Written for piano.
This piano medley is a combination of the Converse tune for the hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and the Sweet Hour tune for the hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”
I wrote this in memory of my imperfect, racist, yet loving grandfather. As soon as I was sufficiently proficient at playing hymns, every time I would visit him he would say to me, “Ivan, Jr., play my hymn.” I didn’t have to ask which one he meant. I knew. It was “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” And, every time I would play it, I would see tears began to form in his eyes.
After I went off to college, my brother said that he was the one my grandfather tapped to play his favorite hymn.
Listen to a soulless, computer generated, MIDI recording of this piece:
