Concert Band - Level 3 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.933695
Composed by Frederick M. Lehman. Arranged by Leandro Bizama. Christian,Christmas,Easter,Jewish,Sacred. Score and parts. 44 pages. Leandro Bizama Music #2907105. Published by Leandro Bizama Music (A0.933695).
The Love of God, for Concert Band, Grade Level 2.5, dur. 4 mins.
The lyrical nature of the tune combined with the powerful poem about God's love make this one of the greatest hymns ever. This arrangement maintains the power of the tune and represents the beauty of the poetry musically. Each verse has its own special setting corresponding to the words of the hymn. Starting in a mysterious, martial and subdued style, The Love of God develops into a strong but respectful to the hymn type of finale, complete with musical representations of the waves of the sea. It is accessible to High School groups but also appropriate for Community or College ensembles. Because of its history (see below) it can appeal to a wide range of faiths and inspire unity and peace. Audiences and performers alike are sure to find it inspiring and uplifting.
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A little about the history of the hymn:
Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.
These timeless words inspired Lehman to write The Love of God after they were found edged on the wall of an asylum patient's room. They are an adaptation and translation of a poem originally written in Aramaic by the Jewish Rabbi of Worms, Germany around the year 1050. This poem in turn is similar to a passage in the Qur'an. What an incredible journey for these great words: an ancient poem that has its roots in the Qur'an, later adapted by a Rabbi, written on the wall of an insane asylum by a patient, and finally taken up by a Christian to be the basis of a beautiful song. Surely God's love and music are the only two things powerful enough in our World to bring unity and respect in the face of pride and violence.
For more about the arranger, visit
www.leandrobizama.com
Sources:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/the_love_of_god_is_greater_far
http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/The_Love_of_God/
http://www.tanbible.com/tol_sng/sng_theloveofgod.htm
