CD Review: Hear My PrayerAlthough my favourite music to listen to is vocal music, I do enjoy a good instrumental CD. I first heard the CD Hear My Prayer through a friend, and purchased it a couple years ago or so. The liquid, golden sound of a classical guitar being masterfully played is incredibly relaxing. When mixed with oboe, flute, orchestra or strings, as in some tracks, the heart is quieted, and the spirit soars.
I appreciate that Matthew Burtner has included several old hymns on this CD. Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched; O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus and O Sacred Head Now Wounded are too often forgotten in our hymn-singing today. The inclusion of The Sands of Time Are Sinking is special as well, as it is one of my all-time favourite hymns. One way it became beloved to me is as I read about the life of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, and how the fourth verse was close to her heart:
O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Newer songs, such as Psalm 86; Saviour, Lead Us; and The Steps of a Good Man are also welcome additions. Some of the tracks were familiar to me before; others were new. The lyrics to all the songs are included in the insert, which is a great help, and an added blessing.
If you want an instrumental CD to relax with, and to edify you spiritually as well, go with this one. You can search for it here.
Since I was a teenager, I have loved Mac Lynch’s voice. As a teenager, I tried to make my high tenor voice sound like his, attempting to emulate his rich, warm tones. To do this as a high tenor, I had to sing in my throat, in a way that would make any professional voice teacher cringe! I later unlearned this bad habit in voice lessons, but I have retained my enjoyment of Mac Lynch’s music. (I have also learned that you need to sing with the voice that God gave you, not trying to force it to sound like someone else’s!)
Proclaim His Name is one of my favourite CDs from THE WILDS. Mac Lynch obtained his B.A. (1976) and M.A. (1979) in sacred music from Bob Jones University. He joined the music staff at THE WILDS in 1988, and is currently their music director. Mac is a composer, arranger, soloist and accomplished pianist, as well as the producer of some of THE WILDS CDs.
For this recording, Mac is joined by Tim Fisher. Tim also received a B.A. and an M.A. from Bob Jones University, and taught on faculty for 9 years. He founded Sacred Music Services in 1998, with a goal of providing sacred music recordings for the home. He is an author, public speaker, composer, arranger, and performer. My speaking so highly of Mac Lynch’s voice isn’t meant to denigrate in any way Tim Fisher’s voice! Tim is a baritone, whose voice has a pleasing smooth and round tone. (Please forgive my florid descriptions of voices. I love music, especially vocal music, and am liable to wax verbose!)
In Proclaim His Name, Mac and Tim sing quite a few duets, as well as solos. They are joined by an orchestra, as well as a choir! This is a heavenly combination, with superb results.
The first track is O Worship the King. This majestic arrangement gave me a love for this old hymn. I wish I knew where to get the arrangement for it!
Before the Throne of God Above is another old hymn. Faye Lopez, who has published hymn arrangements for piano, wrote the music. The result is a stirring song of worship. The words of the hymn continue to encourage me. "Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea: A great high priest Whose name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me! My name is graven on His hands; My name is written on His heart. I know that while in heav'n He stands, No tongue can bid me thence depart."
Our church choir has sung Ashamed of Jesus? twice, I believe. Again, it is an old hymn, set to a beautiful new melody. The title of the CD comes from a line in this song: “No, when I blush be this my shame, That I have not proclaimed His name.” This is a challenging and moving piece.
When I think of the song Rest, I think of a dear lady at my church, Alicia Harrison. She went to heaven a few years ago, and it may have been near that time that I first heard this CD. “All is done, the race has ended; Weary bones are set aside.” Tim’s voice is perfect for this song.
The last track is I Will Go. The words here grew in meaning to me when I realized the chorus is based on a Bible verse, Psalm 71:16: “I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.” I love the line in the song that says, “Strengthened with might by His spirit in power, Fully assured that my Captain I know.” We do know Who our Captain is, and that should encourage us to witness boldly.
You can order this CD here for only $5.95 US! If you live in Canada, I believe you will have to order via phone. The number is (864) 268-4760.
The theme of the CD is, in their words, “to praise our glorious Creator.” Listen to this CD with your heart. You will be helped and blessed and moved to praise Him as well!
I love to hear men sing. This is a general statement, of course, contingent upon the quality of the men’s voice, and the style of music they are singing. I enjoy hearing a well-blended, beautifully sung men’s chorus; I do not enjoy hearing the raw-voiced screaming that passes for music in many circles.
I Sing the Mighty Power of God is an example of the former kind of singing! It is the first men’s CD put out by Sacred Music Services, run by Tim Fisher (the author of the insightful book The Battle for Christian Music, which should be on every conservative Christian’s bookshelf, and which I am planning on reviewing for this blog). They have put out several more men’s CDs, all of excellent calibre; but this one to me is exceptional.
The songs are rich theologically: I Sing the Mighty Power of God; Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise; and Lamb of God. There are often-used and well-loved hymns and gospel songs: Faith of Our Fathers, Were You There, and There’s Room at the Cross. There are also pieces that are lesser known, quite undeservingly: Opened for Me, That Day at Calvary, and Praise Ye the Triune God.
