A New Jerusalem Arise (animated video); Kyle Pederson

Music and lyrics by Kyle Pederson, kylepederson.com
Animated music video by Steve Thomason, stevethomason.net
Score available at Beckenhorst Publishing:
beckenhorstpre...
Recorded by Beckenhorst Singers
For SATB chorus and piano, with optional cello, organ, drum, and handbells
Lyrics:
No more sickness,
No more crying;
Your mourning will turn to dancing.
I will make a pathway in the wilderness
and a river in the dry land.
No more hatred, no indifference,
Unfairness will yield to justice;
I will make a passage to a free land;
All colors there are blessings.
I will wipe all your tears from your eyes.
Only kindness, only goodness,
All people will live compassion;
Hand in hand they love and work together,
Walking in the Spirit.
After fire, after flood, after rain…
Through the dark, through the doubt, through the pain…
I’m making all things new.
A new Jerusalem arise
A new creation come alive
Into the dawning after dark…arise!
Composer Note:
I wrote A New Jerusalem at the height of the pandemic. The text was inspired by a couple of iconic passages from the Old and New Testament…and “a new Jerusalem” is a metaphor for a place of wholeness-a place of healing, inclusivity, compassion, and justice. A few months ago I began a collaboration with Steve Thomason, an incredibly talented animator, to create a music video for this piece-to bring the lyrics to life in a unique way. Just as we were making final edits, war broke out between Israel and Hamas. “A New Jerusalem” suddenly takes on additional layers of meaning, as Jerusalem is a sacred city to both Jews and Palestinians. My heart breaks for innocent Palestinian and Israeli civilians caught in this war. I considered shelving this video because of the emotion and pain of the war, but in the end I have decided to offer it…because I believe Steve’s beautifully rendered story is an inspiring one. It paints a picture worth imagining…and worth trying to make real.

[@ericemanwu]

Thanks for creating a visualization of this beautiful song. On behalf of Bethany Community Church choir who sang it 6.2.24 in service.

[@johnholt9288]

Kyle and Steve--ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! The sound is far richer than the Gustavus release. Thank you so much for that. And Steve, you captured the vivid moments of Kyle's spiritual imagination with style, nuance and wonderful creativity. Really inspired stuff. Loved the final scene as it unfolded (especially without any hints of Netanyahu!). Thank you both! You brought tears to my eyes (and I am a hard-boiled scholar of religion, so that's quite an accomplishment.) I'm also a Gustavus alum from 1970 and heartened to see the college's tradition "arise" and "come alive" in this way.

[@SteveThomason]

Thanks for letting me animate this beautiful song, Kyle.