This is a sort of secret, unofficial part of “Thy King Cometh”, but it’s not really in the oratorio. The oratorio was originally written to be interspersed in various church services, on of which was a Maundy Thursday. The church decided to combine it that year with 1st communion, so I needed something for the kids. I decided to take the text and try to write an honest-to-god Disney ballad.

The fun of this was that all I wrote down was a lead sheet with chords. The music was literally one line long. I gave it to my swell friends Kimberly Gunderson (née Marolf) and Carlton Ford on the car ride up to the church. Right before the service we picked keys and I told them to just let me modulate and they’d know where to start; and, most importantly, to ham it up as much as possible. The improvised results can be heard above.

Song for 2 altos, viola obligato, guitar and bass

Ever since I first heard the Seldom Scene’s recording of “Were you there?” I have always associated Easter (and church music in general) with Bluegrass Music.  Perhaps that’s what begat my traditional Easter meal of fried chicken and bourbon.  This piece is a sort of Country-Classified Bluegrass Ballad for two altos.

Here’s the recording session: