FAVORITE PIECE OF MUSIC TO PLAY

I was asked:  “What is your favorite piece of music to sing or play?”

Well, I thought I had the answer to this question, actually, until this morning, as I was playing my prelude before mass.   While I play for a Catholic church, most of my preludes come out of the Baptist Hymnal, mainly because they are quite reflective and set the mood prior to mass.   Prior to this morning, I was going to say that my favorite piece to play is either “Arioso” by Bach or “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven.   “Arioso” is just pleasing to my fingers and ears, and “Moonlight Sonata” is a favorite for me because over the last year, and after many attempts, I actually learned the song.  It is difficult piece for me because it is in a key that I do not normally play, and as if that were not enough, there are more “accidentals” than should be, “theoretically” allowed.  

However, this morning, I had almost competed my prelude when a song came to mind:  “My Tribute” by Andre Crouch.   The song has been a favorite of mine since high school, when the organist at my church would play it on a regular rotation as her offertory solo.  I learned the song on piano, and is one of the few songs that I actually have memorized.   The song, instrumentally, is stunning, but the words are incredible, too.  

“How can I say thanks, for the things you have done for me, things so undeserved, yet you give to prove your love for me.  The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude.   All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to you.  To God be the Glory, To God be the Glory, To God be the glory for the things He has done.   With his blood, he has saved me, with his power, he has raised me.  To God be the Glory, for the things he has done.  Just let me live my life, let it be pleasing unto you, And should I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary.   With his blood, he has saved me, with his power, he has raised me.  To God, be the glory, for the things he has done.”   

I played the song this morning, partially in tribute (no pun intended) to my Grandmother and Great Grandmother, who would, were they still alive, be celebrating their birthdays tomorrow.   I have played the song since college, most often from memory.  It is my “go-to” song when I’ve had a bad day.  Just playing it and playing the heck out of the piano with it do something to me that no other piece of music does.  The thing I like about the song is that while I stay generally in the same “framework” of the song, I never play it the same twice.   I have a friend from college who would come into the practice room just to hear me play the song, and she said what she liked is that it is never the same twice.   Maybe slower, maybe faster, it really depends on how my inner spirit leads.  

Tonight, I am doing something I have never done in my blog before.   I’m posting a video.   I felt inspired to record and share tonight… This is “My Tribute”.  While you see music cluttering the piano, this is completely from memory.  It’s raw video…unedited, and played straight from my heart.  

Here’s my confession: Piano is my greatest passion.  I cannot imagine life without it, and, while sometimes I neglect practicing like I should,  I’m blessed to have the talents that I’ve been given, and I’m thankful for those who are touched by my blessings.   My most treasured possession is the piano you see in the video.  I had a few tears in my eyes the day I drove away from the piano store purchasing the piano, knowing that not only was it a dream come true for me, but that my grandmother was looking down from above and smiling, because it’s something she wanted me to have, too.