My Musical Musings Blog | betsyleebaileymusic.com - The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey

Singing Praises During the Easter Season

4/2/2026

One of my earliest memories at Easter time was hearing my mother practice her songs for singing in the Tabernacle Choir. My mother had a lovely clear high soprano voice. She was one of just a few voices allowed to sing the highest notes in the choir. I liked to sit with her by the piano and try to sing along. I could sing very high notes, too

Betsy Lee age 5 1/2

When I was 5 years old, she got me up very early Easter morning saying, "I don't think I can sing the high notes today. Betsy can you come sing them for me?" Bleary eyed and not wanting to wear the extremely itchy woolen sweater she dressed me in, I rode in the carpool with her from Provo to Salt Lake City. In those days, security at the Tabernacle was nothing like it is today. My mother smuggled me into the choir loft and I sat at her knees singing away with the choir during the radio broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word because she and I both knew I could.
(That would never happen today!)

For most of my life, though, Easter usually fell on the weekend of General Conference. It was always difficult to provide choral music at church for Easter Day, because of General Conference or because my choir singers would be out of town due to Easter Break vacations. I was usually the Ward or Stake choir director and tried my best to plan Easter Music before or after Easter, but rarely on Easter Sunday.

I am so pleased that this year I got to participate in some wonderful Easter themed concerts and Church programs --- even though Easter Sunday will be during General Conference in a couple of days. I am even going tonight to a Handel's Messiah Sing-In on BYU campus. Singing praises during this most important season brings me such joy.

As a member of the Tabernacle Choir, we always sang Easter-themed choral music at Easter time. One year, we had to have the entire score of Handel's Messiah memorized for the recordings and concerts we gave that Easter. What a choice experience! I love singing praises to my Lord and Savior at this special time of year.

This duet for Soprano and Mezzo is a wonderful praising piece just right to sing for the Easter season. "Come Sing to the Lord"

Music with a Life of Its Own

10/14/2025

One of my favorite musical scores is "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Alan Mencken and Steven Sondheim. The story is quite dark, too dark for small children, although the Disney animators tried very hard to put in humorous sequences and characters to lighten the mood. Still, the riddle "who is the monster and who is the man?" and looking forward through the darkness to "the new millennium when things will be brighter someday" are not the normal light, jovial themes for young children's entertainment.

The musical score is chocked full of memorable tunes in a variety of styles, everything from medieval Latin Requiem chant to music hall soft shoe. The vocal talent used for this movie is incredible. Some of the songs are a vocal tour de force and take special singers with extraordinary ranges to pull off a performance. Yet many of the songs are catchy and fun for anyone to sing.

It has become a trend that at the end of every Alan Mencken Disney musical, that one song will be sung as exit music done by pop singers in their particular style. (Quite a departure from the style in the original context of the movie.) And that reminds me of something I was advised about long ago.

Publishing your music means giving it away.

One of my mentors said this to me years ago. I didn't really believe him then. At that point in time, I had not written very many songs and I had not had anything published as yet. I had supposed what he meant was that the music publishing business was not very lucrative. Whereas, that statement is probably true, I think he had a different meaning in mind. He wanted to warn me that sometimes a song will take on a life of its own.

Composers tend to think that what they write down is how a piece of music will be used and performed forevermore. (After all, they take great care to include all the intended notes, AND also performance directions using dynamic, tempo, and expression marks.) That, it turns out, is a very naive notion.

First of all, composers tend to write for a certain occasion and set of performers. They imagine in their minds the end product as they are writing. Well, in reality, the end product will always be subject to the talent and proficiencies of the performers. The performers may execute the notes according to the score, but the they will also add their own interpretations. They may also have a completely different idea about how it should be performed!

For example, TEMPO makes a big difference! A song the composer intended to be performed upbeat, will have a completely different flavor if performed at a slower tempo. The mood may go from "charged with excitement" to "peaceful and quiet" like a lullaby.

Then, there are experiments with RHYTHM and BEAT. A song can become something completely different when the melody and chord progression is played against a Latin or Rock beat, or changed to Waltz time.

INSTRUMENTATION can also change the entire song. The composer who wrote for a large choir with orchestra may be shocked to hear his song performed by just a soloist and guitar. He may also be delighted.

As a COMPOSER, I have been surprised and mostly delighted when I hear how my songs are being used. Surprised at how widespread across the world they have been performed. Delighted to hear of and sometimes get to visit a school or Church when my music is being performed or watch a cover on a YouTube video..

There have been times, though, when I scratch my head and wonder how the performers came up with their unique interpretations. That's when I remember what my mentor told me that "publishing your music means giving it away."

It is TRUE! Sometimes a song will take on a life of its own.

"King of Kings" SATB with Soloists is an original Christmas song that has been sung by soloists and choirs around the globe. It definitely has taken on a life of it's own!

"King of Kings" Duet for Soprano and Baritone

Writing Music in a Vacuum

9/10/2025

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is one of the most revered composers of all time. His music is still being studied, played, and re-arranged these many centuries later. The organist at Church played a beautiful postlude last Sunday that I presumed was JS Bach because I enjoyed it so much. (But in case I was wrong, I went up to ask him to confirm.) Listening to the music of Bach always makes me feel uplifted. It is obvious to me that his musical ideas came from a brain infinitely smarter than mine, and yet he always gave thanks for and dedicated his music to God. Such humility.

I remember studying about Bach in college. One of the things that really impressed me about his genius was how he worked under pressure. For years, he had to produce something new each week to be performed in the next Sunday's services. We were told that he would go into his studio and then into his own musical thoughts. He would spend Monday and maybe Tuesday writing down those thoughts. Then he would give instructions to the copyists (mostly his own children) to get the music prepared for the choir and/or musicians for their Thursday rehearsals. Amazing!!!

Then, in my own sophomoric thoughts, I'd say to myself, "Well, he had a reason to write and musicians to write for. That's why he could write so fast..."

Then I'd have to reprimand myself. Where, I do believe it is true that having a reason to write gives a composer purpose, that doesn't make it any easier. Still, I tell myself, "Wouldn't it be nice to have that kind of genius? (sigh) Maybe if I just studied Bach more..."

There have been times in my life when I was a Choir Director and felt obliged to write new music quite often. It was indeed easier for me to write for those 25-30 voices that I knew so well and the pianist that I knew was quite competent. Then there were the times I had vocal or piano students who needed something rather specific for some recital or school performance. Or there was an opportunity to write a new Children's Musical that would be performed in a few months. Having the reason to write surely gave me the impetus to write.

If left solely up to myself, I find it difficult to write in a vacuum. I need a few parameters to get started --- such as "who will be performing?" "how many performers?" "what style?" "what topic?" "what instruments" "what occasion"... and the list goes on. This is when having a built-in reason like having students or a choir ready to perform your work is so motivating.

There was a time though when I wrote purely for myself. I had a desire to write a collection of sacred solos for high voice that I could sing. So, I set out to create some hymn arrangements and original songs on sacred and scriptural texts that suited my personal tastes and abilities. But when it came time to record them to go out with the publication, I decided to share the spotlight.

This was probably the one time I was able to write music by filling the vacuum myself. I came up with the ideas and reasons with just the flicker of hope that these musical creations would someday be performed by other singers somewhere out there...

The Praiseworthy Singer Volume 14
The Praiseworthy Singer Volume 15

Serendipity

6/24/2025

Last Sunday I was asked to accompany my cousin and her nephew in a special musical number. The ward where they were singing was in the same chapel as my ward that met just after. They sang very well, and were delighted to see that more family members had come to hear them perform. I had asked my cousin if she would stay just a little while longer and sing in my ward as well. She said that she didn't think she had time for she had responsibilities in another ward across town at 12:30 pm.

However, she and the other family members stayed in the back of the chapel until three minutes before our meeting was to begin. So, I went back and informed them that since they stayed this long, they might as well stay a bit longer and sing in my ward. So, they agreed. I explained things to the Bishopric member, and since I was in charge of the music, it was no problem.

Serendipitous situations like this sometimes just happen, if the wheels are put in motion at the right time by the right people. It was wonderful to have them sing. We had not had a special musical number in many weeks. (Summers are when it is particularly difficult to secure people who are willing or in town long enough to prepare a special musical number.

The song they sang was very special in our family. It was a setting of the 23rd Psalm by Henry Smart. In the early 1960's when my family was living in Houston, TX, my mother found a book of sacred duets by various composers for various combinations of voices at the local music shop. She was excited because she thought it was the perfect time for her to teach her 12-year-old daughter how to sing duets with her. That was me. She thought that song was perfect for my first foray into the world of singing sacred duets in a classical style. (In other words, she deemed my voice and musical ability mature enough to match her.)

Together, we sang that duet many times in many different meetings, but mostly for funerals and special musical numbers at church. After I left home, she taught it to others of my siblings. I believe, every one of us had a chance to sing it either with my mother or with each other.

