Melodic theology

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Friday, November 12th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard.

Keith and Kristyn Getty have a new album out, and that is sure to delight lovers of modern hymns. WORLD senior correspondent Myrna Brown gave it a listen and then talked with Keith about how the project came together.

SONG: IS HE WORTHY: Does the Father truly love us? He does...does the spirit move amount us? It He does

MYRNA BROWN, REVIEWER: In 20-20 Keith and Kristyn Getty recorded this live rendition of Is He Worthy with two of their four daughters. Then, the Gettys decided to embark on another kind of family-worship adventure: Ten months in a small seaside town in their homeland of Northern Ireland.

KEITH GETTY: Life slowed down. And it was the happiest year of our lives where we were able to introduce our girls to the land and the family and the places and the music.

SONG: WAULKING SONG

Keith Getty says during that year-long sabbatical, they took a deep dive into their Irish heritage. But their daughters aren’t the only benefactors. The Gettys’ latest album, Confessio: Irish-American Roots, is a collection of songs about those authentic experiences.

SONG: WAULKING SONG

This track for instance—The Waulking Song—comes straight from the mountains of the Scottish Highlands.

Waulking songs are traditionally written and performed in the Scotch-Irish dialect. Waulking is a unique work-flow where groups of women take woven tweed and rhythmically beat the fabric to repel water.

SONG: FAREWELL TO BALLYMONEY

The beauty of Confessio is in the instrumentation. Both Irish and American instruments create a melodic Celtic feel throughout the album.

GETTY: We use some of the Irish instruments like pipes and whistles and harp. But we also used some of the American sounds like banjo and dobro.

But the most memorable moments from this project are the delightfully unhurried musical preludes that precede classic hymns like, This Is My Father’s House …..

SONG: THIS IS MY FATHER’S HOUSE

… and When I Survey The Wondrous Cross.

SONG: WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS

The Gettys are modern hymn writers who reinvigorate timeless classics like Come Thou Almighty King.

SONG: COME THOU ALMIGHTY KING

In this rendition, they added a new chorus. So, I asked Getty whether he had any hesitation over embellishing the hymn.

GETTY: I don’t. I mean honestly I don’t really try and change the arrangements. We do very unique arrangements. They are keeping the original versions. Something like Come Thou Almighty King isn’t used in most churches and so to me adding the chorus really made it more workable.

In 2001, Keith Getty co-wrote In Christ Alone and helped fuel a resurgence of singing and writing theologically sound modern hymns. Two decades later, songs like Pass The Promise continue to reflect just the right combination of theology and melody.

SONG: PASS THE PROMISE: Pass the promise to our sons and daughters. God most high. God our Father. We bear witness.

In this buoyant anthem Kristyn Getty and guest artists sing about our responsibility to pass on the promise to the next generation, as commanded in Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise”.

SONG: AMAZING GRACE

Perfect in every way and one of my favorites on the project is John Newton’s classic hymn. And I’m willing to predict you’ll also be captivated by this rendition of Amazing Grace. Perhaps the strong musical collaboration between Keith Getty and saxophonist Kirk Whalum will draw you in.

GETTY: Kirk Whalum and I have this argument about Amazing Grace. So I believe Amazing Grace is a Scotch-Irish tune and he thinks it’s an African spiritual.

Or maybe it will be Kristyn Getty’s strikingly tender vocals. Her voice flawlessly blends with the soulful sound of jazz/folk singer Dana Masters.

SONG: AMAZING GRACE

But more likely what will keep you coming back to this song, will be the simple promise of the Father’s redemptive love and amazing grace for His children.

I’m Myrna Brown.

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