Our World So Beautiful (a new Christmas song)

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NOTE: We submitted this song to Oregon Catholic Press (ocp.org) but it was not accepted. 

Our World So Beautiful is a new Christmas song co-written by Dan vi Nguyen, Richard Schletty and André van Haren. Dan posted her lyrics here and asked if anyone could make a song out of her words. Richard Schletty rewrote the lyrics to give them a consistent rhyme, line length, metrical pattern and overall poetic structure. Then Richard came up with a melody. Next, André van Haren wrote a beautiful piano arrangement based on an a cappella recording of the melody by Richard. Using Sibelius, André engraved the sheet music not only for piano and voice, but developed the song fully by adding guitar chords and two additional instruments: flute and cello. He also engraved a version of the song with optional SATB harmonies in the refrain.

About the composers

Dan Vi Nguyen was born in BaoThi, Vietnam, in 1980 into a Catholic family. As a young child, she studied the Bible and attended mass at church every day. In her youth, Dan learned to sing Catholic songs through the sisters/nuns, priests and others at church. She and her family immigrated to America in 1993 and settled in Oregon. Her family belongs to Our Lady of LaVang Parish, Portland, Oregon, USA. Website: nguyendanvi.wixsite.com/vinguyen

Richard Schletty is a voiceover artist and performing songwriter who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He is an experienced cantor, songleader and choral singer, singing at Masses, funerals, weddings and pro-life prayer services. He a board member of the Minnesota Association of Songwriters and does post production for the MAS SongCasters cable TV show. Richard has done many song collaborations via the Internet. He is owner and editor of TopCatholicSongs.com. Music website: schlettysound.com

André van Haren was born in 1963 in Holland. In 1990 he received a Bachelor Degree in Music in Classical Piano and Composition from the Conservatory in Utrecht, The Netherlands. His main instrument is the piano. He has written and arranged music for various ensembles including piano, choir, chamber ensembles and orchestra. Music website: andrevanharen.net

Free downloads

At the end of this story is a link to a complete demo of the song with voice and instruments. We have also made available a PDF preview of the sheet music for solo voice and piano. Sheet music arrangements for instruments and choral parts are available upon request. We have submitted this song to Oregon Catholic Press (ocp.org) and are hopeful it will be accepted for publication. Addendum: The song was not accepted by OCP.

Original lyrics by Dan Vi:

CHORUS
Jesus Christ, your world so beautiful
The moment you conceive through Mary by an angel
The wait for the whole world of mankind
The joy is overwhelm for generations await for you.

VERSE
Mother gave birth to a child
In the manger with loves for humanity
So humble out in the cold nigh
Only surround by warmth of sheeps and animals.

VERSE
The star of Bethlehem direct the three kings
On their journey to find Jesus Christ
The night on Christmas day
The coldest night of the year

BRIDGE
The three kings came to wordship you
With his kingdom treasure Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

VERSE
Angels sing in heaven for Christ's birth
A child born into the world for mankind
Plan for mankind salvation begin
From a child the Father in heaven always desire.

Revised lyrics by Richard:

Note that with recent changes I have put everything into the present tense. I like this idea because the song could be presented as a Christmas tableau. – RS

Our World So Beautiful

VERSE 1
A child is born to Mary through the Spirit,
Surrounded by the warmth of sheep and oxen.
In this humble manger, on this joyful night,
Is the promised one for all generations!

CHORUS
Jesus is the way to peace and joy.
He shows us how to be merciful.
He's the bright star we all need in our lives.
Jesus makes our world so beautiful.


VERSE 2
Three kings see the star of Bethlehem.
They journey to pay homage to the infant.
On this night, when earth is cold and dreary,
Sing praises to a son so radiant!

CHORUS
Jesus is the way to peace and joy.
He shows us how to be merciful.
He's the bright star we all need in our lives.
Jesus makes our world so beautiful.


