Saturday, December 12, 2009
I Wonder As I Wander Performed by DCS
This is my choral arrangement of "I Wonder As I Wander." If you have read the posting for the original, duet version of this song, you already know how much I LOVE it. I reworked it and did some really thick, 8 part choral harmonies and this is the debut performance of it. It is performed here by the Deseret Chamber Singers, a fabulous choral group made up of BYU Singers and UofU Singers alumni.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Navigating this site
This page was designed so that anyone may have free access to downloadable MP3s and sheet music of my original songs. Each of these songs has been written as I have been influenced at different times in my life by the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are a witness to my testimony of His life and divinity. I have included the lyrics, as well as the story behind each song. I hope you enjoy the music, but more importantly, I hope you feel the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ and the hope and peace that can come only through Him.
As you click on each song title, you will be able to hear the MP3 of that song. The links on the left will direct you to download PDF files of all the sheet music.
Krista Baer is the owner of the copyright of all music on this site, including recordings. Please feel free to use any of this music for personal, family, church, or other non-commercial use. All other rights are reserved, including the creation of derivative works. All songs were written and performed by Krista Baer**
**special thanks to the incomparable Shane Warby for his vocals on "Liberty Jail"
As you click on each song title, you will be able to hear the MP3 of that song. The links on the left will direct you to download PDF files of all the sheet music.
Krista Baer is the owner of the copyright of all music on this site, including recordings. Please feel free to use any of this music for personal, family, church, or other non-commercial use. All other rights are reserved, including the creation of derivative works. All songs were written and performed by Krista Baer**
**special thanks to the incomparable Shane Warby for his vocals on "Liberty Jail"
Footsteps, Faces, Hearts and Hands
Lyrics
There is one who knows all my fears,
All my joy, all my sorrow too.
When I cry to Him, I know He hears.
The Spirit whispers words of comfort, words of truth.
With His hands He’ll reach to lift my burden.
With His heart He loves eternally.
With His life in Gethsemane
He suffered for my sins, He paid the price for me.
I made promises long ago.
In this life, my time is not my own.
There are others whom I’ve been called to serve.
Lord, help me share the love which you have always shown.
With my hands I’ll lift another’s burden.
With my heart I’ll love eternally.
With my life I will serve as He.
I will do the work my Savior has for me.
Take my hands, O Lord, Take my heart.
All I have I freely give to thee.
Use my mind, my soul, Use my feet.
That they may swiftly run to help all those in need.
With my hands I’ll lift another’s burden.
With my heart I’ll love eternally.
With my life, I will serve as Thee.
Until my life reflects Thy light inside of me.
Footsteps, faces, hearts and hands, serving Thee.
Story
While living in Albuquerque, I was asked by the Relief Society President of the Paradise Hills Ward to write a song for our upcoming visiting teaching conference. The theme was "Footsteps, Faces, Hearts and Hands." I have always had a strong testimony of the Relief Society and the work that we can do to lift and help one another in our Savior's service. I know there have been times when I have felt inspired to do something for another that seemed trivial at the time, but which I later learned were answers to prayer. There have been many more times when a kind word, a phone call, a meal, an offer to watch my children, have come from dear sisters as an answer to my desperate prayers for help. I hope the Lord will continue to use me as an instrument in blessing his children, and that my life can reflect His light as I serve Him.
There is one who knows all my fears,
All my joy, all my sorrow too.
When I cry to Him, I know He hears.
The Spirit whispers words of comfort, words of truth.
With His hands He’ll reach to lift my burden.
With His heart He loves eternally.
With His life in Gethsemane
He suffered for my sins, He paid the price for me.
I made promises long ago.
In this life, my time is not my own.
There are others whom I’ve been called to serve.
Lord, help me share the love which you have always shown.
With my hands I’ll lift another’s burden.
With my heart I’ll love eternally.
With my life I will serve as He.
I will do the work my Savior has for me.
Take my hands, O Lord, Take my heart.
All I have I freely give to thee.
Use my mind, my soul, Use my feet.
That they may swiftly run to help all those in need.
With my hands I’ll lift another’s burden.
With my heart I’ll love eternally.
With my life, I will serve as Thee.
Until my life reflects Thy light inside of me.
