Which are your favourites?

The hymn "Redeemed" is one of my all-time favorites!

Halfstep Denise

I love the hymn "God Will Lift Up You Head" although I never heard it until Jars of Clay did a classic hymns CD.

When Peace Like a River

The circumstances that produced this hymn were shattering, it is a remarkable evidence of faith and I also love the harmonies in the chorus.

How many of you are familiar with the earliest Adventist hymnody called "Sacred Harp"? James White's father was a singing master in that tradition traveling from place to place having singing schools. He did not use the shape notes that now are more frequently seen in the songbooks used by Sacred Harp singers. The reason I bring this up is in honor of Wayne Hooper who restored many of the Sacred Harp hymns to us in the 1980 version of our SDA Hymnal. You may have heard by now that he died a week ago.

Yes. Wayne Hooper was a great deal more than just an Adventist musician. I felt the Review piece didn't do him justice.

But that's the trouble when you outlive all those who've known you intimately. I can still remember when he started singing with the King's Heralds, in the 1940s. Professor Harold Greer from PUC traveled with the King's Heralds and coached the singers. Prof. Greer stayed in our home during an evangelistic campaign led by Ben Glanzer in the [then new] Sligo Church. Professor Greer and my parents were very close friends, since my dad used to teach at PUC and my mom sang in Greer's a capella choir for nearly ten years [before and after her college years].

Wayne Hooper's gift for composing--including not only composing new anthems, but also researching early Advent hymns and scoring them for various vocal arrangements--is legend. Musicians today practically worship the music Wayne Hooper has composed. He was a master of harmony and composition. I cringe when I read "He's mainly known as the composer of 'We Have This Hope.'" That's spoken by a non-musician, obviously.

One of my many, many favorites is the hymn "Never Part Again", which was sung at my father's memorial service at our church. I just love the chorus where the congregation can divide itself into two groups and alternate back and forth.

My Dad's favorite, which we sang at is funeral was
At the Cross." It was the only song he ever sang, because he couldn't carry a tune...but he will then.

This is a bit off topic and I am no musician - but your mention of Professor Greer brought back pleasant memories of reading "Hymns at Heaven's Gate" which told some of his life story. He spent some time in Australia teaching music at Avondale College and was closely involved with what was known as the Avondale Symphonic Choir. I imagine you count yourself blessed, Jeannie, to have known Professor Greer.

That has brought back so many memories of the Professor Greer and that choir! How I WISHED that I could sing well enough to sing in that choir! However, I am sure Professor Greer will have a choir in heaven, and then I am sure that I will be able to qualify!

I guess, too, that you could count "We Have this Hope" as one of my favourites. I have always loved, not only the words, but the stirring music.

I chose that hymn to be sung at my husband's funeral service. A brass quartette had provided some music during the earlier part of the service, and when we came to the end, and the organ began to play the introduction to "We Have this Hope", the quartette took it upon themselves to stand up and play along with the organ, and truly one could not help but feel the majesty of the hymn, as the full chapel, the band, and the organ voiced together the only hope that we have -- the Hope of Christ's Return and the Resurrection.

Beryl