VERSE 3
Angels and shepherds praise the Lord.
God's plan for our salvation is in motion.
A light illuminates what once was darkness:
This child is the keystone of creation!

CHORUS
Jesus is the way to peace and joy.
He shows us how to be merciful.
He's the bright star we all need in our lives.
Jesus makes our world so beautiful.
So beautiful, so beautiful!
Jesus makes our world so beautiful!
 

AttachmentSize
Our World So Beautiful-all parts.mp35.17 MB
Our World So Beautiful - voice & piano + optional parts-preview.pdf339.31 KB

Comments

Your World Is So Beautiful

Very nice. I would love to hear you record these words in your native language (Vietnamese?) and in English. The English needs to have some grammar corrected. I can suggest some changes for you. I am thinking of using your voice with music in the background. The song would also have my singing of the English words. What do you think? Can you record your voice and upload an audio file? 

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

It would be nice if you can record it in English

Can you take on the English version for the song, I know that the song need a lot of editor, especially on the rymth and rythem.

Edit and record it in English

Yes, I will. I think we are a team now! But if any other member of Top Catholic Songs would like to try editing the rhyme and rhythm, or would like to come up with a melody, or would like to sing the song (when it is ready to be sung), you are most welcome. Let us know!

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

I just want to incorporate my

I just want to incorporate my own language to American music.  I haven't thought of singing my own voices for the song.

It was just an idea

No problem. It was just an idea. I hope I am doing a good job adapting your lyrics to my Midwest U.S. language and culture. I love writing lyrics and am happy to collaborate with others on lyrics, melody and chord progressions. Thanks again for inspiring me. I hope you can inspire others, too.

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

My suggestions for your lyrics

Asiansa09: I would like to suggest some changes to your lyrics that might help your ideas turn into a nice song. I decided to change the singer's point of view into the "third person" (he/she/they). Just a personal preference on this song. It would have been hard to keep everything in the second person (you). I am using this rhyming pattern: ABCB. Only the second and fourth lines rhyme in each stanza (verse). I have a rough melody in my head but I will see how it evolves before I take to the mic to do a demo. Anyone else is free to try singing these lyrics. I would love to hear your creativity. Upload an audio file (MP3, WAV or AIF)!

Here is a link to an audio file (MP3) in which I speak the lyrics below: Our World So Beautiful - spoken lyrics.mp3

5/17/2017: I changed a few words in the lyrics below, based on my chat with Asiansa09.
 

Jesus Makes Our World So Beautiful

VERSE 1
The humble Virgin Mary gave birth to a child
Surrounded by the warmth of sheep and oxen.
The baby that was born on that glorious night
Rose up from the cross for our salvation.

CHORUS
He was conceived by the Spirit and suffered.
Now he shows us how to be the merciful.
He's the bright star we all need in our lives.
Jesus makes our world so beautiful.


VERSE 2
Three kings saw the star of Bethlehem.
They journeyed to pay homage to the infant.
On this Christmas night, when earth is cold and dreary,
Sing praises to a son so radiant.

BRIDGE
Christ received gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The gift that he returns is the love of God, his Father.

CHORUS
He was conceived by the Spirit and suffered.
Now he shows us how to be the merciful.
He's the bright star we all need in our lives.
Jesus makes our world so beautiful.


VERSE 3
The angels and shepherds sing with joy.
God's plan for our salvation is in motion.
The Spirit hovers over earth and heaven.
We give the Holy Trinity devotion.

CHORUS
He was conceived by the Spirit and suffered.
Now he shows us how to be the merciful.
He's the bright star we all need in our lives.
Jesus makes our world so beautiful.
So beautiful, so beautiful!
Jesus makes our world so beautiful!

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Singing the song

Do you think we should leave this song as a poem or sing it?

Poem

I love your ideas of turning the song lyric into poem.  That is so wonderful.

Christmas season song/poem

Well, I think we are going to celebrate Christmas season early this year through our song/poem.

