Written for organ, SATB choir, and flute.
This was my first attempt at writing an anthem, but the anthem has roots back to my college days in Mississippi. During that era, in Mississippi, Methodist churches typically had not only Sunday morning worship services, but also service on Sunday evenings.
Every Sunday evening at Capitol Street Methodist Church, the one I attended, the service was opened by a robed youth choir singing a brief anthem with the words “Christ Be with Me.” I heard the words so many times I could almost recall them by heart — and definitely remembered the melody.
For years, I had wanted to use those words in some work, but set them to a different tune.
When I began to look for the words on the web, I quickly discovered that they were purported to have been on the breastplate of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. Because of that, the words were easy to find.
In light of the above, I wrote music for part of the words (Christ Be with Me, etc.), but kept the old Scottish tune accompanying other words referring to the Trinity, while setting the latter to my own harmonization. Finally, I added a word or two of my own to tie the sections together.
Thankfully, two things coincided. At the time, Catalina United Methodist Church had a wonderful choir director and organist who were willing to try new music AND St. Patrick’s Day was nearing. That director had the music department use my number and later kindly agreed to allow Russell Ronnebaum, a professional musician, to place a recording of it on YouTube, linked below.
It is amazing what a little encouragement can do. Had that choir director not been so encouraging, I might never have written another anthem or hymn variation.
Watch this piece performed by organist Dennis Grannan, choir directed by Jonathan Kim, and flute by Cori Hoag:
