As part of the 'Timeless' project of classic worship songs with David Fitzgerald, I have written this dramatic arrangement based on Graham Kendrick's tune for  'From heaven you came, helpless babe...' There are few songs that capture the impact of the incarnation as well as this, and I have tried to portray the drama of Christ's birth, life, death and resurrection in this rhapsodic piece. You will hear the hammer blows that drove the nails into the hands of Jesus - hands that 'flung stars into space, to cruel nails surrendered.' Then finally the call to 'bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant King.'

The servant king (instrumental)

My new arrangement of this familiar song, featured on the Unfinished Journey album (2014) available from www.rogermayor.com
Special guest artistes: Matt & Vanessa May, with David Fitzgerald (flute)Martin Paine (guitar)

Just As I Am

Here is an instrumental track from my CD, Unfinished Journey, released in 2014. Inspired by the certainty that our loving God is able to do for us far beyond what we might hope for, imagine or dream.

Far Beyond

Here's a song I wrote whilst going through the valley of the shadow... I felt it was helpful to express my doubts and fears in a song of prayer, here brought to life so beautifully by my friends Matt & Vanessa May, with Martin Paine on guitar.

Questions

When all hope is gone, and a light heart is replaced by despair, we can turn to God and place our trust in Him. As Psalm 46 says, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.'
I have been through many troubles, and my song affirms that in Him there is always hope.

We Have Our Hope in Jesus

Written for the delightful Vanessa May, this track features on the new CD 'I Trust In You' by Matt & Vanessa May, produced by me, and with gorgeous guitar overdubs from Martin Paine.

I Wait For You

I arranged and orchestrated this great hymn, beloved by millions around the world, for piano and orchestra. It's taken from an album I recorded back in the 1990s - called GREAT HYMNS OF PRAISE. The album features great instrumental solos from my friends, David Fitzgerald (sax, flute) Geoff Twigg (guitars), Robin Thompson-Clarke (cello), and the much missed Nigel Roberts (oboe & cor anglais).

Great Hymns Of Praise

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

A lovely old Spiritual, here arranged for piano and studio musicians, and taken from my album GREAT HYMNS OF PRAISE. Listen out for a soulful sax solo from Dave Fitzgerald, when we actually turned the lights off in the studio while he improvised. Magical!

Steal Away To Jesus

I've always loved this wonderful old hymn, and here I present it in an arrangement for piano and orchestra. This is a track from my CD GREAT HYMNS OF PRAISE.

It Is A Thing Most Wonderful

Hymns don't get much more dramatic than this one from the pen of Charles Wesley. 'My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.'
I have tried to capture the drama in a virtuosic piano arrangement, supported by orchestra, and featuring stylistic changes to from classical to Gospel, and back again! Enjoy!

And Can It Be

A visit to the beautiful Ardeche region of southern France prompted the composing of this piece. The mountains, the tiny villages dotted on the hillsides, the silence, the birds of prey, all offered something to the composer's palette of ideas. Ben Payne plays a fabulous violin solo too - not to be missed!

Song of the Ardeche

I composed this tune to lyrics by a teenaged hospice patient who had very little time left  to live. Her beautiful poem is read first by BBC Newsreader Martyn Lewis, with an underscore I composed especially, followed by the complete song, recorded here by the Choir of Millfield school in Somerset. The poignant lyrics, written by a girl who would never get to the fast lane of life, express a deep desire for us to slow our lives down,  and make more time for people rather than 'things'.

Slow Dance (Martyn Lewis & Millfield children's choir)

The first of a new collection of Timeless worship songs, this project is a collaboration between David's unique performance skills on Flute and Saxophones and my work as an Arranger/Orchestrator and Producer. Together we share a passion for the meaningful songs that have given melodic expression to worship over many decades. This one has been part of our own worship experience for 6 decades and we feel a particular affection for its simple lyric that helps turn our attention away from ourselves and focus on Jesus. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus (instrumental)

Roger Mayor has worked as a session keyboard player, composer, arranger and record producer. Although comfortable working in a variety of genres, he has become known mainly for his creative work as a composer of melodic instrumental music, both original works and arrangements of spiritual classics such as hymns and worship songs. He has also worked as a worship leader, a choir director, a solo pianist, and an editor of various music publications, including the ground-breaking 'Hymns for the People' published by Harper Collins. Two of his albums were nominated for the CBC Album of the Year Award, A Christmas Offering and Gentle Touch, the latter winning the award in 1997. Latterly he has worked as a composer for film/TV library music, and in 2005 conducted the first performance of his new oratorio in Norwich Cathedral, Julian: Mystical Revelations before a capacity audience. (Scored for chorus, soloists and full orchestra). 2014 saw the release of the long-awaited Unfinished Journey album, a compelling spiritual memoir in music, written since a serious diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer in 2011.
2015 sees the release of a 15 track album on CD. Entitled  'I Trust In You', it features 6 of Roger's latest songs, alongside special new arrangements of well-loved contemporary worship songs. All are performed fabulously by vocal duo Matt & Vanessa May. Release date Autumn 2015. More details to follow. This is going to be a massive and well-deserved success for Matt & Vanessa!

Roger Mayor

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