FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - London, May 7th, 2024
Premiere of Special Overture Marks 75th Anniversary of "How Great Thou Art!"
The All Souls Orchestra, in collaboration with the Stuart Hine Trust, proudly debuted a breathtaking overture commemorating the 75th anniversary of the iconic hymn, "How Great Thou Art".
The genesis of this extraordinary composition traces back to a pivotal meeting in 2023 between Michael Andrews, the esteemed conductor of the All Souls Orchestra London and representatives from the Stuart Hine Trust. Together, they envisioned how Prom Praise could become part of a wider year long celebration for the 75th anniversary of "How Great Thou Art!", one of the most cherished hymns in the world.
The culmination of this vision unfolded at the annual Prom Praise event, a hallmark gathering drawing 5,000 attendees in the Royal Albert Hall, with a global audience reached through live streaming. This event was themed around "Chariots of Fire" and honoured the legacy of Eric Liddell. But the event took a poignant turn with the inclusion of the special overture dedicated to "How Great Thou Art!", written by another famous missionary, Stuart K. Hine.
Composed by special friends of the Trust, Bj Davis from Tampa, Florida, and Dr. Luke Gambill from Chattanooga, Tennessee, the overture captivated audiences with its stirring melodies and evocative narrative. A longer prelude and an arrangement that evoked the feelings of a film score, musically told the story of Stuart's journey in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine.
On the evening of May 4th, 2024, in the grandeur of the Royal Albert Hall with the All Souls Orchestra, joined by a 400-strong choir and the majestic pipe organ, the new overture was debuted under the masterful baton of Michael Andrews. The performance was further elevated by the enchanting vocals of Natasha Da Costa, who lead the hall in singing this amazing hymn, as well as it's brand new section penned by Grammy award winning songwriters Matt Redman and Mitch Wong.
Reflecting on the composition process, Bj Davis, the composer, shared his inspiration: "I approached this special orchestration asking how can I help tell this story? What flowed was my vision of Stuart Hine taking in the awesome wonder of the Carpathian mountains. What gushed forth from his pen at that moment would ring across the world as powerful today as in that moment when we wrote those words, 'Then sings my soul…how great Thou art!' May this new version fill our hearts with wonder too as we look to the Lord and sing our praises to Him!"
The premiere of this remarkable overture stands as a testament to the enduring power of "How Great Thou Art!" and its ability to inspire awe and reverence across generations. As audiences basked in the beauty of the music, they were reminded of the timeless message encapsulated in the hymn's lyrics.
