Stanton Lanier

Scripture inspired piano to refresh your spirit

Riding the Clouds

By 3 Comments

The new song Riding the Clouds is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and all other music platforms, or you can click below to listen. As you listen, scroll down and read the inspiration behind this dreamy, hope filled melody.

 

What would it feel like to float on a big, white, puffy cloud, soaking in the warm sunshine from above? This is what I wanted the music to sound like for Riding on the Clouds. The rhythmic piano pattern, and various melodies and harmonies on harp, cellos, horns, and flutes are seeking to express what it would feel like to ride on the clouds. Ambient piano sounds, a full string orchestra, and woodwinds provide rich harmonies and substance underneath. As the song fades to an end, a solo trumpet ushers us toward heaven.

This piece is one to just sit back and take in. The title and theme Scripture verses speak for themselves, and are filled with hope and wonder (see below). With this being released in December, I am reminded how each song and its inspiration are for “all the people” to encourage us in our life and faith journey. One of the most popular Christmas passages, Luke Chapter 2, says in verses 10 and 11, “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

How does “Riding the Clouds” inspire you? 

“Glory and strength to Christ, who loves us, who blood-washed our sins from our lives, Who made us a Kingdom, Priests for his Father, forever—and yes, he’s on his way! Riding the clouds, he’ll be seen by every eye…” — Revelation 1:6-7 (MSG)

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him…” — Revelation 1:6-7 (NIV)

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.” — Daniel 7:13 (NIV)

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)

Imagine Immeasurable

By 12 Comments

Today is worldwide release day for Imagine Immeasurable. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, all music platforms, or click below. As you listen, scroll down and read the inspiration behind this beautiful and welcoming orchestral track offering peace and hope to our lives and stories.

 

When I started composing the music I envisioned a bigger, powerful “immeasurable” theme to represent God and His infinite strength, and a smaller, delicate “imagine” theme to represent me and my dependence on Him. We are responsible for the imagining and He is responsible for the immeasurable. An introduction happened with soft organ, solo English horn, and gentle choir, followed by a beautiful solo oboe melody. My music ideas shifted to an “immeasurable” main theme expressing God’s beauty and majesty, and an “imagine” secondary theme conveying my well intended energy and effort.

This moved my heart to see that God’s immeasurable nature did not require a strong and powerful effort by Him. Instead, I began to consider how His creation of the stars, the universe, the earth, the oceans, the mountains, the flowers, the animals, and human beings, everything, happened with ease, majesty, and beauty. His immeasurable does not require striving or stress for anything. Rather, there is a sense of ease, confidence, assurance, beauty, grace, and love in everything He does. This perspective was a new revelation for me, as I reflected on the inspiration from Ephesians 3:20, which has become more and more special in my life and faith. It moves me to focus on God’s abundance instead of my scarcity, to imagine great possibilities as I delight in Him and seek His desires for me, and to know His power is working in and through me by the Holy Spirit.

The primary “immeasurable” theme which is first heard as an oboe solo is repeated throughout the song, with more instruments joining to increase its breadth and depth. The secondary “imagine” theme answers, bringing some energy with French horn and rhythmic strings to symbolize how we tend to bring our own strength and effort to a situation. The choir harmonies represent heaven in all its grandeur. The “imagine” theme becomes slower the second time it appears, and a majestic cathedral organ leads the melody to represent God’s immeasurable protecting and enveloping our strength, our life, and our story. As the song progresses the “imagine” becomes more like the “immeasurable” to symbolize our gradual growth in becoming more like Jesus by surrendering to God, trusting Him completely, and having more grace and love for all people. The immeasurable theme repeats to the end, slowly working its way from full orchestra to the solo oboe we heard in the beginning, with soft strings and choir harmony underneath, and a final chord by the full orchestra.

How does “Imagine Immeasurable” speak into your life and story today? 

EPHESIANS 3:20 (NIV, NKJV, and MSG versions)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Revealer of Mysteries

By Leave a Comment

Today is worldwide release day for Revealer of Mysteries. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, all music platforms, or click below. As you listen, scroll down and read the inspiration behind this cinematic, orchestral track filled with drama, power, and mystery, and offering hope and possibility to our lives and stories.

