This was sung at my baptism in 1972 at Duke Street Baptist Church, in Richmond, Surrey in the UK. It was the first time I had heard the hymn. It was played on a small Willis pipe organ, sadly no more after it blew itself apart. Love your arrangement and registration!
Listening to this makes me feel so sad because we don’t sing great hymns like this anymore! We have yucky “Praise songs” that only the “praise team” can sing! ( And I HATE it!!!)
Church music is a battlefield and has been for the better part of a generation. Still, we need to keep the traditions alive. Hopefully, listening to this and other hymns can bring you more hope than sadness.
@@kupferdulzian16I haven’t attended church in a long time, but I have to believe that these hymns are still alive and well in most Christian churches. I was raised an Episcopalian, and hymns like this were staples in our church services.
Nice arrangement for one of my favourite hymns! Your playing is so effortless. I enjoy the way you touch the keys so much. A lot of organists seem to have a staccato type of touch when they play hymns, but you nice and smooth!
Yet again Mr Williams, your talent and ability to play such a substantial organ with so many lush registrations has over come me, you sir are the best organist I've ever heared, I'm from the UK and I struggle with a small chapel organ. If I was ever lucky enough to have a lamp with a magic genie in it, my only wish id ask for would to be granted with your talent and combined with that power of bass at my feet. You really are true musician of distinction on that beautiful organ. Take care and please keep on posting videos 😁
That is quite the honor! I know quite a few, unfortunately, who were deemed non-commissionable because of a physical disqualification - though the academics and military training were excellent. One of our challenges, also, is to let the cadets know what the chapel has to offer - since attendance is no longer compulsory. Many cadets can go through their four years there without even knowing what the five chapels at West Point have to offer.
@@kupferdulzian16 Failure of leadership to not include the chapel programs in orientation. I am a retired 0-6 Army Chaplain and always felt strongly about at least informing Soldiers about chapel programs knowing that it is completely voluntary on their part.
Craig Williams, I love your technique and style and smooth transition note to note, (never choppy)! I would like to know if you ever share your Hymn music that includes your modulations/improvisations? If so, there are a couple that I would really like to obtain for my church services.
I have not gotten to that point yet. My congregations always enjoyed singing with them, but sharing on RU-vid has been a fairly recent activity. Maybe eventually I should face the daunting prospect of trying to publish.
You rock Craig I always love seeing what you're doing and I'm sorry it took me so long to subscribe on RU-vid. Been interacting with you on FB though (John Tuttle) might ring a bell. I just want to thank you personally for sharing your talents I'm a huge fan.❤️It’s kind of hard not to be when you have such a magnificent instrument and sound palette to choose from and I love the festival trumpets 🎺. Take care and thanks again for what you do.
You are very kind, Diego. Thank you for subscribing! The West Point Cadet Chapel Organ is a legacy - a work in progress and a labor of love - and I have enjoyed bringing to people's attention that the organ is still mostly operational and a focal point for quality worship and music.
That last verse "treatment"....to die for! BTW just out of curiosity, is the Chapel air-conditioned or more importantly, are there HVAC vents in the chambers?
@@kupferdulzian16 I figured as much but was hoping for a surprise as I was to learn that not only St. Thomas 5th Avenue has A/C, but so does Heavenly Rest on 5th Avenue albeit they weren't running it the Saturday I last played the V/138 Austin in 2012 as it was hot in there which of course growing up in NYC that was expected unless you went to Riverside Church which is and has been air-conditioned for years. I was hoping that you and the organ would have some relief during the summer lol. I enjoy your videos!
Thank you for listening. I am in the process of releasing a few videos I shot at Methuen Memorial Music Hall a couple of weeks ago. Strangely enough, my phone camera didn't capture the light very well, and the effect is quite dark. But, as I mentioned to a couple other people, the dark hides the sweatiness of my shirt (!) - it was hot in there!!
Do you play by ear? This sounds so beautiful. I love this hymn too. My mom and I played by ear and I’m unable to read music but she could. I certainly wish I could play better. Sadly I won’t be hearing my piano the same way again, as my mom passed suddenly a few weeks ago. My mom played the organ too but hadn’t in years. She said it was a challenge because the sound always came a second later after hitting the keys. Not an easy thing when you rely on the ears.
I am very sorry about your mother. My mother passed away this past fall, and she was the primary reason I began posting multiple videos on my RU-vid channel - especially when we were separated during the Covid pandemic! I don't play by ear, but hymn arrangements like these are mostly done in my head, and then I write them down later if I am so inclined. The delay in playing the organ is a special challenge. The player has to begin working the movement of the hands (and feet) into the listening, so that one cultivates the skill of "listening behind." Orchestra players who play in challenging halls (and read music) have the conductor to follow, but the organist has to be his or her own conductor. Keep working at it! We need organists who have a heart for music, of all skill levels.
The West Point organ blends some bright German choruses with harmonically developed reeds in the French and English traditions. The overall effect is something I can only describe as "church" - definitely an instrument which first and foremost facilitates the leadership of worship at the Cadet Chapel.
