Souviens-Toi (Remember)

While I was on my LDS mission to Belgium and France, I became aware of a hymn in the French LDS hymnbook (Cantiques) that has since found a special place in my heart. The hymn melody is from the "Largo" theme in Dvořák's New World Symphony. The text is attributed simply to the "French Language Committee of the Church."

The words of "Souviens-toi" ("Remember") are those of a parent talking to her newborn child. In amazement and wonder, the parent talks about the premortal life, its majesty and splendor; throughout, there is a feeling of longing for our past heavenly home from whence this tiny child has just come.

I recently decided to undertake an arrangement of the hymn. My friend suggested tying in "God Be with You Till We Meet Again" which seemed to match the musical and spiritual theme of "Souviens-toi." And thus, an arrangement was born.

Although we have forgotten our memories of a former heavenly home, we can be comforted by Christ's words, "ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along." (D&C 78: 17-18)

And my sincere desire is that we can be as Nephi and be "encircled about eternally in the arms of [Christ's] love." (2 Ne 1:15)



Sarah Webb made the beautiful translation of the French text. The text of the SATB arrangement is below:

Remember, my child: Your divine parents. 

They held you in their arms not long ago. 

Today, you are marvelously here, 

The reflection of heaven shining in your eyes. 

Talk to me, my child, of that blessed place, 

Because for you, the veil is thin.

God be with you till we meet again;

When life's perils thick confound you,

Put his arms unfailing round you.

God be with you till we meet again.

Till we meet, till we meet,

Till we meet at Jesus' feet,

Till we meet, till we meet,

God be with you till we meet again.

Remember, my child: In the dawn of time, 

We were friends playing in the wind. 

Then one day, we joyfully chose 

To accept the Lord's great plan of life. 

That evening, we promised, 

By love, by faith, to be reunited.

Till we meet, till we meet,

Till we meet at Jesus' feet,

Till we meet, till we meet,

God be with you till we meet again.

Rock of Ages

Legend has it that one stormy day Augustus Toplady found himself caught without shelter or protection. He found a small opening in the rock face surrounding him and took refuge. From within rock he penned the words to the hymn Rock of Ages:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee.

This is a wonderful hymn of grace, or "divine means of help or strength" (Bible Dictionary). Christ is often referred to as a stone or a rock. He is a firm foundation but also a place of refuge. "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge" (2 Sam. 22:2-3). Throughout the storms of life we have a safe place. These storms may be uncertainty, economic hardships, loss of friends and family, and even sin. "For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified." (Moses 6:60). 

It is His redeeming grace that will raise us "to worlds unknown" to see and be with Him again and forever.

This is an arrangement for 4-part a cappella voices.  

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure,

Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labors of my hands

Can fill all thy law's demands;

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone;

Thou must save, and thou alone.

While I draw this fleeting breath,

When mine eyes shall close in death,

When I rise to worlds unknown

And behold thee on thy throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee.

-You can find the sheet music here-

The Iron Rod

In the Book of Mormon we read of a dream of the prophet Lehi depicting a narrow path to the tree of life. Leading to the tree is an iron rod which represents the word of God. This rod directs through clouds of darkness, rugged ways, dangerous waters, and sneering, mocking, and ridicule from haughty onlookers. The message was and is simple, we need to "press [our] way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until [we come] forth and [fall] down and [partake] of the fruit of the tree." (1 Ne 8:30).

Many things may entice us to let go of the rod: pride, independence, fear, apathy. Whatever the reason, we need to remember to hold fast to the security of the word of God. If we loose our grip of the rod and stray for a time, we must turn back and return to our place of security. Keep in mind the goal of our journey here, to reach the "golden rest" which is eternal life with our Father in Heaven, our family, and other loved ones.

In this arrangement of The Iron Rod for four-part choir, you will hear a verse depicting the sorrow, hardships, and darkness that we will go through in this life. But this somber verse is followed by the hopeful, stirring 5th verse.  While almost never sung, it provides us a reminder of the goal of our journey:

And when temptation's pow'r is nigh,

Our pathway clouded o'er,

Upon the rod we can rely,

And heaven's aid implore.

Afar we see the golden rest

To which the rod will guide,

Where, with the angels bright and blest,

Forever we'll abide.

Peace of the Spirit

A couple years ago, a friend of mine approached me and asked if I would arrange a hymn medley that her relief society could sing.  As I thought about which hymns to include, I settled on three that have always brought me a spirit of peace, Where Can I Turn for Peace?, Abide With Me, and I Feel My Savior's Love.  In the world there seems to be a never-ending supply of confusion and controversy regarding one thing or another.  I am thankful that through it all I can enjoy the peace of the spirit.  It calms my worries and helps me accept that I don't have all of the answers.  "Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.  My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep" (2 Ne 19-20).  He continues to do so and will continue to do so.  

Where can I turn for peace?

Where is my solace

When other sources cease to make me whole?

When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,

I draw myself apart,

Searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows,

Where, when I languish,

Where, in my need to know, where can I run?

Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?

Who, who can understand?

He, only One.

He answers privately,

Reaches my reaching

In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.

Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.

Constant he is and kind,

Love without end.

You will hear strings here because MIDI strings sound better than MIDI voices.  Imagine a women's chorus is singing.

Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer

This project was a combination of the lesser known hymn text by H. R. Palmer and the well known melody of Rowland Prichard usually set to In Humility, Our Savior. The arrangement came about rather quickly and spontaneously. I had always wanted to do an arrangement of the music and when I couldn't find a good A Capella arrangement for my ward choir, this fell into place.  

The hymn text is a wonderful, fervent prayer that often goes overlooked. The first two verses are a sincere appeal to the Almighty to help us better ourselves and receive His divine help and guidance despite the unending buffetings and enticements of Satan. Indeed, we can be ever encircled by His arms of safety and love (Alma 34: 16; 2 Ne 1:15).  

The final verse is an affirmation of the quiet and simple faith that Christ is over all. When our hearts are broken by the struggles and trials of our earthy existence, He is there to heal us. One of my favorite scriptures is John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." In and through Christ, we too can overcome the world. This is a gospel of peace and security. He will calm the raging torrent and through the darkness of the storms and the billows we can hear the words, "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39).    

You will hear strings here because MIDI strings sound better than MIDI voices.  Imagine a choir is singing.

1. Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,

Thy sweet message now impart.

May thy Spirit, pure and fervid,

Enter ev'ry timid heart;

Carry there the swift conviction,

Turning back the sinful tide.

Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,

May each soul in thee abide.

2. Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,

We are weak but thou art strong;

In thy infinite compassion,

Stay the tide of sin and wrong.

Keep thy loving arms around us;

Keep us in the narrow way.

Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,

Let us never from thee stray.

3. Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,

Thou wilt bind the broken heart.

Let not sorrow overwhelm us;

Dry the bitter tears that start.

Curb the winds and calm the billows;

Bid the angry tempest cease.

Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,

Grant us everlasting peace.

Nearer, My God, to Thee: Revisited

I know I've done an arrangement of this in the past, but I just couldn't rest without having an arrangement for four trombones.  This is usually such a gentle hymn, but I realized that there are exclamation points in every verse.  It is such a heartfelt and fervent prayer set to music.  And through what better medium than the sound of trombones?  The last verse of the arrangement was inspired by the seldom sung, triumphant fifth verse of the hymn:

Or if, on joyful wing

Cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot,

upward I fly,

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to Thee!

Two of the topics this hymn is listed under in the LDS hymnbook are adversity and hope.  We can take comfort in knowing that through our stony griefs, the dark nights, and while bearing our own cross, we will be brushed off and lifted up.  

"[We] cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for [He] will lead [us] along." (D&C 78:18)

Abide With Me

Abide With Me is one of my favorite hymns.  I still remember  a powerful scene with this hymn in A Bridge Too Far, a WWII film.  Wounded, surrounded and trapped in enemy territory, a group of allied soldiers give a simple but stirring rendition of Abide With Me.   In their time of despair this was their plea:

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

So can we all call to Him in our time of despair and trouble.  When we do then comes His answer "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end" (Matt. 28:20)

This arrangement is for trombone quartet