Footsteps, faces, hearts and hands, serving Thee.
Story
While living in Albuquerque, I was asked by the Relief Society President of the Paradise Hills Ward to write a song for our upcoming visiting teaching conference. The theme was "Footsteps, Faces, Hearts and Hands." I have always had a strong testimony of the Relief Society and the work that we can do to lift and help one another in our Savior's service. I know there have been times when I have felt inspired to do something for another that seemed trivial at the time, but which I later learned were answers to prayer. There have been many more times when a kind word, a phone call, a meal, an offer to watch my children, have come from dear sisters as an answer to my desperate prayers for help. I hope the Lord will continue to use me as an instrument in blessing his children, and that my life can reflect His light as I serve Him.
Strengthening to Save Generations
Lyrics
As Sisters in Zion we’re following the call
That has come from God above.
As we work to strengthen home and family
We are lifted by the Savior’s love.
Strengthening to save generations.
Building faith in his word.
Striving to obtain exaltation.
If we seek we shall find
the strength of the Lord.
The work we perform in the temples of the Lord
Blesses those who’ve gone before.
Turning hearts young and old as Malachi foretold
Binding families forever more.
Strengthening to save generations.
Building faith in his word.
Striving to obtain exaltation.
If we seek we shall find
The strength of the Lord.
Story
Our first year in Albuquerque I was asked by the Stake Relief Society Presidency of the Albuquerque West Stake to arrange a musical number for their Stake Women's Conference, the theme of which was "Strengthening to Save Generations." I agreed to put something together and then left on an extended trip to visit with family in Utah. I must admit I completely forgot about my responsibility to put this number together. By the time I got back from my vacation, I had only 10 days before the conference to find a number and get a group of women together to perform it. As I started looking into music to go along with the theme I couldn't find ANYTHING!!! I didn't really even know what I was looking for. So I turned to my scriptures and tried to find inspiration. I don't think the Lord always blesses those of us who procrastinate, but I think in order to bless the Sisters of the stake, he went ahead and helped me out anyway. The piano accompaniment is stolen in parts from some of my other music, but it took only a day to put the song together. Without my knowing beforehand what the speakers would say, the song was still able to touch on each of the things spoken about at this conference, and the sisters who performed it did so in such a way that the Spirit was felt by everyone there. It's not one of my favorites, and I'm still ashamed of my procrastination even all these years later, but I include the song as a testimony that the Lord can speak through us if we only give him the opportunity to do so.
As Sisters in Zion we’re following the call
That has come from God above.
As we work to strengthen home and family
We are lifted by the Savior’s love.
Strengthening to save generations.
Building faith in his word.
Striving to obtain exaltation.
If we seek we shall find
the strength of the Lord.
The work we perform in the temples of the Lord
Blesses those who’ve gone before.
Turning hearts young and old as Malachi foretold
Binding families forever more.
Strengthening to save generations.
Building faith in his word.
Striving to obtain exaltation.
If we seek we shall find
The strength of the Lord.
Story
Our first year in Albuquerque I was asked by the Stake Relief Society Presidency of the Albuquerque West Stake to arrange a musical number for their Stake Women's Conference, the theme of which was "Strengthening to Save Generations." I agreed to put something together and then left on an extended trip to visit with family in Utah. I must admit I completely forgot about my responsibility to put this number together. By the time I got back from my vacation, I had only 10 days before the conference to find a number and get a group of women together to perform it. As I started looking into music to go along with the theme I couldn't find ANYTHING!!! I didn't really even know what I was looking for. So I turned to my scriptures and tried to find inspiration. I don't think the Lord always blesses those of us who procrastinate, but I think in order to bless the Sisters of the stake, he went ahead and helped me out anyway. The piano accompaniment is stolen in parts from some of my other music, but it took only a day to put the song together. Without my knowing beforehand what the speakers would say, the song was still able to touch on each of the things spoken about at this conference, and the sisters who performed it did so in such a way that the Spirit was felt by everyone there. It's not one of my favorites, and I'm still ashamed of my procrastination even all these years later, but I include the song as a testimony that the Lord can speak through us if we only give him the opportunity to do so.
