Music Notes

The spiritual “Were You There?” is one of the most haunting and profound hymns of Holy Week. Rooted in the African American spiritual tradition, its simple, repetitive melody creates space for deep reflection, inviting us not merely to remember Christ’s crucifixion, but to enter the story ourselves. Each question—Were you there when they crucified my Lord?—draws us closer to the...

Written in 1869, Near the Cross is a well-known and beloved hymn in The United Methodist Hymnal (No. 301). Fanny J. Crosby wrote the text after being shown a tune composed by her frequent collaborator, William H. Doane. The text and tune were first published together in Bright Jewels for the Sunday School in 1869. Crosby provided four stanzas and...