Search - Keith and Kristyn Getty :: Beneath the Cross of Jesus- Track

Keith & Kristyn Getty Charles Wesley. Fanny Crosby. John Newton. Their names evoke timeless melodies and lyrical truths synonymous with the Christian faith, and as writers of such prolific hymns as Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, Blessed Assurance and Amazing Grace, they are among the musical theologians who forever changed the Church. While there s no disputing the perennial relevancy of their great songs, a look at history s renowned hymn writers begs two important questions for today. Who is creating the next generation of hymns for the Church? And greater still, has the unique formula of the hymn been abandoned on the back pew of the praise & worship movement? Irish composers and artists Keith & Kristyn Getty don t believe so, and they re on a mission to revive the art of hymnody for a new generation. There are two reasons we write modern hymns, explains Keith. First, it s to help teach the faith. What we sing affects how we think, how we feel and ultimately how we live, so it s so important that we sing the whole scope of truth the Bible has given us. The second reason is to try and create a more timeless musical style that every generation can sing, a style that relates to the past and the future. In the Church, the purpose of singing is to express the community we have as the Body of Christ. Kristyn adds. To try and search for the melodic ideas and song structure that might bring more people in, that s what we re trying to investigate. Is there a way to bring everyone together musically? The Gettys needn t look further than their homeland for the answer. Throughout Europe, the their modern hymns have already taken hold, crossing musical genres and bridging generations beyond the Church s traditional sphere of influence. The hymn most identified with the couple, In Christ Alone, penned by Keith and acclaimed British songwriter Stuart Townend ( How Deep The Father s Love ), has been recorded more than 200 times including arrangements by such top artists as Natalie Grant and the Newsboys and is now one of the most popular Christian songs of all time in the United Kingdom. The simple folk melody and storytelling lyrical style of In Christ Alone has given rise to its universal appeal, Keith & Kristyn believe. My main conviction with melody is the same as that of Stravinsky, Bernstein, Gershwin, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles, which is looking at folk music melody in its simplest form, Keith says. The simplicity of the melody helps make it more accessible, and I believe melody is so fundamental to human culture and psyche. Of equal importance to the formula of the modern hymn is the story. I love storytelling in songs and I think people love stories, Keith shares. People will sing theology forever if the song takes them on a journey, and with In Christ Alone, I wanted to write a song that would tell the whole story of the life of Christ, almost like a modern creed. The song is also the fitting focal point and title-cut of Keith & Kristyn s stateside debut. Produced by Keith, along with John Andrew Schreiner (Fernando Ortega, City On A Hill), In Christ Alone features the Gettys renditions of 11 of their most well-known hymns. From The Power of the Cross, another epic anthem in the United Kingdom, to the meditative prayer of illumination, Speak, Oh Lord, and the concert favorite, Don t Let Me Lose My Wonder, the album is designed to offer an overview of the life of Christ via Keith & Kristyn's pen and presentation.