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Voicing/Instrumentation: SATB, Organ/Organ Accompaniment

We also have other 11 arrangements of "Israel, Israel, God Is Calling".
We also have other 13 arrangements of "Redeemer of Israel".

See more from Loren Erickson.


Related song categories are:
Activation/Reactivation
Atonement/Mercy/Grace/Redemption
Christ
Closing
Comfort/Strength/Courage/Assurance
Courage
Diligence/Commitment/Endure to End
Duty
Encouragement
Enthusiasm
Faith
Gathering of Israel
Happiness/Rejoicing/Cheerfulness/Joy
Heaven/Celestial Kingdom
Hope
Israel
Love
Missionary Work
Motivation
Obedience/Commandments
Plan of Salvation/Premortal Life
Praise
Preparedness
Savior/Jesus Christ
Second Coming/Millenium
Worship
Zion

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More about Loren Erickson:
My first introduction to music was playing the trumpet in an elementary school band. How many of those do you see anymore? In Junior High I took up singing and performed in various choirs and musicals through high school and college. When I was called as ward music chairman and took on the additional responsibilities of ward choir director, I wanted to see of I could arrange music for the choir. Many of those early attempts were...well...awful. But I had a very forgiving Bishop and patient accompanists and choir and I continued to learn. I am now stake music chairman and have inflicted slightly less atrocious arrangements on otherwise unsuspecting congregations. I also currently sing with Millennial Choirs and Orchestras, a multi-denominational choral movement spanning five western states in the USA. My experience in MCO has had a profound influence on how I look at music, what it means, and why it is important to understand meaning behind notes and lyrics when performing it. I hope that what I leave here is not as awful as I have suggested that it might be with this introduction, but either way, know that there is a little piece of my soul in everything you will find from me here. Please provide feedback on my work. That is the only way I will learn.
Song background:

UPDATED: I removed the overlapping harmony parts and made the organ accompaniment consistent within each verse.  This is now an SATB arrangement, instead of SSAATTBB.  I think it sounds a lot less muddy now.  

This is a medley of Israel, Israel, God is Calling, and Redeemer of Israel.  The combined messages of these hymns recentlycaught my attention.  As with many hymns the combination of these two depicts a progression through life that includes the initial invitation to the Gospel, the first blush of testimony, falling into sin and being admonished to repent, and eventually recjoicing within the walls of Zion.  The third verse is very...minor.  So have a good listen before introducing this to your ward or stake choir.  Third verse notwithstanding, the choral parts follow mostly what is in the hymnbook for with the addition of double parts in key places.  

Full disclaimer: in order to get the narrative that I wanted I had to take several liberties with the lyrics.  

I feel like I need to say something about verse 3.  I suspect that many who find this arrangement will be turned off by the dark mood evoked by this verse ("canst thou linger...in gloomy ways").  Certainly this will be a deal breaker for many who would otherwise like to use it in a formal LDS meeting (sacrament meeting or stake conference).  Of myself I can only say that I prefer music that tells a realistic, even visceral, story.  The reality is that many who have been invited to "come to zion" and accept that invitation (the first two verses) will be tempted, stumble, and possibly fall away, distancing themselves from Zion.  This is the world we live in, and all have "fallen short" of the glory of God.  The great joy of this piece, for me, begins in the short interlude between the third and fourth verses, which depicts the difficult personal struggle as the sinner strains to climb a rocky slope back to Zion.  This is the only interlude where the choir does not sing, because it is an intensely personal, intimate journey, back to Zion.  Eventually a point is reached where we once again have faith that Jesus Christ can and will fogive us, and "bring peace to [our] desolate heart." All of us to one degree or another have experienced this journey.  I chose to make it a prominent part of this narrative because of the promise of the "joy in the soul that repenth", who returns to Zion to help her "walls ring with praise!"  I'd ask you to consider whether this arrangement would be as effective if it sugar-coated that part of our journey.  Personally, I don't think so.

Submitted to the FLDSSM 2018 sheet music competition.  

Please enjoy "Come to Zion" wherever you may be on your journey.  As always, if you find this music and have an opinion, whether or not you choose to use it, please drop me a note with your feedback. 

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