All Creatures of our God and King

I’ve always loved this hymn.  As a young child, I liked it because it talked about nature and the refrain was one I could sing easily.  As I got older, I was much more interested in the tune.  I didn’t appreciate it for the well-crafted hymn tune that it is with its balanced phrases and flowing lines.  I simply thought it was a rockin’ tune and my mother really rocked it at the organ.  

I came to appreciate the text and understand it at a much deeper level in college.  Through my early studies in service playing, I discovered that this hymn text, a paraphrase of St. Francis’s “Canticle of brother sun” by William Draper, was ripe with opportunities for text painting.  I loved this new-found discovery! Text painting is one of the subtle (or not so subtle) things organists do to help uplift certain ideas and words within our hymnody by using different sounds of the organ, different accompaniment figures, or chords and such.  These techniques help communicate the story of the hymn, relate it to our scriptures of the day, and give greater richness to our congregational song.  

When I sing this hymn today its text continues to unfold for me with its beautifully balanced poetry and imagery – rushing winds and breezes soft, swift flowing waters, mother earth, gentle death – my mind is flooded with images of different points throughout my life, with thanksgivings, and with hope.  Every time I lead this hymn I play it differently, as the spirit guides and our singing together inspires.  While text-painting at the piano with just a few singers is a different animal altogether, we’ll try and see if we can make a joyous noise to the Lord.

As I think about how this hymn has grown with me throughout my life, I wonder which hymns have grown with you throughout yours.  Please do share.  I wonder how the hymns we teach our choristers and our children will grow with them – and be with them – throughout their lives.  And, I revel in the richness and beauty of this sung treasury of our faith and look forward to the day when we can again raise our voices all together with our new organ to the glory and praise of God.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music