Over the years, apparently my mom shared this music with others in her family, too, like her opera singing brothers. They shared it with their singing children, too. It has become quite a favorite throughout our clan.

Actually, I didn't realize this until last summer when my cousin asked be to accompany her and her nephew singing it in her ward. When we got together to practice, she was quite surprised that I had the physical book that she had a photocopy of. We compared the music and there were the handwritten notes of where I was to sing and where my mom would sing. Somehow, I was blessed to own that heirloom book.

(My cousin is endeavoring to order the actual book, now that she has the correct information about it.)

Forgotten Songs

5/28/2025

There was a surprising moment in Sunday School class the other day. The teacher had asked for class members to tell about experiences where people have influenced their lives in a positive way. The comments went round and round mostly about how people gave selfless service in times of need. But then, one man started talking about how music is a special kind of service, and how some people have influenced others for good through music and may not even realize the good they have done. He gave a beautiful tribute to his wife who had recently passed away, and all of the wonderful ways she used music to bless the lives of others.

As I sat there enjoying that beautiful tribute to his wife (who was my friend), he suddenly started talking about me. He mentioned how composers create songs that may bless people's lives, and yet the composers themselves may never know how much good they have done. Then, out of the blue, he asked me how many songs I had written. That took me by surprise. I had no words.

My daughter, who was sitting right beside me, piped up, "Oh, she's written hundreds of songs." And he went on, "See, I know Betsy writes music for Children's Theater shows that have blessed many children's lives. And I know she writes music for choirs and soloists, and who knows what else. She probably has no idea how many people her work has blessed over the years." Then fortunately the comments turned to other topics.

But, it is true that composers really have no idea who uses their music in the broader context. Sometimes I run across a YouTube video that someone posted who used one of my songs. Occasionally someone will contact me asking a question about one of my pieces. Once in a while, someone will comment about how their choir loved one of my chorals. Those are rare phenomena indeed.

My writing career has been long enough now that even I don't remember all of the songs I have written or arranged, let alone worry about who has performed them. I was curious about how many songs I'd written or arranged and started counting once, but it became overwhelming. So I just gave up. So many pieces were written for some long forgotten quick projects that I never even thought to engrave them and post them to the website. I haven't even saved legible copies. They are just among the forgotten songs now.

Even some pieces that I did take the time to engrave, publish, and record I haven't really remembered. Take for instance "To Feel His Presence There." I ran across it the other day and listened to the recording. I can't even remember now what prompted me to write it. I must have been in what I call my "Mendelssohn" melancholy. Maybe the choir I was singing with at the time was doing a Mendelssohn piece. I really don't recall now.

Another forgotten song...

There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today

5/22/2025

In the Wasatch Master Chorale, we are preparing for our last concert of the season. It is also our Bon Voyage send off for those of us who are going on a tour to New York City. (I did not plan to go because I had planned to drive my daughter's family across country that same week --- but now I don't have to do that. Oh well...) Anyway, one of the sets we are singing contains several Appalachian hymn arrangements. They are very fun to sing --- songs like "The Storm Is Passing Over," "The Unclouded Day," and "No Time."

There is something delicious about singing early American Folk Hymns. The melodies and harmonies may be a bit raw and unpolished, but they contain pure emotion, joy and worship. Several years ago now, I decided to write a set of hymn arrangements for solo voice. Some early American Hymns seemed like just the right choice to go into that collection. And though some of the hymns may not be exactly early American, they still fit that genre.

"There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today" was at the top of the list. It was actually the first sacred solo I wrote just for myself. My youngest son had gone off to Kindergarten, and that gave me time to devote myself to purely selfish projects. This hymn had become a favorite because of a dear friend who grew up in a deaf family. She told me that she always thought of her mother's desire to have the Lord hear the righteous *song in her heart that she cannot sing.

There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today - arr. by Betsy Lee Bailey
Text: Eliza E. Hewitt, 1851-1920, Music: John R. Sweney, 1837-1899

There is sunshine in my soul today more glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky for Jesus is my light.
There is sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful, happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face
There is sunshine in the soul.

There is music in my soul today, a carol to my King,
And *Jesus listening can hear the songs I cannot sing.
There is sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful, happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face
There is sunshine in the soul.

There is springtime in my soul today, for when the Lord is near
The dove of peace sings in my heart, the flowers of grace appear.
Oh, there's sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful, happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face
There is sunshine in the soul.

