It's been a very long time since I've blogged but I have wanted to create a page to distribute my music for quite some time. Some day I'll have a professional website with lots of fun bells and whistle (music reference ;) or maybe I won't. For now at least I'm working towards something.
Please know that my purpose in this is to share my own testimony and hopefully have others feel the Spirit of God through this music.
"We get nearer to the Lord through music than perhaps through any other thing except prayer." - President J Reuben Clark Jr.
For my non LDS friends, President Clark was a leader in our church who spoke those words during a General Conference. We take the words of those spoken in that setting as modern day scripture.
Now for the meat of it. In this blog you will find recordings as well as sheet music. Please let me know if you would like something special written up, I would love to help. I'm also going to include the history behind these arrangements and songs. It has been my experience and belief that some of the most important things we can do are to: First, fill our lives with the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God. That Spirit can serve as a protection for us in a tumultuous world where we need all the help we can get. Second, to recognize the feelings of the Spirit. And third, to share that Spirit with the world.
The origination of this arrangement came first for a soloist and later adapted for primary. Learning this arrangement for primary age children (3-11) was a daunting task but the primary children of our ward were up to the challenge. I remember the first week teaching the junior primary just the chorus and the special feeling that came as I heard those very young children sing with ferver and conviction the words: "Oh it is wonderful, I stand all amazed, beautiful Savior"
The children of the senior primary, were taught this hymn along with the message behind the words and the spirit with which they sang was a testament to me of the wonder and awe that the atonement of Christ brings, and the message that atonement is applicable to all of God's children regardless of age. Ultimately, this hymn is about love. The love of God and the love of his Son. It was very fitting to have the love of such tender children fill a classroom as they learned and sang of this doctrine. I am so very grateful for the witness that love brings to me. No longer serving as the primary chorister, I miss being surrounded by such unrestrained feelings of love every week.
If you end up using this sheet music, please send me a response telling me of any positive experience you may have. If you don't feel comfortable with typing out a comment, then you can private message me on Facebook at Travis N Vickie Edwards. Any recording you might get of your presentation feel free to send that as well. I live off compliments, that's your payment for use ;)
History of Arrangement
This was one of the first arrangements I put together. It was the third actually, and 3 is my favorite number. My family and I had just moved to Boise/Meridian from our home of four years in Camby, Indiana where Travis went to dental school. I had stuck in my head this arrangement. Years later I would end up tweaking the original choir version to accommodate three talented singers in a trio.
For several days I found myself humming this song, assuming it was a MoTab arrangement that I had previously heard. On what I recall as being the third day, I decided to go through my music to find the original performance because hearing something in your head just wasn't as satisfying as having my ears filled with these different harmonies. I could not find the music. When I realized that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir had not sung this as an arrangement my first feelings were of shock and then humility. I felt humbled to be able to hear something that I did not feel was my own creation. That's actually why I don't charge for the distribution of these songs. They are written with inspiration from the Holy Ghost and are sacred to me. I prayed many times regarding this arrangement following that experience. Asking that if it was our Father's will, that I might be able to write this out, and again if it was His will, that it might be shared and other's could feel of that sacred Spirit as I had felt in it's origination.
The final verse, not found in the hymn book, came to me at night when my mind would not be still and my thoughts kept settling on the concept that the song was incomplete. After praying again, these words filled my mind:
"Let Thy Spirit fill our song, with the light that heaven brings.
Stay Thou ever by our side, this our prayer Lord, lead us home Lord
History:
This was my second arrangement that was written in Indiana for a very sweet little toddler named Cosette. At the time I was preparing to play violin in a community concert and the same night received a call from the Bishop of our ward asking if I would arrange this piece for a the funeral of an 18 month old girl who had passed away. This was her favorite song. The thought of composing an arrangement in such a short time was very unsettling for me. Added to those feelings was the anxiety I felt in taking a very light hearted primary song and making it appropriate for a funeral. If you know this song, I'm sure you can understand. Late that night before going to bed I prayed very fervently, asking our Heavenly Father for his help. I was willing, but did not feel at all adequate. I went to bed still feeling unsettled. I awoke some time later crying having dreamed of this melody and rose in the very early morning hours to write it down.
There are different songs interwoven with the original in this. The piano plays them in a higher register than the vocals are sung. It is as if those higher registers come from a child answering their parents with words such as: "I see my Mother kneeling", "Her plea to the Father quiets all my fear", "And I am Thankful, Love is Spoken Here", "I am a child of God", "Lead me, Guide me", "I feel my Savior's love", "He know's I will follow Him, give all my life to him... Singing, singing, all the way. Give oh give away."
This song remains my husbands favorite. He has said that there is a very unique Spirit to be felt in it. I must agree.
History:
This song was written after I was assigned to speak on Easter Sunday. After being given the assignment I went to the Primary Songbook (it's probably my favorite book) with the idea of beginning my talk through songs found there. I wasn't very satisfied with the compilation of Easter songs. After the assignment was over and we had moved, I had the persistent thought that there should be a song - for children - describing Easter. Particularly the difference between life everlasting and Salvation. After several months of having this thought, I prayed. Prayer seems to be a very consistent theme here. Looking back I am wondering why it took me several months before I actual did pray. So after I prayed, the words to this song filled my mind in a matter of minutes. The melody to this song came later, again after prayer, but the entire process of writing this down took only three days.
I'm grateful for this song. I have used it to teach my boys of the gifts that the Atonement of Christ brings to us and to all mankind. I am grateful for it's reminder.
History:
Years ago my husband and I decided that instead of watching reruns of Scrubs at the end of the day we would instead go out to watch the sun set and the stars rise. What followed was a very sweet conversation we had about the majesty of our Father's creations. I should emphasize again here that these experiences as well as these songs are sacred to me, and I don't share them lightly. I also feel very strongly there are others that can benefit from these experiences. Travis shared with me his lack in comprehending how an all powerful God could know each of us individually, love us individually, and care for what was going on in our lives. He felt small in comparison to the vastness of what we were seeing in our own backyard. For myself, seeing the majesty of the creations around me made me feel closer to our Heavenly Father. As I reflected on that feeling, I recognized it was not the first time I had felt that way. Rather since my childhood being in nature has always made me feel part of something greater.
I had recently read from the Doctrines of the Gospel student manual about the Creation of this world and all things in it (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/chapter-7-the-creation?lang=eng). Travis and I discussed how everything was created in Spirit form before it's physical form and therefore all life, plant and animal, had Spirit. I told him I thought that was why I felt connected, there was Spirit life in the world around us, and that reminded me of where I came from before my physical creation. Then we talked about what Bruce R. McKonkie said regarding the creation of mankind. How it was not an act that was delegated, but rather the Father himself took part in what President McKonkie called the "crowning jewel" of creation. Reading this text, and having this discussion stirred my own Spirit very strongly with the desire to express my worship to our Heavenly Father for his creations. The next several weeks yielded the results of this song.
Shortly after this was finished I attended a very unique temple session where I again felt my testimony of the Creation strengthened and my Spirit renewed with the knowledge of my existence before this life. This song is my expression of worship.
