The theory and inspiration behind Piano at Daybreak, my series of new age hymn arrangements
There is a lot of appeal in piano arrangements that dazzle the listener with lush harmonies, technical pyrotechnics and fun and unexpected rhythms. Having played at churches in and around New Jersey for over 10 years, I have gravitated to crowd-pleasing arrangements by Mark Hayes and other big names in Christian music publishing. Mark’s arrangement of All Creatures of Our God and King is one of my favorite, and his “miniatures” books are useful for when you are short on practice time.
For my own arrangements in the Piano at Daybreak series, I have decided to take a slightly different direction. I’m using the term “new age” which is a somewhat loaded term and can be applied to a broad swath of music. In my usage I am thinking of music by David Lanz, Yanni, George Winston, Liz Story, and others. The acoustic Windham Hill recordings of the 80s and 90s in general are an influence here. The term “new age” can also be applied to meditative or spa music, and while many of my arrangements are soothing and easy listening, they’re still designed to be played live for a congregation or any other audience. |
AuthorIan Good is a published composer and arranger. ArchivesCategories |