This CD is easy to listen to, but this doesn't mean the songs are weak or tepid doctrinally, or empty of true spirituality. I have been ministered to by many of the songs. Permit me to talk about some of my favourite tracks.
The title track is the standard-setting men's arrangement of I Sing the Mighty Power of God, as far as I’m concerned. The men sing with power, and the piano playing is strong and artistic. The message of God’s majesty comes across loud and clear.
Opened for Me is an older song, written by Merrill Dunlop in 1936. It is a comforting, encouraging song. I have used it in our congregational singing, and will do so again. It is a hymn worth learning.
Another definitive arrangement is of Were You There. This song raises one’s soul to the very threshold of heaven! When the men sing, “Sometimes, I feel like shouting glory, glory, oh glory!” your spirit is irresistibly led to respond with excitement and joy!
Lamb of God is an old hymn, published in 1841, with lyrics by James Deck, accompanied by a new melody. The new melody was written by Ed Rae, who was on the music faculty at Bob Jones University. The music fits marvellously well with the words, and the perfect blend glorifies Jesus Christ in beauty, reverence and joy.
If you are looking for a conservative, excellent, uplifting, encouraging, soul-strengthening CD, this is it. Buy it, listen to it, and let the music enter your bloodstream. You will not be disappointed.
Purchase the CD (and listen to audio samples)
A friend of mine recently told me about a music CD by Ben Everson. I had heard a previous CD made by him, but hadn’t listened to any of his songs recently. God has blessed Bro. Everson with a great talent. He has a tremendous musical range, evidenced by his recordings of men’s quartets in which he sings all the parts (and sounds great in singing them, I might add). Placed online in July 2009, his new CD is called I’ll Pray Again.
Bro. Everson has written or arranged some of the songs on this CD. In the familiar hymn Brethren, We Have Met to Worship, he is the only vocalist, singing in his one-man a capella quartet. I enjoyed some of the harmonies in this one, especially at the end of the piece.
I’ll Pray Again, the title track, is the first song I heard from this album. It encouraged my heart, and strengthened my desire to write godly music to encourage believers. The song has been a blessing to my local church as well. You can purchase and download the song sheet for this song and four other of his songs from Lulu. Free sheet music for three songs (including The Final Account, which you can read about in the next paragraph) is available at Bible Revival.
The Final Account is a convicting song, with words written by Charles Wesley, and a gentle melody written by Bro. Everson. This song will help you to “be sober” (I Peter 1:13) in the Biblical sense of the word.
Besides songs written by Bro. Everson, there are some familiar pieces included: Wings As Eagles, by Ron Hamilton of Majesty Music, is a welcome addition. The old favourite Its Still the Blood is sung with great feeling and energy by the same one-man quartet.
This was an enjoyable CD. The orchestration is professionally done, and Bro. Everson’s voice is smooth and pleasing to listen to. The style is conservative; not quite as much as The WILDS, but much more conservative than most “Christian” music these days. You can purchase individual tracks, or download the whole CD in mp3 format for $9.99 USD from DigStation.
More listening:
Drawing Near (another CD by Ben Everson)
There are some CDs that contain 3 or 4 songs that stand out, that you listen to over and over again. Other CDs contain so many wonderful songs that it is an almost impossible task to select only a few as your favourites!
I like The WILDS’ practice of beginning their CDs with an energetic, joyful song, and using a calmer song as the second track. The second track, Grace, has been an encouragement to me. The song is soothing, and the choir communicates the message sweetly.
The arrangement of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is one of the best tracks. The whole song is one beautiful, moving crescendo. I remember listening to this CD while driving my sister to a musical competition. As I listened to When I Survey, I was moved to tears by the words: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” The beauty of the music touched my soul at that point. What the 20th century songwriter E. Y. Harburg wrote is true: “Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” The vital thought that I ought to give my life to God because of His sacrifice on the cross was communicated by the vehicle of godly music, and that powerful combination moved me deeply.
The arrangement of the gospel song ‘Tis Marvelous and Wonderful, the eleventh track, is an example of simple yet beautiful part-writing. The song flows energetically from beginning to end without letting up, and the texture is wonderfully homophonic and hymn-like.
The next song, Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart, provides a beautiful contrast. I love the rich sound of the four-part (or three-part?) men’s harmony in the first verse.
O for a Thousand Tongues is a joyous arrangement, fitting to the hymn. I often hear the chorale singing the words, “Hear Him, ye deaf,” from this arrangement as I play the hymn in church.
Sherry Oliver Trainer’s clear, beautiful high soprano voice rings out powerfully in many of the songs. Her high note at the end of When I Survey makes chills go down my spine. Her solo in the sixteenth track, Lord, I Need You is pure and inspiring.
I recommend this CD very highly! It would make an excellent addition to any Christian’s musical library. I appreciate the high standard of musical excellence and the spiritual quality and ministry of the songs. This CD has been a great blessing to me personally and, in my opinion, this is the one of the best CDs that The WILDS has produced.
Places to purchase the CD:
Light of Faith Resources
Old Fashioned Christian Radio Music Store
