A lovely evening -
and a thousand tongues thrilled
THE Aldersgate Hymn Festival,
a jubilee of Wesleyan poetry and song, thrilled a thousand tongues
and ears at Victoria Concert Hall on May 20, 2007.
The worshippers gathered and joined the choiring angels above
to enjoy an evening of familiar hymn staples and newly-commissioned
Asian anthems, all with a single theme; for all texts sung and
proclaimed throughout the evening were composed by Charles Wesley,
whose tercentenary the festival celebrated.
The Hymn Festival, organised by the Methodist School of Music
(MSM), started out with the MSM Ringers leading a procession down
the aisle, the handbells chiming the start of the event.
Various choirs then took their turns on stage, expressing fervent
piety in tunes ancient, modern, and Asian. These included a range
of Methodist and Ecumenical choirs: the MSM and Methodist Girls'
School choirs, a combined children's choir, the Celebration Chorus,
as well as choirs from the various churches from Trinity Annual
Conference, the Chinese Annual Conference and Emmanuel Tamil Annual
Conference.
The commissioned works* drew on the rich musical ethnic heritage
of the many countries and peoples on which the Wesleyan faith
has had an influence. They were joyful rhythms from the Philippines
and Indonesia, as well as melodies from Taiwan, all this in addition
to our very own delightful local harmonies.
Our faith is a universal faith, our tradition a cosmopolitan tradition,
and our music an international heritage, and nowhere was that
more obvious than in the diversity of music that was present there
that evening.
Surely this was but a foretaste of what is to come, where every
tribe, every tongue and every people will spend an eternity worshipping
and adoring our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord in their diverse
and ethnic traditions.
As each one of us left the hall that evening, inspired and uplifted,
we felt that somehow, our hearts were "strangely warmed".
Victor Li is an organ student at the Methodist School of Music.
He worships and serves at Barker Road Methodist Church and Telok
Ayer Chinese Methodist Church (TA 2).
*The MSM Choral Series, comprising works by composers Lu Cheng
Tiong, Lim Swee Hong, So Heng, Chan Hung Da, Joy Nilo, Mary Tan,
Jusuf Kam, is available for sale ($20 a copy) at the Methodist
School of Music. Please call Chet Wei at 6767-5258 to order.
Aldersgate Hymn Festival 2007: Let the music begin!
The MSM Ringers leading a procession down the aisle, handbells
chiming the start of the Hymn Festival.
The Combined Children's Choir under the direction of Ms Mary
Gan, Principal of the Methodist School
of Music.
Violinist Rachel Chua accompanying the Methodist Girls' School
Choir, which was under the direction
of Mr Albert Tay.