The "Psalms" Story

The seed for Psalms was first planted way back in 1987. I had just finished writing the score for the musical 'Why?' and after one of the performances a lady by the name of Eileen Goddard suggested that I should try setting some of the Psalms to my music. I went away and adapted the words of two Psalms and set them to music.

Having gotten off to a flying start, I then struggled. I looked at a few other Psalms but didn't really get much further. With other performances of 'Why?' taking precedent and then other projects taking over, the work of adapting more Psalms ground to a halt.

Over the next fifteen years or so Psalms remained a word in a little book of ideas which I keep. Every so often I would pick up a book of Psalms and try to adapt some more, but without much success. My problem really was that I didn't know what to do with the songs once I had written them; I didn't want to simply do a concert of ten or so adapted Psalms. Then finally in 2002, I had just finished writing 'Archie' and its accompanying book - 'The Journey' and I was looking at what to do next. Psalms still remained in my little book of ideas, so I thought I'd give it one last try.

I don't remember exactly how or why, but the idea of doing something based on a radio request show came in to my head. I went away and wrote a sixty minute story which used the Psalms to illustrate points in the story teller's life. I showed the resulting story to two friends of mine. They felt that although the idea of the radio show worked and liked what I had written, they didn't however feel that the Psalms were integral to the story.

I realised they were right, and went away a little dejected, but at least maybe I was now on the right track with the idea of the radio show. I stuck with that idea, and wrote another version, thankfully this time one which we all felt worked. And this is the version which is currently being performed.

I have to say that of all the things I have ever written, Psalms has been the hardest, but it's one of the pieces I have the most pride in finishing.

Look at the content of Psalms here

Archie, the Musical of the early life of Cary Grant

The Journey, the story of the research into Archie, the musical

Why, a musical based on the biblical story of Job

Psalms

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Links about Cary Grant, etc

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