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when godly sorrow moves the soul

This original hymn was written in autumn 2005. David Macfarlane and Nathan Howe collaborated on both the text and the music, combining understandable lyrics and a memorable tune four-part writing. "It was an inspired process," said Howe, "We were both surprised at how naturally this hymn came. We know it does not belong to us personally, because neither of us can actually remember which ideas came from whom. The words and the music just came, and we were blessed enough to be there to write them down." One unique feature of the music is that it begins in the key of D and ends in the key of A, allowing it to rise again to D every time it begins anew. This makes for a "stepping up" effect, symbolic of repentance.

When Godly Sorrow Moves the Soul was honored with an award of distinction in the 2006 Church Music Submissions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was performed on 09 February 2007 at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square.

The recording available here was made by David Macfarlane in 2007.


This hymn was originally written in D for ease in congregational use. However, we have found in performance that it tunes much better in E-flat, and thus recommend that key for choral use.


The following files are available for this piece. More may be posted in the future. To find out about our newest music, subscribe to the Noisebox.

• Text
  
  
• Preview the recording on our Radio.Blog
  
  
• MP3 recording by David Macfarlane
  (you will be redirected through gratemusic.com)
  
  
• PDF sheet music in D
  
  
• MIDI music file in D
  
  
• PDF sheet music in E flat

• MIDI music file in E flat

 

 

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