 

Wonder, Joy, Beauty, and Mystery are themes and inspiration for four songs I composed during summer 2021. If you haven’t heard the first three yet, you can read the story behind them as you listen to each melody, or you can stream them on your favorite music service — Breathing Wonder, Joy Singing Joy, and Gaze Upon the Beauty.

Revealer of Mysteries is a cinematic, orchestral track filled with drama, power, and mystery, and offering hope and possibility to our lives and stories. I composed it as though it were a film score for the life of Daniel. His story included him interpreting Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (chapter 2), three friends being thrown in the blazing furnace (chapter 3), and him being thrown in the lion’s den (chapter 6). I hope both the music and the inspiration behind Revealer of Mysteries will encourage you with a sense of hope and possibility in your life and story, whatever your circumstances may be.

Music Overview

The song opens with rhythmic strings, and a hint of the “power” theme. The first “mystery” theme section follows, which has a slower tempo and begins some dramatic tension. The power theme answers, but is much bigger this time, with horns, and more of the orchestra playing the melody. A bigger version of the mystery theme arrives next, adding a counter melody on strings, and some rhythmic choir harmony. The biggest combination of the power theme follows, with rhythmic strings, full symphony on melody, and timpani drum. Then there is a final, smaller mystery section highlighted by piano and bells. The gradual ending revisits the power theme with small instrumentation, piano and rhythmic choir, revealing a dramatic ending.

Inspiration Overview

God has been inspiring me for many years with His extraordinary power and mystery (see Isaiah 55:8-9 and Jeremiah 33:3). Throughout the Bible, and to this day, He uses ordinary men and women to do amazing and extraordinary things when they surrender to Him, want to hear His voice, and seek to obey Him. I have found God faithful in my life as I watch to see what He reveals to me, and then what He invites me to do. He is truly a Revealer of Mysteries.

“In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed” (Daniel 2:1-2). None of the king’s wise men could interpret his dream, and he was so angry he decided to have every one of them put to death. Daniel heard about this, and knew he and his friends would be executed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. That night God gave him a vision. “During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: ‘Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king'” (Daniel 2:19-23).

“The king asked Daniel, ‘Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?’ Daniel replied, ‘No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries'” (Daniel 2:26-28). After Daniel interprets the dream in every detail, King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor (Daniel 2:46). Then the song title verse appears in Daniel 2:47 — The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

I hope both this dramatic, powerful, and mysterious story from Daniel’s life, and the music, offer you hope and possibility in your life and story. May this new song Revealer of Mysteries play a small part in encouraging you with God’s peace and presence. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. He is with you. His hand is upon you. I have found Him trustworthy beyond belief, and so want you to know and experience His goodness and faithfulness in your life as well.

How does Revealer of Mysteries speak to you? Musically? Spiritually?

Gaze Upon the Beauty

By 16 Comments

Today is release day for Gaze Upon the Beauty. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, all music platforms, or click below. As you listen, scroll down and read the story behind this stilling melody offering peace and beauty.

 

This piece is expressing the simple (but not easy) idea to practice stillness before God, to gaze upon His beauty, and to listen for His voice. It brings to mind the Scripture passage “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), and the Bible story of Mary and Martha, when Jesus said Mary did a “beautiful thing” listening intently at His feet, while Martha was busy about many things (Luke 10:38-42).

After years of “striving to achieve” (how I describe my approach to life and career goals in my 20s), God began helping me pursue His idea of “abiding to receive.” His definition of success is different from the ways of the world. He invites me to meditate on His Word, practice what it says, listen for His voice, and seek to obey what He would have me to do. Then, God says, “you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). His ways and His thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

These are some of the threads woven into Gaze Upon the Beauty. The inspiration and the music invite me to be more still and less hurried, to have more calm and less busyness, and to know more peace in the midst of life’s storms. This is why the piano has such a simple repeating melody, and why the tempo is very slow. The cello notes begin “singing” the words “Gaze upon the beauty” very slowly over the piano. Then the piano and French horn take us into a long gaze, meditating on God’s beauty, and reminding us of His beauty we see in people and creation around us. Finally the horn sings the “Gaze upon the beauty” melody a few more times while the cello harmonizes. The piano climbs higher and higher to a simple, uplifting ending. The swelling orchestral strings underneath add to the profound treasure available to us in these simple truths.

What does “Gaze Upon the Beauty” mean to you?

