Sunrise March

Lyrics and Music by Matthew Karram

Premiered by the Eaton Rapids Community Choir
December 8, 2013
Parks Payton, Conductor
Jon Carrothers, Piano
Annie Weiss, Soprano soloist

Lyrics:

As black as coal
Endless night lay heavy
A biting wind howl'd in our ears
Our path was strewn with stones

All alone
We stumbled in the shadows
Our enemies surrounded us
The desert seemed so cold

We yearned for rest
We searched for hope
We prayed for guidance through the darkness
Cried out from the wilderness 
For light to show the way

O come, Emmanuel!
Come to lead our journey
From dark despair to heaven's light 
O come, Emmanuel!
As heaven's kingdom starts
Ignite a fire in our hearts
This Christmas Day...

My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord!
In God my spirit rejoices.
For He sent His only son
To take our sins away

A lowly child
Born in a humble stable
Jesus, deliver us to life
Forgive our sins and ease our strife

In you we rest
In you we hope
You come to guide us through the darkness
Lead us from the wilderness
Give light to show the way

O come, Emmanuel!
Come to lead our journey
From dark despair to heaven's light 
O come, Emmanuel!
Be born in us, we pray
In all we do and what we say
This Christmas Day...


Christmas Light

Forgotten Sun was written for a story that was intended to be animated in 2012. The plot follows a young woman that tries to restore light to a world in which the sun has disappeared. In this world, people have been forced to live underground. The five movements explore this world in a cinematic style.

0:00 Movement 1 - The Dark World
2:31 Movement 2 - Cave City
5:35 Movement 3 - Shadowmarch
8:50 Movement 4 - Memories of Light
12:01 Movement 5 - Finale

Forgotten Sun

Drifting Sands is a three part overture based loosely on an Egyptian folk melody.

Drifting Sands Overture

This recording: Port St. Lucie Community Band, Feb. 17, 2016

Published through Warming Sun Music: http://www.warmingsunmusic.com/Novena 

Novena was written in remembrance of the Emanuel Nine. On Wednesday, June 17, 2015, nine members of the Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina were killed when a gunman opened fire on them during a prayer service.

Even in the face of unreasonable hatred and death, the members of this congregation welcomed the gunman with open arms. As the man who came to kill them approached, they invited him to join them in the knowledge that true faith can bring people together. They greeted hate with love and kindness. 

In the light of such unfathomable faith and love, their loss speaks to all of us as citizens of a free nation. No one should have to live, work, or worship in fear that their lives can be taken by someone who chooses the path of hatred and destruction.

It is hard to point to a more clear human example of the commandments Jesus affirmed in Mark 12:30-31: "Love your Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength... Love your neighbor as yourself.'

I wrote the music for Novena in the days following the attack. The morning after it happened, I sat down and started writing a five part chorale that I hoped would convey the profound simplicity in which the victims of this attack expressed their faith. That chorale was expanded into this full band composition.

Matthew Karram

Popular tracks