Listen to the Music
Here you can listen to a sampling of select tracks from the album.
“This Album offers some 20 hymns in sensitive, creative arrangements...Pelkner has a dozen different instruments at her disposal and plays each with musical grace. My ears and mind were certainly opened by the degree to which shading and phrasing are possible on instruments struck with mallets. At times, the marimba or vibraphone is heard with piano or organ, which should trigger the imagination of any church musician who hears this album.”
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Description
A collection of traditional hymn arrangements including marimba, vibes and percussion, sometimes accompanied by piano or organ. Through focused listening or as background, the music is intended to enhance and deepen personal worship/prayer time, to uplift whether alone or in fellowship with other believers and to inspire and enjoy!
Track Listing
Hymns of Praise Medley (4:44)
What a Friend We Have in Jesus (2:31)
This is My Father’s World (3:15)
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (2:46)
Wayfaring Stranger (4:02)
Spirit of the Living God (1:51)
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (2:15)
Amazing Grace (2:26)
Old 100th (1:59)
The Lord’s Prayer (3:11)
Beneath the Cross of Jesus (3:48)
O Sacred Head Now Wounded (2:26)
Rock of Ages (2:26)
Abide With Me (2:24)
Sonata No. 4 - Allegro (2:49)
Be Thou My Vision (2:05)
Bonus Track: Just a Closer Walk With Thee (3:53)
“….be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.””
The Making of the Album
Why so many different mediums and sound combinations?
The variety of instrument combinations seemed to lend themselves to each particular piece. Also, each medium was something I had joyously revelled in playing during my lifetime as a musician. The pieces range from solo marimba (Amazing Grace) and solo vibes (What a Friend we have in Jesus) to marimba with piano accompaniment (Swing Low Sweet Chariot) and vibes with piano accompaniment (Abide with Me.) Also from marimba with organ accompaniment (Beneath the Cross of Jesus) to percussion with organ accompaniment (Hymns of Praise and Be Thou My Vision), to percussion ensemble (This is My Father's World and Spirit of the Living God.)
Although all the hymns are mostly classically approached, while playing the spirituals (Wayfaring Stranger and Swing Low) I especially imagined gospel singing in my mind's ear. The classical "Postlude" is from a violin sonata, adapted for the marimba (Allegro movement from Sonata No. 4 by Corelli).
Growing up with a marvellous sounding organ and its association to worship, it was my pleasure to give the organist front and center with Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow. I added a hint of the melody with the glockenspiel hoping you, the listener, would hear the melody internally and bring to mind the words.
Multi tracking
I had considered asking other percussionists to join me for playing the five parts to This is My Father's World as an ensemble. However, I had a very specific sound and style in mind and thought it might change the outcome because each player would have had their own interpretation of a part. Instead I decided to multi track the parts. I began with the marimba, using a "click track" which would help me stay on top of the beat when layering the other parts over the marimba part. However, in the middle section and at the end I take liberties with the tempo, slowing it down, a means to add more expression and contrast, rather than staying at the same exact tempo all the way through. A click track is of no use in this case! I had to remember exactly how I had played each part in order to line up the notes. This was a challenge but it worked!
The Arrangement of the Pieces
Once the pieces were recorded it seemed a like puzzle as to how to arrange them on the CD, especially given the variety, until I realized that they represented the most meaningful hymns to me in given parts of the order of service, growing up in the Lutheran church.
“I found myself mesmerized, peace and calmness setting in, all the cares of the day being swept away. If you love good music, you will be moved by the skillful way in which the CD leads you beautifully through the hymns. Ms. Pelkner presents a new and exciting vision of the music.”