Just a Closer Walk with Thee and Near to the Heart of God
“I attended the most wonderful funeral,” I told my incredulous class of teen-aged music students at Tempe Preparatory Academy a few years back. “It was a New-Orleans-style service honoring my friend Anita who has just passed away.” I went on to describe the 16-voice choir on the platform of the church, the band who accompanied them with drums and bass and a wonderful, flamboyant gospel style pianist. After the eulogies and remembrances of Anita, who was herself a long-time gospel singer, the choir and band performed an up-tempo version of “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In (famously interpreted by Louis Armstrong here).
As the choir recessed singing joyfully down the center aisle of the church, we in the congregation responded New Orleans style: those who had umbrellas opened and closed them in tempo to the music; those who didn’t, waved our white handkerchiefs in the air in rhythm to the music; and we all joined in singing, “Oh when the saints, go marching in, Oh Lord I want to be in that number!”
As I related this story to my students, some of the mostly white group looked at me as if to say, “Are you crazy? People don’t act that way at funerals!” Others, though, allowed a slow smile to gradually creep onto their faces until they were beaming. I thought, “OK, those students get it!”
I think of Anita when I play this arrangement, because “Just a Closer Walk” (here sung by Mahalia Jackson), as I understand it, often is sung at New Orleans funerals. I paired it with “Near to the Heart of God” (sung here by Sharon Bible Institute Singers). Together, the lyrics of these two songs express a longing to be close to Jesus, even (or especially) after death claims us.
The music for my arrangement is reminiscent of the music of Scott Joplin (who wrote New-Orleans-style ragtime music) and includes a direct quote of his lovely “Solace” and also a quote from Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
Please tell me what you think.
