WASHINGTON (AP) – Keith Getty says the great hymns of the Christian faith “have a great message, and most of them tend to have quite a rich deep lyric.”
But he says that “for them to last over time” they need a timeless melody.
Getty notes that most of the melody for “In Christ Alone,” which he co-wrote with Stuart Townend, is pentatonic. That means it can be played with five notes, like “Amazing Grace” and many of the world’s folk melodies. In the 15 years since they wrote it, “In Christ Alone” has become one of global Christianity’s most popular hymns.
In concert, Keith Getty lets his wife, Kristyn, take the lead. With a mixture of admiration and humility, he says, “Part of that is because she’s a great singer and I’m a terrible singer, and part of that is she’s just more attractive than me.”
The Gettys’ latest CD and DVD, “Joy – An Irish Christmas Tour,” has been released in advance of this year’s Christmas tour, which starts next month.
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