Surely He Was the Son

An Easter musical from the four Gospels

  • Musical with readings
  • Male and female soloists with SATB choir/vocal group and rhythm section
  • Length: 70 minutes
  • Suitable for full stage musical presentation or cantata
  • Some songs are also suitable for individual presentation
  • Distributed by Someone Up there Records
  • CD and individual tracks available from the Apple iTunes Store and from www.amplifier.co.nz

When I started writing this musical I was fascinated by the exclamation of the Roman centurion at the moment of Jesus’ death. Matthew’s gospel records that there was an earthquake, that the rocks split, the curtain of the temple was torn in two and that the tombs broke open, raising the occupants to life. Such manifestations must indeed have been highly unusual, and when the centurion and those guarding Jesus saw all this they were understandably terrified.

Perhaps prior to this moment, the centurion would have had little reason to consider the victim. After all, he was there simply to carry out another execution. We have no other information about the centurion’s feelings, but this exclamation “Surely he was the Son of God!” reveals, at the end of it all, a man who was shaken and deeply moved.

I wrote this musical to enhance with music the story of the last few days of Jesus’ life — not to add to the texts or embellish them, because I believe that nowhere else is the story told with more simplicity and power than in the Gospels.

Since Surely He Was The Son was completed in 2002 music from it has been performed somewhere every Easter — in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Darwin (Australia) and Chingola (Zambia).

Track List

1 My God, My God/You Are Enthroned 5:10
2 Jesus Took Bread 2:59
3 A New Command 2:30
4 Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled/I Am The Way 4:53
5 When He Comes 3:19
6 Father, The Time Has Come 3:51
7 My Soul Is Overwhelmed 3:31
8 Judas, Are You Betraying? 1:46
9 We Have Heard Him Say 4:18
10 We Have Found This Man/You Brought Me This Man 3:36
11 Away With This Man 2:38
12 The Crucifixion - Part 1 2:28
13 You Who Are Going To Destroy 2:47
14 The Crucifixion - Part 2 2:46
15 Surely He Was The Son/When I Survey 6:21
16 He Is Not Here 2:47
17 It Is True, He Has Risen 2:10
18 Peace Be With You 4:43
19 All Authority 3:42
20 For God So Loved/Surely He Was The Son 4:28

Available Resources

  • Piano-Vocal (SATB) arrangements
  • Conductor’s score
  • Instrumental parts for piano, B3 organ, guitar, bass, drums, alto sax and flute
  • Studio recording
  • Backing tracks