I Wonder As I Wander
Lyrics
I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor ornery people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
When Mary birthed Jesus ‘twas in a cow’s stall
With Wise Men and farmers and shepherds and all
And high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing;
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,
He surely could have it ‘cause He was the king.
Who is this King of whom angels sing?
That comes to live and die for me.
This child in a stall, the Savior of all.
On bended knee I come unto thee.
Story
My absolute, without a doubt, favorite book of all time is "Jacob Have I Loved' by Katherine Paterson, ©1980. I think I have read it at least 300 times (not kidding). One of my favorite parts of the story is when the twin sisters are singing in their school Christmas concert. I want to quote a little bit of that part because it describes so aptly what I felt the first time I heard this haunting melody.
"...from the center of the back row Caroline's voice came suddenly like a single beam of light across the darkness.... It was a lonely, lonely sound, but so clear, so beautiful that I tightened my arms against my sides to keep from shaking, perhaps shattering....She sang once more by herself, repeating the words of the first verse so quietly that I knew surely I would shatter when she went up effortlessly, sweetly, and, oh, so softly, to the high G, holding it just a few seconds longer than humanly possible and then returning to the last few notes and to silence.... When we left the gymnasium, the stars were so bright, they pulled me up into the sky like powerful magnets. I walked, my head back, my own flat chest pressed up against the bosom of heaven, dazzled by the winking brilliance of the night. "I wonder as I wonder...."
Can you see why it's my favorite book? For years, every time I read that description, I knew I had to write an arrangement of that song. It is unquestionably my favorite Christmas song, and no one can seem to understand why. I love the beauty of the unusual Aeolian melody, the modulations and the unresolved suspensions. To me, it perfectly embodies the wonder of that first Christmas night, when the Savior of all mankind would suffer himself to come down among us, in the most humble of circumstances, out of love for you and me. Every time I find myself outside on a cold, winter night, I can't help but gaze up into the star-filled sky and think about the amazing miracle of the Savior's birth, and the even more amazing miracle that He did all these things out of love for "poor ornery people" like me. I wonder as I wander...
I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor ornery people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
When Mary birthed Jesus ‘twas in a cow’s stall
With Wise Men and farmers and shepherds and all
And high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing;
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,
He surely could have it ‘cause He was the king.
Who is this King of whom angels sing?
That comes to live and die for me.
This child in a stall, the Savior of all.
On bended knee I come unto thee.
Story
My absolute, without a doubt, favorite book of all time is "Jacob Have I Loved' by Katherine Paterson, ©1980. I think I have read it at least 300 times (not kidding). One of my favorite parts of the story is when the twin sisters are singing in their school Christmas concert. I want to quote a little bit of that part because it describes so aptly what I felt the first time I heard this haunting melody.
"...from the center of the back row Caroline's voice came suddenly like a single beam of light across the darkness.... It was a lonely, lonely sound, but so clear, so beautiful that I tightened my arms against my sides to keep from shaking, perhaps shattering....She sang once more by herself, repeating the words of the first verse so quietly that I knew surely I would shatter when she went up effortlessly, sweetly, and, oh, so softly, to the high G, holding it just a few seconds longer than humanly possible and then returning to the last few notes and to silence.... When we left the gymnasium, the stars were so bright, they pulled me up into the sky like powerful magnets. I walked, my head back, my own flat chest pressed up against the bosom of heaven, dazzled by the winking brilliance of the night. "I wonder as I wonder...."
Can you see why it's my favorite book? For years, every time I read that description, I knew I had to write an arrangement of that song. It is unquestionably my favorite Christmas song, and no one can seem to understand why. I love the beauty of the unusual Aeolian melody, the modulations and the unresolved suspensions. To me, it perfectly embodies the wonder of that first Christmas night, when the Savior of all mankind would suffer himself to come down among us, in the most humble of circumstances, out of love for you and me. Every time I find myself outside on a cold, winter night, I can't help but gaze up into the star-filled sky and think about the amazing miracle of the Savior's birth, and the even more amazing miracle that He did all these things out of love for "poor ornery people" like me. I wonder as I wander...
Beautiful Miracle
Lyrics
Long, endless nights I prayed for a child of my own
Then my joy became full when you were born
Now that you’re here I know that you are the one,
The one I’ve been waiting for.
