The husband and wife duo KEITH & KRISTYN GETTY, now based in Nashville, talk us through the songs on their critically acclaimed album
Cross Rhythms was not alone in naming Keith & Kristyn Getty's 'Hymns For The Christian Life' one of the outstanding albums of 2012. The concept of bringing a bluegrass element to the musically haunting and theologically rich songs of the Gettys was magnificently executed by top producers Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, Switchfoot) and Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band) while the hand-picked special guests including country star Ricky Skaggs and Clannad's Moya Brennan added further dynamics to a rich fusion of musical elements. Here Keith runs through the songs on the groundbreaking greengrass album.
"Christ Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed"
This song
began over conversations about faith and doubt and in particular the
current discussions around belief in God and atheism. Talking with
Kristyn's uncle, Professor John Lennox, we considered the story of
Thomas where doubt turns into faith. It inspired a song to relive that
story inside the context of one of the oldest and most universal
greetings in Christendom - "Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!" We
co-wrote the song with our new friend, Ed Cash, and premiered it at
our own church on an Easter Sunday. We often use it to begin both
concerts and services as we meet together to celebrate the historical
fact that our Lord is risen. On this we build our faith for life.
"Oh, How Good It Is"
Inspired by Psalm 133 (and
Skype chats with my sister, Elaine!) this is a celebration of
Christian community. Day to day our faith is not just expressed
individually but must be lived out in the community of all those who
trust in Christ. This is of course both wonderful and very difficult
at the same time! Over the past two years we have in fresh ways known
the benefits and challenges of community in our new home in Nashville.
"A Mother's Prayer"
Featuring Moya Brennan
This melody was written with our good friend, Fionan de Barra.
Kristyn used it to write a prayer for our daughter, Eliza. With the
arrival of a child everything in life is turned upside down, and we
understand helplessness in a way we never could have before! This song
is a prayer for any parent or guardian as they watch their child grow
and learn faith for themselves. The first person to record one of
Kristyn's songs was the great Irish singer, Moya Brennan. We are so
honoured to have her sing on this track, and in it she includes an old
lullaby in the Gaelic language.
"Simple Living (A Rich Young Man)"
Featuring
Ricky Skaggs
"Simple Living" is specifically on the theme of
money but has a wider application to all our resources, all the things
of which the Lord has made us a steward. It was Stuart Townend's
suggestion that we simply tell the story of the rich young man.
Because of the distinctly bluegrass feel of this arrangement, we took
the opportunity to ask the legend, Ricky Skaggs, to join us on this
piece. Since we moved to Nashville two years ago he has been a voice
of constant encouragement to us, and it was an honour to have him sing
and play on this song.
"Before You I Kneel (A Worker's Prayer)"
This is
a hymn for the working day, a prayer for each task we are given. The
spark for the song came from our good friend, Jeff Barneson, who
introduced us to a special service called The Holy Ordination To Daily
Work that Intervarsity conducts annually at Harvard University. As
Keith and one of our new Nashville friends, Jeff Taylor, put the
melody together, they reflected on JS Bach who finished his working
day of writing for the Church by inscribing SDG (Soli Deo Gloria) at
the bottom of the manuscript page. It became the hook that we built
both the song and this particular arrangement on where we hear Bach's
timeless melody, "Wachet Auf", played on folk instruments.
"The Village Reel"
The Village Reel is one of
the many instrumental pieces we've written over the last couple of
years. It captures some of the energy and musical fusion of Irish and
bluegrass musicians writing and playing together; bringing a sort of
"greengrass" result! We titled it after the area we live in, Hillsboro
Village in Nashville.
"The Perfect Wisdom Of Our God"
This is a prayer
for us to understand God's wisdom at work in all of creation, at the
cross and through every moment of life. There are often no simple
one-line answers to the different struggles and sadnesses we face in
this life but there is real confidence and comfort found as we think
on his perfect wisdom and eternal purposes.
"Kyrie Eleison"
This hymn is about developing
awareness of the spiritual and physical needs of those around us, near
and far, particularly those who still have not heard of Christ. It was
written for the closing communion of the historic Lausanne Congress in
Capetown. We were very disappointed to miss the conference (Kristyn
was pregnant with Eliza at the time!), but it made the privilege of
being able to write for it all the more significant. As the conference
was in Capetown, we took a melody inspired by South African gospel
music we had heard on a previous visit there and built the song around
that. We hope its use will also be a great opportunity for
congregations to sing in harmony.
"Gethsemane"
"Gethsemane" was written as a
prequel to our hymn "The Power Of The Cross". It considers the anguish
of Christ in the Garden as he wrestles with the grief that marks the
road ahead of him and the costly reach of grace that comes as every
sin is covered, every single one. Our darkest moments find a resting
place here in the darkest of all moments as the God who becomes fully
human fully saves us.
"In Christ Alone"
Featuring Alison Krauss
As we consider the journey of life which takes us to an end, and
then a new beginning, we wanted to rerecord "In Christ Alone" (which
recently celebrated its 10th anniversary) to capture that sentiment of
whole-heartedly and single-mindedly trusting Christ from moment to
moment. Not long ago, our friend, Ron Block, introduced us to Alison
Krauss who sang this song at a friend's funeral. Her voice has
inspired us for years and we are so thrilled and grateful to have her
on this recording in duet with Kristyn.
"Nothing But The Blood"
We always finish our
concerts with an old hymn arranged in a newer way, and after years of
requests we have finally recorded one especially for this project! In
keeping with the blend of sounds throughout the album, it features two
American folk songs, "Angeline, The Baker" and "Bonaparte's Retreat",
and finishes with the Irish melody, "Toss The Feathers".
"Holy Spirit" with "Gabriel's Oboe"
"Holy
Spirit" is the first song I wrote with Stuart after our move to
America. We perform it near the end of our concerts with Deborah
Klemme's beautiful performance of the melody "Gabriel's Oboe", from
the film The Mission. We have also often used it as the underscore for
reading the prayer of St Patrick. The song is a prayer that the Holy
Spirit will change us within, that the fruits of the Spirit would be
seen outwardly, and that his Church would go out from a service of
worship to humbly represent the face of Christ in the world each day.
"Oh, Shout For Joy (The New Hundredth)"
This is
a new setting of Psalm 100 - a call to worship with all of our lives.
"My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness"
Thankfulness can be a remedy for so many things - cynicism, anxiety,
impatience, pride - all things which can weigh us down day to day.
This song gives thanks for spiritual blessings in Christ - past,
present and the days to come.
"Echoes Of Heaven (Wedding Song)"
Built on the
music of the Irish folk melody "She Moves Through The Fair", Kristyn
penned a new lyric for the wedding of a friend that also resonates
with all who are the bride of Christ.
Is it possible to have a short account of Kristyne and Keith's testimony of how they came to the Lord.