Tyra Orgill and Sander Morrison, two immensely talented Latter-day Saint youth, have created a beautiful, awe-inspiring arrangement of the hymn, “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet.” Musically, Tyra who plays the piano, and Sander who plays the cello, comprise the group known as Enliven. Together they create music that is uplifting, inspiring, and a healing balm for the soul of all who listens – and this is a song that you will want to put on replay and listen to many times over.
“We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet” is their first arrangement of what Tyra refers to as an “Epic orchestral hymn” and they have done a masterful job with both the arrangement and the performance. Per the description of the video, this is something that Tyra has desired to do ever since she was six years old.
What is an “Epic orchestral hymn”? Tyra’s definition is that it is “where you take a song and arrange it in a way that would bring new life to the song and stir the hearts and souls of all the warriors on this earth today.” A synonym for the word “epic” is “grand” which is a description that is befitting of Tyra and Sander’s performance of this beloved LDS hymn.
The splendor of the backdrop used for the filming of the video production adds a real-life effect. As a viewer watches the video and listens to the melodious music, they can visualize the 14-year-old boy, Joseph Smith, as he enters the Sacred Grove not far from his home, and kneels down in earnest prayer to his Heavenly Father. The music and the setting combined create an atmosphere of serenity.
In the description of the song, we learn that the song came together after Tyra and Sander were asked to perform a musical number for Tyra’s Stake Youth Theme Kick-Off. Having forgotten about the commitment, she and Sander had only 12 days to write and rehearse the song. Originally, they were going to play a piece (not one of their arrangements), but because it did not convey the feeling they wanted the song to share, they decided to create their own arrangement of the song. From beginning to end, this arrangement was wonderfully inspired!