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire (meditate) in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 (ESV)

Joy Singing Joy

By 6 Comments

Today is release day for Joy Singing Joy. This is my first composition for a full choir, and you can stream everywhere. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, all other outlets, or click below. As you listen, scroll down and read the inspiration behind this song.

 

Living from a deep sense of joy in my heart has been a long process for me. As you may have read or heard already, joy is a significant part of my redemptive story, since I spent many years taking life too seriously. My journey led to the release of four songs with “joy” in the title — Joyful on my second album Still Waters, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring on my sixth album December Peace, Vive La Joye on my seventh album A Thousand Years, and Joy to the World on my twelfth album December Peace II. At age thirty I surrendered my career to God, and my joy slowly began to increase as I studied Scripture and listened for God’s voice. At age thirty-five I wrote my first instrumental song, and at age forty I became a full-time pianist and composer.

The more I keep receiving God’s love, grace, and joy, the more I am able to give these to others. This song and its title were born from this idea of receiving, giving, and repeating this process in our lives. God’s “Joy Singing” brings me joy, and my “Joy Singing” brings Him joy. My life and other lives are blessed in the process. Some days God’s “Joy Singing” helps me find some joy to make it through. Some days my “Joy Singing” overflows into people’s lives, rooted in a deep sense of gratitude to God. Even though I am imperfect and inconsistent, God’s character is constant. His love, grace, and joy are always there for me, and for you. When the revelation for this song happened, I realized the word JOY could form a cross as a symbol of Jesus’s love for me, and the joy in receiving His forgiveness of my sin forever.

Joy Singing Joy was a new musical challenge because in my previous songs featuring choir, the voices support the piano or blend with the orchestra. This time a full choir would be the lead instrument, with sopranos and tenors singing the melody, and altos and basses adding harmony. Since the word “singing” was at the center of the title, I wanted the choir to be front and center, with a string orchestra underneath. I was also inspired to give some shining moments to instruments which require breath. A solo trumpet accents the main melody, and flutes and trombones add rhythmic harmony as the song builds. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150:6, NIV).

Wherever you are in your “journey with joy” in this life on earth, I pray Joy Singing Joy will inspire and encourage you to pursue God more deeply if you know Him, and to investigate Jesus more deeply if you are being drawn toward Him. These gifts of love, grace, and forgiveness offer an eternal joy and peace which transcend all understanding (see Philippians 4:6-8).

How does “Joy Singing Joy” speak to you?

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” – Psalm 100:1-2 (NIV)

“Worship the Lord with joy. Enter his presence with joyful singing.” – Psalm 100:2 (NET)

“I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart. I’m writing the book on your wonders. I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I’m singing your song, High God.” – Psalm 9:1-2 (MSG)

“They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.” – Psalm 126:5 (AMP)

“I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.” – Habakkuk 3:18 (MSG)

Breathing Wonder – New Song Story

By 8 Comments

The new song Breathing Wonder just released today, June 1st. You can stream everywhere including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and all other music services, or listen below. I would love to hear how this speaks to you. As you listen, scroll down to read some of the story behind this piece…

 

If you have known me or my music for a while, seen me live in concert, or read other blog posts, you know that child-like faith and joy are a vital part of my story. These characteristics were present in life’s early years, but from my late teens into my thirties they were deeper down beneath the surface. I had good intentions about growing in my faith, being a good husband and father, having a successful career, and loving and leading others well. However, I took everything too seriously. These goals became more of a burden, which decreased my sense of child-like wonder, awe, and joy. By God’s grace, and through pursuing Jesus more, my life is being transformed, and I have experienced deeper peace and joy in my heart, life, and music as a result.

Breathing Wonder is filled with child-like faith, wonder, and joy. This composition is my first ever marimba concerto, featuring marimba as the lead instrument, supported by chamber strings and choir. I found the themes on the piano, but wanted to elevate the joy and rhythm. The marimba is like a child skipping through life. The main theme is in 7/8 time, which adds to the adventure. The secondary theme is 4/4 time and breathes more, with choir notes inspired by “they’ll take your breath away.” Some beautiful, wild azaleas became the artwork after their “singing” captured my attention on a spring nature walk.

