Game-Changers: “Symphony Of Praise”
For the next few months, I’d like to spotlight a number of albums that many consider ‘game-changers’ for the southern gospel music industry. This month, we’ll focus on the Cathedrals, and their 1987 recording Symphony Of Praise.
By the mid-1980s, the Cathedrals had become one of the most well-loved and respected southern gospel quartets. The lineup of Glen Payne (lead), George Younce (bass), Mark Trammell (baritone), and Danny Funderburk (tenor), had produced such time-honored hits as “Somebody Touched Me”, “Can He, Could He, Would He”, and, most recently, “Boundless Love”. In 1986, the group welcomed a new member, a young man from Morristown, Tennessee named Gerald Wolfe, to play piano.
In the spring of 1987, Norman Holland of RiverSong Records (for which the Cathedrals were recording), arranged for the group to travel overseas and record with the prestigious London Philharmonic Orchestra. Norman would serve as Executive Producer for the recording, while a gentleman named Lari Goss would lead the project as Producer, ultimately handling all the musical arrangements.
The end result was nothing short of a musical masterpiece, Symphony Of Praise: 10 songs, but only half featured the orchestra. So, 5 songs with musical accompaniment, the other 5 performed entirely a cappella. Of the 5 songs recorded with the orchestra, each was designed to spotlight a particular member of the group. George Younce starts off the recording with a wonderful rendition of the up-tempo Stuart Hamblen classic “This Ole House”. Tenor Danny Funderburk delivers a heartfelt cover of the Dottie Rambo tune “For What Earthly Reason”. Mark Trammell is featured on a powerful number entitled “Scars And Stripes”. Glen Payne soars vocally on “God Himself The Lamb”, while newcomer Gerald Wolfe delivers what is still his ‘signature song’ to this very day – “Champion Of Love”.
Symphony Of Praise is as much about the Cathedrals as it is its producer, Lari Goss. Goss was no stranger to gospel music. For many years, he performed alongside his brothers, James and Roni, as the Goss Brothers. From the very start, they became known for their unique and innovative arrangements. They are cited as one of the first southern gospel groups to sing using soundtracks (prerecorded music). At the time, other groups were using minimal instrumentation in the concert setting; perhaps a piano and bass guitar or, at the most, a three-to-five piece band including drums and steel guitars.
Lari Goss was always the innovator, looking for ways to advance southern gospel music while, at the same time, respecting its roots. Symphony Of Praise is a prime example of this. As you listen to the recording, the orchestra is there, yes, but it is used in moderation. The orchestrations compliment the Cathedrals, they never overpower. This is often a critique of some of today’s southern gospel music, where some feel that the ‘booming orchestras’ often tend to drown out the performers.
The liner notes for the album were written by Glen Payne’s wife, Van Lua, and recount the Cathedrals’ time in London. Perhaps the power of Goss’ arrangements can best be described in this excerpt:
“The sound was heavenly and the feeling in the studio permeated with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Remember, this is a studio of musicians unaccustomed to religious music and born again Christian people. Needless to say, they were taken back and did realize there was something different going on. Several of the men had tears in their eyes and they were spellbound. Only eternity will tell what was accomplished for the Kingdom”.
While Symphony Of Praise was certainly not the first southern gospel recording to utilize a famed orchestra, I feel it serves as the ‘gold standard’ on how to effectively use an orchestra and, in general, music as a whole to compliment the underlying message of a song. Thankfully, Sony-Provident, who controls the masters of RiverSong records, has made Symphony Of Praise available for listening on all streaming platforms. I encourage you to set aside 40 minutes and enjoy this musical masterpiece in its entirety.
