each song with an airy quality of ascension and mythical imagination. Keaggy has also placed lyrics (Blake, the Bible, Henry Lyte) under each song title in the liner notes. The listener is thus supposed to connect the music to the word and the word to music. It would be unfair, however, to say that the album is divided between the intimate hymns on the one hand, and the more untamed rock-driven instrumentals on the other; at various moments these two aesthetic fields seem to bleed into one another. As we journey through Keaggy’s musical consciousness we find the eternal and the finite molded into one unit: the classical beauty of Bach’s contrapunctal rigor confronts fragments of pop/rock music. In addition to this, we also find that at certain moments Keaggy’s rock roots seem primary, while his more jazz-oriented progressions linger in the background, creeping into the picture at just the right time. One of my favorite moments in the album comes rather late in the listening process, «Be Still My Soul». Keaggy’s arrangement of this simple tune embodies a wonderful set of interchanging melodies, a set of figures that have been perfectly articulated through bass guitar, drum, and acoustic guitar. There is wealth of emotion that Keaggy has inscribed into his latest album, songs that one must listen to over and over again in order to gain a deeper sense of the relation between meaning and music, a relation that is at the heart of this very refined artist. [Bernard Richter, minor7th, 2002]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/hymnsongs/1163570168)
CD tracklist:
01. Prelude – 0:47
02. In The Bleak Mid Winter – 5:32
03. O Sacred Head, Now Wounded – 2:13
04. Abide With Me – 5:10
05. This Fragile Vessel – 2:23
06. Jerusalem – 5:12
07. Simple Gifts – 5:32
08. Chorale #198 – 0:53
09. Fairest Lord Jesus – 4:10
10. Nothing But The Blood – 2:53
11. Be Still My Soul – 4:32
12. O For A Closer Walk With Thee – 2:42
13. Our Daily Bread – 1:19
14. The Day Thou Gavest, Lord Has Ended – 4:10
Note: Available at Bandcamp: https://philkeaggy.bandcamp.com/album/hymnsongs
We all have different church experiences. Some of us have grown up as part of a very formal, liturgical church body. Others of us are rooted in a less formal, evangelical, folksy congregation. But, our common bond is these old hymns that different Christian denominations have come to share over the years. Just think – when Capt. John Newton (an Anglican Vicar) put pen to paper and composed «Amazing Grace» in 1778, could he imagine that so many different churches would be sharing the verses for so long into the future?
So, for those of us who worship the Lord in such a variety of ways, one very strong tie that binds us (so that we feel familiar with one another no matter where we go) is the hymns we share.
Thus, the presentation of hymn arrangements is a weighty responsibility for a musician, because you’re not just sharing music – you’re making connections among people AND you’re making connections FOR people.
When I hear certain hymns, I am transported to distant times in my life: to important, celebrant occasions of baptisms, weddings, holidays, and changes in the seasons… to the safe, comforting times of leaning on my mother’s breast during a sermon or of drawing pictures of ponies and clowns on the back of an offering envelope with my dad… to the sad, grief-laden times of the loss of loved ones… to church camps… to an epiphany when I suddenly knew God was in our midst… to the sobering moment when I realized that Jesus actually died for ME!
For those of us who worship Christ together in church, hardly a thing is more important and enduring than our hymns. Hymns are a map of Christian journey, an expression of our beliefs, a balm to our souls, a comfort to our frailties, and a battle cry of our spiritual unity.
That said, Hymnsongs is a triumph in all regards!
After listening to it for many days now, I conclude that God alone must have guided you in the song order. It is perfect, Phil, because it is akin to “a day of worship through hymns.”
The PRELUDE reminds me of those moments when an early morning service is beginning. For those who worship in formal churches, they will almost visualize the acolytes approaching the chancel area and lighting the candles. For those whose culture is from the “little country church,” they will easily see the low rays of morning sun filtering through the windows as the elders take their place beside the preacher. It is a grand, simple, true way to begin your album and it sets the tone perfectly. The sound is almost “bell-like” – how appropriate as you signal the beginning of this “worship service.”
