A few days ago I arrived home from PASIC (the Percussive Arts Society International Conference) to discover a mysterious package had been delivered while I was away - with no indication of who it was from. After unpacking and putting my dirty clothes in the washing machine (a ritual in my 22 years of traveling the globe with Finale), I opened the box to discover a new Baptist Hymnal. Synapses fired within my brain as I recalled an event, many years before, when I first became familiar with this work. Looking at the hymnal more closely, I realized this was a new edition with new people working on it, new people orchestrating it, and new people doing the music preparation - a new generation of Finale users.
The worship music market is huge. Organizations like the National Pastoral Musicians number in the tens of thousands and these people read and create music with music notation. They - choir directors, organists, guitarists, pianists, instrumentalists of all kinds, priests, cantors, and pastoral liturgists - use Finale on a daily basis.
In the early nineties, I attended my first Baptist Music convention and was amazed at the size and scope of this single denomination's reach into music. That year I was invited to attend because Finale had been an integral part in the creation of the newest Baptist Hymnal which was debuting at this event. Under the calm leadership of the Sunday School Board, a Nashville music publishing firm (now called LifeWay) used Finale to create the new Baptist Hymnal. What's more, they also created organ versions, piano versions, lead sheet versions, and full orchestrations. It was, by any measurement, a huge project. That convention culminated in a grand concert at the Grand Ol' Opry with chorus and orchestra performing many of the hymns chosen for the Baptist Hymnal. I was given a copy of the hymnal signed by all the individuals who had worked so lovingly on that book. I still cherish that book today.
Today I'm sitting at my desk writing this blog and looking at the newest version of the Baptist Hymnal, and it is beautiful - gorgeous, in fact. Perhaps you're like me and get a thrill when looking at beautifully engraved music notation. Again, the hymns are also available in wide variety of versions, including lead sheet, organ, piano, and full orchestra. What's more, today you can also purchase the electronic Finale files themselves (I remember Finale users clamoring for this back in the day). In fact, in one package, they offer Finale files of the score and all orchestral parts from 975 hymn arrangements and worship songs (including the Baptist Hymnal and much more), for $3999. Imagine the possibilities! They recommend: "…because these Finale files are fully editable, it might be prudent to save a copy of the original before you make changes you might want to revert to at a later time." Good advice!
I don't recall ever seeing something quite like this before. It's very cool and a great reminder that Finale is a tool for creating content: while we all enjoy having great tools at our disposal, it's what we create with them that really matters.
I am thankful for my friend and cohort, Larry Marchese, whom I eventually discovered is the mystery man who sent me the new hymnal. With Thanksgiving so close, being thankful for these gifts of music created using Finale seems appropriate. Thanks to Larry for sending the hymnal on to me, thanks LifeWay for creating the content, thanks MakeMusic for creating Finale, and thanks to all of you for your music and energy.
Thanks.
Subscribe