And Can It Be

Back in 2021, Jon Milton, orchestra director at The Shepherd's Church in Cary, NC, contacted me about doing an arrangement for his orchestra. Their church had commissioned several arrangements for orchestra with the desire to keep church orchestra music flourishing.

Jon suggested doing "And Can It Be". With my familiarity of the hymn, I was very happy to write this one. One of my mentors told me that this great hymn is the “Magna Carta” of our faith in Christ. The lyrics are so powerful with each verse concluding with the statement "Amazing love! How can it be, that thou my God, shouldst die for me?"

It begins with a symphonic brass fanfare and progresses through the first 2 verses and chorus powerfully. The momentum only lets up briefly into the third verse with woodwinds and strings before rebuilding to a final fortissimo statement of the chorus.

This is a hymn that should not be forgotten. The message is one that should encourage us every day of our lives.