My hope is for you and everyone who listens to be reminded of moments of joy and wonder from your childhood, and perhaps even a recent memory when you felt a sense of amazement at God’s creation or faithfulness in your life. For me, life is an adventure to live instead of a problem to solve. Adventures with Jesus leading the way are quite breathtaking, and filled with wonder. May His joy and wonder be an invitation and blessing to you today!

All together now—applause for God! Sing songs to the tune of his glory, set glory to the rhythms of his praise. Take a good look at God’s wonders—they’ll take your breath away. He converted sea to dry land; travelers crossed the river on foot. Now isn’t that cause for a song? — Psalm 66:1-2, and 5-6 (MSG)

Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot—come, let us rejoice in him. — Psalm 66:1-2, and 5-6 (NIV)

How does “Breathing Wonder” inspire you?

Circle of Quiet (Solo Piano)

By 13 Comments

The new single Circle of Quiet (Solo Piano) just released April 13th and can be enjoyed across all music streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora. The PDF Sheet Music is also available.

This solo piano piece has a simple message. I definitely need a “circle of quiet” in the midst of a busy, hurried, and noisy world, and I am thinking that having a few quiet moments in your life would be a blessing to you as well. Here are a few thoughts I was having as I composed the notes.

The song has four sections with varying lengths, all of which were created to help bring the listener some moments of peace and quiet. Section 1 (0:00 to 0:54) is the opening minute with a gentle introduction and opening verse melody that helps to still our minds and invite us into a “circle of quiet.” Section 2 (0:55 to 1:47) reveals the chorus, which desires to sing a gentle song and rhythm over our lives, helping us to slow down. A higher transition melody answers the chorus to bring us back to the verse melody. Section 3 (1:48 to 2:46) plays the intro verse melodies again, but in a different way, with two lower left hand chords arpeggiating and alternating, then repeating and leading us to anticipate the return of the main theme. Section 4 (2:37 to 4:40) features this chorus, followed by the transition melody being played even higher. Then the chorus repeats once more, taking us, as C.S. Lewis would say, “further up and further in” toward heaven, our true home, the ultimate “circle of quiet” (and source of peace, hope, joy, wonder, etc.). The high transition melody guides us toward a soft ending, which references elements of the notes we have heard along the way. Each section is divided by long rests of 2-3 seconds to help us experience the blessing and refreshment of a “circle of quiet,” which is God’s gift to us when we put our trust and hope in Him.

Psalm 94:12-13 — “How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word, Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil…”

How does “Circle of Quiet (Solo Piano)” speak to you?

All Around and Deep Within

By 4 Comments

The new single All Around and Deep Within released March 23rd and has already been enjoyed in fifty countries, with some of the top listener cities being in Brazil, Australia, Taiwan, Finland, and Spain. You can stream from your favorite music service including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora.

The ethereal piano, harp, and symphony orchestra are rich with emotion, expressing the breadth and depth of God’s great love toward us (1 John 4:14-16). This is the overall idea, and down below are more insights into the meaning behind the music. 

There are two themes. At first I thought the opening Theme A was the verse, and Theme B was the chorus. However, during the creative process each section became a chorus of its own. Theme A is the “all around” and Theme B is the “deep within” of God’s love for us.

Theme A symbolizes the time period from eternity past all the way through the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. It begins all the way back in the dark void of the universe, before Creation. Musically God begins to paint His creative “brush strokes” across the universe. He ultimately breathes life into Adam and Eve, who live in the midst of His pure love and presence before they disobeyed and sinned against Him. The big, low bass strings are constant like the “all around” of God’s great love, which has existed all the way from eternity past. The melody on the harp and ethereal piano represent the simplicity and purity of God’s love, and the innocence of Adam and Eve receiving it. Theme A is expressing the “all around” breadth of God’s love surrounding Adam and Eve before the Fall, when their original sin separated them from God.

Theme B’s “deep within” takes us on a journey from the Fall to the end of the Old Testament. The melody is more complex to represent the complications Adam and Eve brought to their relationship with God and His simple love after they first sinned against Him. Their original sin was passed down to us as the Scripture says in Romans 3:23-24, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” There is beauty in Theme B, yet there is tension and complexity. God’s perfect holiness encounters our imperfect brokenness. This tension and complexity is a result of my sin and inconsistency in fully trusting God’s unchanging love, grace, and patience toward me. Ecclesiastes 7:29 says, “God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.”

There are three significant musical rests in the piece, with the first one happening after the opening Theme A and Theme B. This long pause symbolizes the four hundred years of God’s silence from the end of the Old Testament (book of Malachi) to the beginning of the New Testament (book of Matthew). Theme A returns with a bigger and more wonderful version of God’s pure love, adding instruments and melodies for the birth of Christ and His gift of salvation through the New Testament up until the book of Revelation. Theme B follows with its grander version, as we receive more of God’s saving and transforming grace during our lives. This carries us from the New Testament until today, with the “all around and deep within” of God’s love through the centuries.

The second rest represents the waiting time between Jesus ascending to heaven (Acts 1:9) and His second coming to take all who have believed and do believe with Him to heaven to be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). In the final, shorter section, Theme A and Theme B interweave and overlap musically to signify our sanctification and unity with God through what Jesus has done for us. The third and final shorter rest happens just before the ending chord of the piece. This symbolizes our waiting for the new heaven and new earth to be fulfilled, and the final chord signifies all who are saved being in fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for eternity.

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:14-16).

How does “All Around and Deep Within” speak to you?

The Outlaw Ocean Suite

By Leave a Comment

I hope you enjoy the promotional video clip below featuring An Unseen World. This is one of my orchestral compositions from The Outlaw Ocean Music Project with award-winning New York Times journalist, and best-selling author Ian Urbina.

The Outlaw Ocean Suite EP has eight tracks (four with journalism audio and music, and four music only). This 2021 release is now streaming on my Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora channels and more. Here is some of the story behind the music…

When God stirred my heart to begin composing instrumental music twenty-one years ago, I wanted to be surrendered, and to listen. This meant moving forward by faith, obeying His voice, asking Him for inspiration, and trusting Him with the results. 

Johann Sebastian Bach is my favorite composer. I played a lot of his timeless pieces (composed three hundred years ago) during my twelve years of piano lessons, and high school recitals. Bach’s quote about music may be my favorite too. He said, “All music should be unto the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” I didn’t know what the future held, but I began to see that writing instrumental music would be an adventure.

In February 2020 Ian Urbina emailed me to introduce himself and share he was a big fan of my music. He also invited me to be part of a project he had been working on. Ian’s invitation was for me to compose some pieces for The Outlaw Ocean Music Project, which combines music and journalism. This was very exciting for me, and I was inspired and challenged to use my learning from the Berklee School of Music film scoring program to write orchestral pieces for the project.

Composing what became The Outlaw Ocean Suite EP in August-September 2020 was a fantastic musical and spiritual experience for me. Because music is such a universal language, my heart is for listeners to have their own unique encounter with what I create. And hopefully to be inspired in their life. When I write music there is a sense that the melodies are coming down from heaven. Sometimes this happens quickly, and sometimes very slowly. The process is similar each time, but never the same. The only consistent ingredient is the feeling I have when the music is revealed. Here are some thoughts I had as these tracks came together…

An Unseen World. My commitment to Ian and his team was to write three to five pieces. With three completed, I could have stopped, but there was a nudge to attempt a fourth piece. This became An Unseen World, which is an epic theme song for the whole project. It is filled with drama, tension, rhythm, and haunting beauty. The full orchestra contributes to the musical journey, which expresses these attributes of life on earth. When life brings moments of drama, tension, beauty, and rhythm (finding my stride) into my story, God is faithful. He surrounds me with His love as I trust in Him, and helps me receive His gift of peace (Psalm 32:10, John 14:27, NIV).

Beauty Beneath. As I read Ian’s book I realized The Outlaw Ocean captures “an unseen world” most of us are not familiar with. I wanted to contrast the illegal and harmful things happening on the world’s oceans with music about the innocent beauty of all the sea life under the surface. For me the melodies reflect the beauty of God’s creation, and a more intimate beauty He offers through His grace and love toward us (Psalm 8, Romans 8, MSG).

Sailing Too Close to the Wind. This seafaring phrase means being on the verge of doing something illegal or improper. It applies to literally sailing too close to the wind (in its direction), but can also refer to taking an ill advised risk with a life decision. The music expresses adventure on the high seas, and the pursuit of ocean outlaws. I was not aware of all the injustice and illegal activity happening on The Outlaw Ocean every day, including lives being enslaved at sea, ships breaking international fishing laws, and worse. Spiritually this track represents my faith adventure with God, and the risk of trusting Him when something seems impossible (Luke 1:37, Philippians 4:6-9, MSG). As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Chronicles of Narnia, “Aslan is not a tame lion… He isn’t safe, but He is good.”