My miracle, my life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy.
My prayers were answered with you.
Holding you close that first time I looked in your eyes,
I knew you were the one I’d lived for and with you, my son, my life has begun
Beautiful miracle, angel from heaven,
My life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy.
I love you with all of my soul, and I’ll spend my life loving you.
My life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy
Words cannot say how much I love you.
For all of my life it was you that I had been waiting for.
Now that you’re here I know that you are the one,
The one I’ve been waiting for.
My life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy.
Story
Justin and I tried for years with no success to have children. After four years we had given up hope and began looking into adoption. We went to our bishop to begin the application process for LDS Social Services. He told us he felt inspired that we should wait. I wasn't very pleased with this interview and felt that we had waited plenty long already. Within a month of this meeting I found out I was pregnant. When Ethan was born it was truly a miracle. The first time I looked at him I heard this song in my head. When Erik was born, we considered it no less a miracle. But it wasn’t until Erik was almost 2 years old that I was able to put words to the song and give it a voice. Erik had been sick and at 18 months weighed the same as he had at a year. After many intensive tests, the Dr. discovered a severe heart defect. His heart had swelled in his chest to almost 3 times its normal size, and there was a hole in his heart valve. We were devastated by the diagnosis. Along with our family and friends, we fasted and prayed. Erik received a priesthood blessing. When we returned to the pediatric cardiologist for the follow-up visit, there was no heart-defect, and nothing to indicate that there ever had been one. Within a few days he began gaining weight, his health was vastly improved, and he has never had problems with it since. I know that not all prayers are answered in quite this way, and I'm not sure why Erik was healed so miraculously, but that night, I sat down and wrote the rest of the song. When Isaac, our third boy was born, I would sing this song to him as I rocked him at night. I think anyone who has ever loved a child knows what a miracle each one of these precious spirits truly is. The song has worked as a love song for all 3 of my children, and I can't imagine my life without a single one of them. Now I am pregnant with our fourth child. This one's a girl, so I'm not sure I can sing to her "my beautiful baby boy," so I think another love song or lullaby is going to have to be in the works soon....
Long, endless nights I prayed for a child of my own
Then my joy became full when you were born
Now that you’re here I know that you are the one,
The one I’ve been waiting for.
My miracle, my life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy.
My prayers were answered with you.
Holding you close that first time I looked in your eyes,
I knew you were the one I’d lived for and with you, my son, my life has begun
Beautiful miracle, angel from heaven,
My life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy.
I love you with all of my soul, and I’ll spend my life loving you.
My life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy
Words cannot say how much I love you.
For all of my life it was you that I had been waiting for.
Now that you’re here I know that you are the one,
The one I’ve been waiting for.
My life’s greatest joy,
My beautiful baby boy.
Story
Justin and I tried for years with no success to have children. After four years we had given up hope and began looking into adoption. We went to our bishop to begin the application process for LDS Social Services. He told us he felt inspired that we should wait. I wasn't very pleased with this interview and felt that we had waited plenty long already. Within a month of this meeting I found out I was pregnant. When Ethan was born it was truly a miracle. The first time I looked at him I heard this song in my head. When Erik was born, we considered it no less a miracle. But it wasn’t until Erik was almost 2 years old that I was able to put words to the song and give it a voice. Erik had been sick and at 18 months weighed the same as he had at a year. After many intensive tests, the Dr. discovered a severe heart defect. His heart had swelled in his chest to almost 3 times its normal size, and there was a hole in his heart valve. We were devastated by the diagnosis. Along with our family and friends, we fasted and prayed. Erik received a priesthood blessing. When we returned to the pediatric cardiologist for the follow-up visit, there was no heart-defect, and nothing to indicate that there ever had been one. Within a few days he began gaining weight, his health was vastly improved, and he has never had problems with it since. I know that not all prayers are answered in quite this way, and I'm not sure why Erik was healed so miraculously, but that night, I sat down and wrote the rest of the song. When Isaac, our third boy was born, I would sing this song to him as I rocked him at night. I think anyone who has ever loved a child knows what a miracle each one of these precious spirits truly is. The song has worked as a love song for all 3 of my children, and I can't imagine my life without a single one of them. Now I am pregnant with our fourth child. This one's a girl, so I'm not sure I can sing to her "my beautiful baby boy," so I think another love song or lullaby is going to have to be in the works soon....