Who would ever think that IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER could sound like a praise song? But, this rendition (evocative of some of your electric music from the ’80’s) takes a normally somber song and sets it on its ear. It is upbeat and catchy. You have become a master of interpolating one melody line on top of another, more familiar one and then weaving the two together so that they become as one. You do that here and in some other arrangements like SIMPLE GIFTS, FAIREST LORD JESUS, and the gentle BE STILL MY SOUL and the result is not only challenging to the ear, but also VERY rewarding.
Ah, Bach! This very baroque, traditional version of O SACRED HEAD, NOW WOUNDED feels like a “call to worship” to me. Your choice of guitars is refreshing and compels me to listen closely for the tonal interplay among the instruments. And, of course the execution of the piece is flawless.
ABIDE WITH ME is one of those hymns that every traditional church attendee knows. So, the fact that you have varied from some of the old chord structures should bother me (and, I’ll admit, it did at first.) But, as I have allowed myself to absorb this spirited arrangement, it has become one of the songs from this project that appeals most to me. For one thing, I am so surprised and happy to hear the return of the Yamaha SA 2000! I feel as if I’ve been reunited with a dear old friend. There is nothing like the sound of that Yamaha in your gifted hands. It takes me back to your days of the first Underground album – a happy time when you and Bernadette were new parents. Beyond that sound though, this rendition has a lot of swing and tons of heart.
THIS FRAGILE VESSEL is meditative and pure. It is very reminiscent of songs from Beyond Nature and Acoustic Sketches. In the context of this album, it is a prayer.
Your Anglican and Episcopal friends will surely recognize Blake and Parry’s popular 19th century hymn JERUSALEM which hypothesizes that Jesus may have walked the green hills and the dark tin mines of southern England with his uncle, Joseph of Arimathea. It is a marvelous, rousing hymn that may be more rooted in folklore than scripture, but your treatment is grand and expressive and has that 220 or Zion-feel that your “plugged in” fans will love.
Ah Bach – again! Your version of CHORALE #198 convinces me that if it’s possible to stir him from his slumber in the bosom of Abraham, then J.S. Bach smiles contentedly when he hears you play his music. He must nudge his cronies like Handel and Silbermann and say to them, “Now THAT’S how it’s supposed to sound! Where was that Keaggy kid when I was writing music!? We could have knocked ’em dead in Austria!” 😉
I have but one thing to say of NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD – it alone is worth the price of the album. It is primo Keaggy – lots of bluesy electric sound and soul, soul, soul. Wow! I could listen to it a thousand times and still never understand how you weave all those lines of guitar together so perfectly. It’s one of those arrangements that you do that literally sends electricity through me and makes me feel absolutely spirit-filled.
Sticking with my idea that this is an album that feels like a day of hymns, you now begin to wrap the service (and the day) up with songs like O FOR A CLOSER WALK and OUR DAILY BREAD that are very much like prayers of contemplation, dedication, and invitation. They are reverently performed, brimming with heart, and almost breathless – just the way I feel sometimes when I kneel at the altar rail and think of my place in the body of Christ.
And you have chosen the perfect closing song for this “day of hymns!” An old vespers song that I remember singing years ago at the end of each church camp day. As the sun would set out across the lake and the frogs and night insects would begin to sing their own chorus, we would all sit together under the boughs of an old hickory grove on the hill above the water and sing THE DAY THOU GAVEST, LORD, HAS ENDED. Without prompting, we would all hold hands and sing this song of thanks and tears would flow down our young, smiling cheeks. I never knew at the time why we would cry, evening after evening when we sang that song. Now I do. It was partly that a deep, unconscious, grown-up part of us knew that times wouldn’t always be so simple, sweet, and perfect. We wouldn’t always have such youthful health and vigor. Our days wouldn’t always be so carefree and long. But, also it was that we could feel the Lord whispering His love to us in those waning moments of those summer days through the melody and the lyrics of the hymn –
The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended;
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended;
Thy praise shall hallow now our rest.We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping;
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping;
And rests not now by day or night.The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ‘neath the western sky,
And hour by hour, fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away.
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
‘Til all Thy creatures own Thy sway.And we would watch the sun set and hold hands and smile and cry and pray to God for the grace of another fine day – every time.