Song Title

When I first thought about the song title, my first impression that I came up with is "Making Your World So Beautiful."  I think now you come up with "Our World So Beautiful" is also a good fit.  Or we can change it to "Made Our World So Beautiful."

You Make Our World So Beautiful

Good feedback. How about this for the title: "You Make Our World So Beautiful"

It puts Christ in the present, as active and alive.

Now I am reconsidering the "second person" point of view as opposed to the "third person" view. Second person makes it more personal – I am talking to Jesus. 

"You Make Our World So Beautiful" is a complete sentence without being too long.

"Jesus Christ Has Made Our World So Beautiful" is too long.

My intention is not to record it as a poem but that could be an option. I was speaking it to show the flow and rhythm, so someone can have a guide to creating a melody. I am putting it out there as a songwriting challenge! However, I'd like to tweak the words a bit more. I want to change it back to "you" as I described above.

5/17:/2017: I made changes to the lyrics above.

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Music sheet for the song

When you record the song, can you also write the music sheet and post on here.
That way, if anyone like to play guitar or piano, they can have the music sheet to follow.
 

Sheet music for the song

Yes, I will post the sheet music here. Good idea.

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Meaning of the song

It is very interesting that when I first write the song lyric, I had the song lyric in my mind with different meaning, but when you receive it and write it in your own words, the meaning of the song also change accordingly.  I find that very interesting, and that makes the song more interesting in collaboration with one another.

The challenge

Of course, language is a bit of a barrier. I probably misinterpret some of the words you write. Sorry about that. I do the best I can. I try to make the lyrics tell a story. I try to make the words flow naturally. I try to give the words deep meaning, based on my own experience and understanding of faith and God. Thank you for allowing me some freedom in interpreting your lyrics and adding my own insights. 

Our song "God's Gift to All the World" has just been added to CME radio! topcatholicsongs.com/catholic-music-stream

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Treasure

i keep thinking about the joy and the treasure that I get to know about Christ and Sorrowful Mother Mary, especially they are from Jerusalem.  It is a far away place from where I came from.  I thought I found the king treasure for myself.  I am so honor to write about them.

Treasure in the Holy Land

I sing psalms and liturgical songs based on scripture every weekend at two Catholic churches. I appreciate our Catholic heritage very much. I was fortunate to have a Catholic school eduation with priests, sisters and lay teachers instilling in me a deep appreciation of the Trinity. My mother was a very devout Catholic. 

Like you, Dan, I am in awe of the "ancient stories and places." What we must try to do is keep these precious narratives alive and relevant for us now, today, in our bleeding world. We must teach the faith to our children while endeavoring to keep our own faith in the midst of hardship, misunderstandings and tragedies. 

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Rough exploration of melody

I am attaching to Dan's original post a rough exploration of a melody for this song. 

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Very nice voices

I really like your voice for the song lyric.  Keep it that way is good enough.

Will you prepare the piano sheet arrangement

Will you prepare the piano sheet arrangement for this song too.
I plan to share with others at Providence meeting during Christmas season.

Our World So Beautiful score/sheet music

Yes! I plan to make this a very beautiful song, complete with piano, guitar and flute. Who knows, maybe viola, too!

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

So peaceful when I listen to the song

I feel so peaceful when I listen to the song.

Peaceful Christmas song

Glad you like it. I made some adjustments to the song this afternoon and uploaded the new version. I did pitch correction to my voice, corrected a few notes, and added a little bit more reverb. The song is in the key of D. Now I have to figure out the chord progressions. The next thing I will upload will have a gentle guitar added to my voice.

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

Our World So Beautiful - audio demo and sheet music

Our World So Beautiful is finished. I have posted both an audio demo and sheet music. See original post at top of this thread. 

Richard Schletty | Schletty Design and Music | www.schletty.com

It is such a beautiful song

It is not easy to come by and that we are able to come up with a beautiful song "Our World is So Beautiful" like this in everyday life.  I really appreciate to work with everyone.
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