We Surrender Ourselves to You

 

 

Gestures and music are known to have existed before any language came into being. Sounds of thrill, excitement, longing, fear, and desire filled the sky and the earth before anything was written about them. Mankind had spoken a common language, but, acccording to the Book of Genesis, God confounded the humanity with different languages to punish people for their pride and greed. Listening to We Surrender Ourselves to You in ten different languages, however, takes me to the time of a single language before the Tower of Babel. It was a time when spoken words touched and comforted people’s hearts without worries of miscommunication.

 

The original song in Korean was translated into nine languages: Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, English, and Latin. It was then recorded in all ten languages. Vocalists from different countries sing the song about a complete surrender of themselves. At first, the listener might hear the difference in the languages and unfamiliar vocalization, but the differences will soon become insignificant.

 

Music is an art of time. There are rules and forms to comply with; notes that represent different lengths of sound are written in meters that represent partitioned time. In fact, the real challenge of recording the song was that each of the ten versions of the song with different lengths had to fit into the same eight-minute frame while still rendering a sense of completeness. Ten songs were compiled, having overcome the constraints of time and language. I am sure I would not be the only one experiencing thrilling shivers down the spine when listening to it. 

 

We Surrender Ourselves to You is divided into two parts. The first part is about who He is and what He has done for us while the second part focuses on man’s prayer of completely surrendering himself and asking for guidance. These two parts are repeated, each with variations of the melody. The music starts gentle and tranquil, builds up to its climax, and subsides into serenity. However, the song never loses its lyricism for the emotion is intentionally built up gradually. Contemporary Christian music (CCM) often borrows its style from modern popular music to reach more audience. Yet, the song’s slow classical melody, simple lyrics, and voice of prayer do not invite any superficial or romantic appreciation.

 

The whole song has a fluid forward momentum of emotion that develops gradually. Eight minutes did not seem long or short as I enjoyed the calm, sometimes whispering, sometimes resolute-sounding praise and confession to God. The power of this song is that there is not even a single flaw to it.

 

We Surrender Ourselves to You has its own unique style. The music is filled with classic melodies that uphold the grace of a traditional hymn, but it still appeals to everyone. Without the lyrics, it even sounds like another poetic soundtrack of a movie or a serenade. I suppose the composer hoped that his work would reach people beyond the walls of the church as a consoling and purifying power. The song is, most of all, a ‘love letter’ to god.  Nothing can express the absolute trust in god and love for Him than a complete abandoning and surrendering of the self. Father Lee Haewook wrote the lyrics during silent prayers, meditating the lives of Abraham who sacrificed his long-awaited son, Mary who had to watch her son suffer to save the human race, and Jesus who gave all of him to God. 

 

As it is widely known, classical music was born out of Christian music. Gregorian chant, which is vocal music without any instruments, was developed when conveying the message of a song was deemed most important. Mulit-voice elaboration of the chant developed into polyphony, or oraganum. Then, melody and harmony were gradually perceived more important. We Surrender Ourselves to You might sound unfamiliar yet pleasantly so because it is composed on the elements of the classical tradition. It not only tries to accurately convey the message but also has a musical structure that flows naturally with accents of each language.

 

The composer recreates the voice of God through the clarinet, His heart with the piano, and angels with the flute. Pure melody of the piano flows like a river and serves as the foundation on which the entire music is based on. The atmosphere created by the melody is what ensures the superb quality of the piece. The clarinet seems to translate God’s words for us. As the woodwind instrument with the largest pitch range, its sound ranges from deep and mellow to bright and sweet throughout the song. The most characterful part is the duet between the piano and the clarinet, which depicts God’s consolation and peace. The flute takes the role of the angels, the messenger and the bridge between God and the people. The piano is the background to the clarinet that plays the thematic melody, and the flute echoes over the tune like the beating of the angels’ wings. The string ensemble with poise adds quality to the song.

 

We Surrender Ourselves to You isolates itself from the traditional hymn as well as the CCM. It is a pioneering song that opens a possibility for a new genre of modern gospel. It sings of God’s love and our surrender, yet it does not unnaturally force the listener to feel certain emotions. The plain voices in the song symbolize nothing more than earnest prayer.

 

Giving oneself to God is the most powerful form of faith, and it will be the surest path toward peace of mind for all of us. Anxiety and loneliness have come to define our time. The song represents the humanity’s humbleness and the confession that we shall not be sound without the consolation and care of God.

 

Kim Hea-Young Teresa , the president of a French-based music association, Association Cecile, initiated the project and led it for more than two years. The song was written by Father Lee Haewook and composed by Professor Kym Hyogun. Many other artists from different countries participated in the project. All proceeds will go to charity.  

 

July, 2014

A song review by Jung Namhui