Lost on the Seven Seas. This piece is a sad and mournful tribute to lives being abused or killed at sea because of the injustices happening on The Outlaw Ocean. Pain and suffering are part of life, sometimes preventable and sometimes out of my control. These are difficult times when they happen to me personally, those I love, or even a stranger, when circumstances pierce my heart and prompt me to pray. I describe my life and music journey as a God-Story because I cannot imagine life without Him. I have seen Him come through for me, and I have experienced His silence when I longed to know His presence. He always lets me know He is there even when it doesn’t feel like it. The sadness of this composition implies God’s care for the brokenhearted. It also symbolizes hearts who are rejecting God consciously or unconsciously, even though He loves them and is reaching out to them (Psalm 34:18, John 3:16, NIV).

Which track is your favorite or speaks the most to you?

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata

By Leave a Comment

My performance of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata released worldwide on January 26, 2021. Sample and stream on Spotify above, or any music service including Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Pandora, or listen directly below.

 

I hope you enjoy my thoughts down below as I share a little about the history of this timeless classic, my experience with the music, and how these inspired my version…

This popular Ludwig van Beethoven composition for piano was composed in 1801 in Vienna, Austria. Moonlight Sonata became part of my life at age fourteen. Its full name is Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia). When the first movement, Adagio sostenuto, entered my story this classical piece became one of my favorites in high school as I learned and memorized it to play in some recitals and as part of a program to be judged and critiqued. J.S. Bach is my all-time favorite composer, but I also enjoyed playing famous pieces by Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, and more.

Over the years, every now and then, I would get out my original, classical piano book with tattered pages and play through Moonlight Sonata just for fun. The idea of recording my performance was in the back of my mind for a while, and came to the forefront in the early fall of 2020. In November I was ready to take this project on, and now the world gets to hear the result.

I had forgotten Beethoven composed this in Vienna. My family and I took our first overseas trip together in December 2014. Our favorite movie is The Sound of Music, so we wanted to visit Salzburg and tour several of the filming locations. We landed in Vienna on Christmas Eve, and attended a standing room only Christmas Eve service at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in the heart of the city. Even though the speaking was in German, we could feel the miracle and hope of Christ’s birth in the air. The symphony, choir, and organ music was breathtaking to hear as we soaked in the moment. The favorite photo I captured inside the cathedral became the above artwork for this new single.

At the opening of Moonlight Sonata’s first movement, Beethoven included the following direction in Italian: “Si deve suonare tutto questo pezzo delicatissimamente e senza sordino” (“This whole piece ought to be played with the utmost delicacy and without dampers”). The way this is accomplished (both on today’s pianos and on those of Beethoven’s day) is to depress the sustain pedal throughout the movement, or at least to make use of the pedal throughout, but re-applying it as the harmony changes. The modern piano has a much longer sustain time than the instruments of Beethoven’s time, so that a steady application of the sustain pedal creates a dissonant sound, and can overdo what he intended. Also, later in the 19th century the grand piano sounded even better than in 1801.

My unforgettable Christmas Eve inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Beethoven’s directions for the performance of this piece converged into the idea to play and record the piece as though I was all alone at concert grand piano in the center of this historic cathedral (construction began in the 12th century, with towers and spires added over the centuries). In my studio I was able to combine a 1951 Steinway D concert grand piano with gentle hints of an old upright piano to recreate an “older” grand piano sound. I wanted the piece to sound like what Beethoven might have heard as he composed this in 1801 in Vienna (he did not fully lose his hearing until later). He would have frequently seen the cathedral in all its grandeur, and I imagined him playing inside. His directions inspired me to be generous in using the sustain pedal, and to use a cathedral sized reverb, which would further provide and enhance the “blur” effect which he intended for the piece.

Emotionally, the music is very sad, yet it is also hauntingly beautiful at the same time. Beethoven’s genius in creating this fantasy world in the key of C-sharp minor has and never will be duplicated. It is magnificent, and for me symbolizes God’s beauty and hope in my life even when I am sad, or going through a difficult time. I pray you are touched and moved in a meaningful way as you listen to my version of Moonlight Sonata.