New Version of Electronic Hymnal is Published
by Monte Sahlin
By AT News Team, June 5, 2014
Many Adventist churches do not have a pianist or organist every Sabbath. And there are small groups that simply do not have access to a piano, furthermore an organ, or someone to play it. There is an electronic tool that is widely used to meet this need and a new version is now available, with a special price for those who already own it.
Hymns Alive includes the entire contents of the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal on 24 compact discs. This is the music alone and does not include voice. It is designed to be used as an accompaniment to an individual or group singing from the hymnal. It can be used with a simple CD player or drive an electric organ or piano as well as similar electronic instruments and music creation devices.
New Hymns Alive has been entirely re-mastered and is now in better quality than ever, compatible with the latest electronic systems, producer Bob Maehre has told Adventist Today. It includes "short introductions, shorter chord at end of each stanza and more enhancements." There is a special price for those who purchased Hymns Alive and want to upgrade to the new product.
The regular price is $295 plus $16 shipping in the United States. The discounted price for those who already own the original product is $95 plus $5 shipping. It can be ordered from PAVE Records online at www.35hymns.com or by phone at (800) 354-9667.
Bob Maehre and I were college schoolmates. He started this project way back then. I am glad to see that it is still going 8-).
I recognize the need for such a hymnal, but what disturbs me is the reason why it is needed. Where have all our musicians gone and why?
It is needde now for the same reasons it was need when my friend from college days Bob Maehre started this project.
1) Gentrification. There are places where demographics have been unkind to Adventist congreagations. The migration of people and jobs westward and southward has taken away generations of younger people from some churches and some towns. You might be surprised how many churches listen to their sermon from a boombox. There are churches with a piano and/or organ but nobody left to play them. And being able to accompany their hymns from a boombox is a blessing.
2) Church plants and home churches. Especially among some immigrant populations and isolated believers in remote areas, there may not be enough resources (people or money) for musicians and instruments. Again the good old boombox comes into play.
3) Third world countries and congragations. Similar to (2).