Grace and Peace: American Hymns

Take a journey back to a little wooden church a century ago. At the front of the room, a violin and cello are waiting to be played. Looking out through the window, the prairie extends to the horizon; there is only open space.
This album is a celebration of the folk heritage of American hymns. From pulsing rhythms to soaring melodies, the roots of these hymns grew out of the land. In the past several centuries, these hymns were written to bring people together, to strengthen communities, to give voice to the joys and sorrows that were faced and to give thanks for the grace and peace that never left.
These original arrangements by Myanna Harvey pay homage to the different ways that music has enriched gatherings. Evoking the energy of a camp meeting or the solemnity of a prayer vigil, the honest sound of two stringed instruments cuts through the often jarring soundscape of this frenetic life. 
This is not an album of plain hymns, however. These melodies weave in and out with a cinematic scope, enriching and building on our collective memory. These are the hymns of the past, written and played for our present times. 
1. Have You Been to Jesus2. Sweet Hour of Prayer3. Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing4. It Is Well with My Soul5. Precious Lord, Take My Hand6. There Is a Fountain7. He Hideth My Soul8. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms9. Mercy Seat10. At the Cross11. Rock of Ages12. Bringing in the Sheaves