Thank you Phil for once again conjuring up so many important memories for me through your music. I am convinced that Hymnsongs will become an important, vital part of many folks’ music libraries. Further, I hope that Word Artisan and your publicist will encourage churches around the world to purchase a copy of Hymnsongs and play it before and after services every so often. [Mark Bacus, February 22, 2002]
Phil Keaggy’s own comments to each song, as featured in the CD liner notes:
01. Prelude
This brief introduction, which I had originally written for Keith Getty’s “Irish Hymns” record, announces more than the start of the program — I like to think that it also suggests that this will not be a typical hymns experience, as it opens the door to the perennial classic that follows — and one of my favorite tunes.02. In the Bleak Midwinter
This cherished Christmas anthem exemplifies the hip, yet honest production values that my friend Ric Hordinski brought to the table. He’s a fantastic musician that many people may know from the group Over the Rhine. It was a pleasure to work with him on this record.03. O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
We took a decidedly Renaissance approach to this piece; its spare counterpoint underpinning the melody. This song goes back a few years for me. The first time I listened carefully to this song was back in ’77, on an Amy Grant album. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. I wrote her a letter, thanking her for the song, and for the album, and years later she remembered that.04. Abide With Me
For me, the electric guitar work on this song recalls more than Pat Metheny’s timbral influence; it brings to my mind’s eye the very picture of the hymn’s author sitting at his seaside berth, penning the life’s end prayer that would be set to this timeless music.The special thing about hymns such as this one is their meaning — what’s inside them. For those ears that might be new to this music, I hope that they will be drawn into what the hymns have to say.
05. This Fragile Vessel
Composed by Keith Getty, his Emerald Isle’s origins are certainly betrayed by the song’s lilting quality. The opening passages also betray my admiration for Scotlander John Renbourn, whose acoustic musings have long captured my ear.06. Jerusalem
I first heard this song as it was presented in the film Chariots of Fire. ELP’s vocal version got me a little closer to it. I recorded this take in 1994, which I’m happy found new life on HymnSongs. I didn’t actually have a project in mind for this piece at the time; I just wanted to do it; it’s such a beautiful piece of music.07. Simple Gifts
This distinctly American folk tune has appeared in many forms since its Shaker beginnings, evolving in surprising ways at the hands of Aaron Copeland to the accompanying the staged production of Lord of the Dance. In this version, we took a completely different direction with the arrangement. Our drummer, Joshua, just rocked the house with it. It’s not the gentle, reflective interpretation people are used to hearing — we thought we’d just have some fun with it.08. Chorale #198
An exercise in classical counterpoint, this brief, but beautiful piece exemplifies Bach’s genius for the concise. Bach was a very prolific composer — and I’m not just talking about his music. He had twenty children, you know! Not to diminish Bach’s prolific musical output, though, there were 197 Chorales that preceded this one, and probably more that followed.09. Fairest Lord Jesus
This recording was originally commissioned several years ago by Paul Clark for a Maranatha! Music praise album. It wasn’t used for the project, so I reclaimed the tracks for HymnSongs. It features my first recorded work with the Parker Fly, an instrument that inspired my 1997 album “On the Fly.”10. Nothing But the Blood
I get more comments on this piece. It’s a departure from the rest of the album, but I think it has its place. People seem to respond to it. It’s definitely “Hendrixy.”This recording was originally made for David Rose’s motion picture, “The Painting,” but it’s been in my repertoire for many years. In 1993, I recorded a vocal version for “Crimson and Blue,” and I always enjoy playing it in concert.
11. Be Still My Soul
This is one of my favorite hymns. When I arranged it, I had to recall it from memory, because I don’t read music — the hymnal was no help! We placed it in the sequence to serve as sort of an anchor among the lesser-known pieces we chose for the collection.12. O For A Closer Walk With Thee
Here’s another example of a tune that makes one yearn to hear the words that inspired it. This sweet song, originally penned by William Cowper, was beautifully adapted by Keith Getty, which inspired this arrangement.13. Our Daily Bread
These variations on The Lord’s Prayer were originally produced for an album project that honored Todd Beamer, a hero of 9-11. The melodic motif set to the words, “Give us this day” serve as a point of departure. It was one of those inspired moments for me, I think.14. The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Has Ended
I included this piece as a nod to my long-time manager, Norman Miller, who hails from Scotland. Norman told me that this is Scotland’s most beloved hymn. He played it on the piano for me, and sang it, and that’s how I learned it. Rich really helped create the track, and the piece turned out very nicely. I hope Norman likes it!
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