To Show God's Love
Lyrics
The Savior of the world, God’s own begotten Son
Come to earth from heaven, a perfect, sinless man.
But His life was given to fulfill the Father’s perfect plan.
He sent His son to prepare the way for men
That through Him we might return to God again
In a world of sin and sorrow, there could be no other way.
So a Savior would come
To show the world God’s love
The Spirit calls to me, a pleasant, whispered voice
I lift my eyes to heaven and feel a fire within.
His love can reach and raise me up, if I come unto Him.
I cry to Him and find peace within my soul
His light and joy fill my heart and make me whole
I will praise His name forever, give my life to follow Him.
For the Savior has come
To show the world God’s love.
I cry to Him and find peace within my soul
His light and joy fill my heart and make me whole
There will be an end to sorrow, God shall wipe away all tears
When the Savior comes again
To show the world God’s love.
Story
Alma 36:20-22, 28
And oh ,what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains, Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that other the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon His throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever
Helaman 5:42, 46-48
And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying; Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world. And now when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.
Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
A few years ago, I was flipping through my old set of seminary scriptures. I had such an amazing Book of Mormon seminary teacher, and this particular set of scriptures was rather dog-eared and very well marked. I noticed in particular the pages of Helaman, chapter five. Not only had I outlined almost every word in highlighter, I had also drawn musical notes around the margins of the entire page. I'm not sure what music I had been hearing all those years ago, but as I re-read the familiar verses, I knew that this was a song I was meant to write. I have always loved the story of Alma and Amulek surrounded by fire, converting all the Lamanite guards in the prison as they realized to which source they needed to look to dispel the darkness. The description of the voice they heard as being "a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper," was such an acute description of how I have felt the Spirit's quiet promptings in my own life. The other words came unbidden to my mind as I realized the other scripture references which also fit so well with this moving story. This was a song that took months to get started, but once the music started coming, it never stopped. This is my favorite piano accompaniment I've ever written, and I love the message of the Lord's plan of Happiness for us, His children, to show us how much He loves each of us.
The Savior of the world, God’s own begotten Son
Come to earth from heaven, a perfect, sinless man.
But His life was given to fulfill the Father’s perfect plan.
He sent His son to prepare the way for men
That through Him we might return to God again
In a world of sin and sorrow, there could be no other way.
So a Savior would come
To show the world God’s love
The Spirit calls to me, a pleasant, whispered voice
I lift my eyes to heaven and feel a fire within.
His love can reach and raise me up, if I come unto Him.
I cry to Him and find peace within my soul
His light and joy fill my heart and make me whole
I will praise His name forever, give my life to follow Him.
For the Savior has come
To show the world God’s love.
I cry to Him and find peace within my soul
His light and joy fill my heart and make me whole
There will be an end to sorrow, God shall wipe away all tears
When the Savior comes again
To show the world God’s love.
Story
Alma 36:20-22, 28
And oh ,what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains, Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that other the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon His throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.
And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever
Helaman 5:42, 46-48
And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying; Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world. And now when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them.
Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
A few years ago, I was flipping through my old set of seminary scriptures. I had such an amazing Book of Mormon seminary teacher, and this particular set of scriptures was rather dog-eared and very well marked. I noticed in particular the pages of Helaman, chapter five. Not only had I outlined almost every word in highlighter, I had also drawn musical notes around the margins of the entire page. I'm not sure what music I had been hearing all those years ago, but as I re-read the familiar verses, I knew that this was a song I was meant to write. I have always loved the story of Alma and Amulek surrounded by fire, converting all the Lamanite guards in the prison as they realized to which source they needed to look to dispel the darkness. The description of the voice they heard as being "a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper," was such an acute description of how I have felt the Spirit's quiet promptings in my own life. The other words came unbidden to my mind as I realized the other scripture references which also fit so well with this moving story. This was a song that took months to get started, but once the music started coming, it never stopped. This is my favorite piano accompaniment I've ever written, and I love the message of the Lord's plan of Happiness for us, His children, to show us how much He loves each of us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)