There is gladness in my soul today, and hope and praise and love,
For blessings which he gives me now, for joys laid up above.
Oh, there's sunshine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful, happy moments roll.
When Jesus shows his smiling face
There is sunshine in the soul.
There is sunshine in my soul today,
Sunshine in my soul today.

In this recording, my sister Bonnie Lee is singing and I am playing the piano. This and other solos are available for Medium High Voice in The Praiseworthy Singer Vol. 14 and 15

Draw Near Unto Me

4/5/2025

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you" begins D&C 88:63. My ears immediately perk up when a scripture is quoted in General Conference that I have set to music. President Henry B. Eyring quoted the rest of the verse as well. "Seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

This verse provided a powerful point of inspiration to set it to music. I must have been in a very Mendelssohn mode, though. I may have been singing or studying some of his works. I don't remember now, but it seems pretty obvious.

For those of us who have classical vocal training, we need the challenge of singing music that exercises our musical ranges. In the mid 2000's, I was looking for opportunities to sing music that harkened to the great masters but took their texts from the Book of Mormon or modern prophets. So I began writing some of my own. During that time, I wrote some Choral, and Solo and Duet works that had texts from prophets such as Isaiah, Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Joseph Smith, and quotes from the Savior as recorded in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.

Break Forth into Joy
By Small and Simple Things
Come Sing to the Lord
Counsel with the Lord in All Thy Doings
How Exquisite was My Joy
Keystone of Our Faith
My Promised Land
O That I Were an Angel
Dedication

Draw Near Unto Me was a piece that started life as a Soprano solo. Then it became a Choral piece with a part for a soprano or tenor soloist. Then it morphed into a duet for Soprano and Baritone. I had always planned on recording it, but life got in the way. I actually haven't thought about it in years.

But when President Eyring quoted that verse in Conference, the words and music came flooding back into my mind.

He told how the promise made by the Savior in that verse was the prelude to many revelations. That reminded me of when I was trying to write this piece. I felt that it needed a companion scriptural quote to fill it out. So I searched through many references to prayer in the Doctrine and Covenants. When I came across D&C 98:1-2, I knew that was what I should use. I felt like I was taking dictation and it was hard to write fast enough to keep up with inspiration.

Enjoy "Draw Near Unto Me" Duet for Soprano and Baritone

Tensions and Resolutions

1/20/2025

"Was that song you sang by Mendelssohn?" the organist asked me yesterday after the meeting. I know he was just kidding, but it felt good to be complimented that way and have my work compared to such a great composer. My daughter Cami and I sang a duet in Church that I had written back when we lived in Maryland.

At that time I was singing with the Harford Choral Society. The conductor, Arlen Clarke, was also a composer and took an interest in helping me in my solo and choral writing. When he looked over my first draft of "Come Sing to the Lord," he said, "Here's an idea for you that could make this piece a lot more fun." Then he told me about his, at that time, current fascination with "unresolved ninths."

Most people will understand how when two notes are only a half or whole step apart, they rub together and provide tension. But usually, they resolve to a more stable interval such as a third. A pretty common example of this is at a cadence when the 4th of the major scale is rubbed up next to the 5th scale degree and it wants to resolve to the 3rd. That would be the F and G rubbing together in a G7 chord with a strong pull to resolve to the tonic chord C major.
Well, just know that there are other examples of "rubs" that provide tension. including 7ths, 9ths, and other juicy intervals and chords.

Well, Maestro Clarke noticed the places in my song that I put tension in between the singer's notes, but I always resolved them. He encouraged me to leave some of these partial cadences unresolved. He said that doing that would heighten the interest especially at the climax on the word "VICTORY." The resolution would come later during the piano interlude and/or modulation to the new key. So, with trepidation, I tried it.

When we sang yesterday, I wondered what kind of reactions I might get, especially from knowledgeable musicians in the congregation. Most people complimented us on the usual things like, "That music was so lovely!" "Your voices blended together in a way that only family can!" or "I loved how your voices wove above and below each other in such a fun way!"

But having my music be compared to Mendelssohn ... that was a highlight! Now I just have to figure out a time when Cami and I can record it before she moves to Albany...

The Prophet Alma's Desires

7/9/2024

We are studying Alma 23-29 in our Come Follow Me lessons this week. This made me think of setting the Prophet Alma's words to music. This is from a previous blog post:

If I ever need a text to use for composing a sacred song, I usually look through Alma's writings in the Book of Mormon. He has so many beautiful and powerful sermons and uses such poetic language -- surviving even when translated into English. One of my favorite texts comes from Alma 29:29.

The prophet Alma is recounting how he wishes he had the voice of an angel to cry repentance to all people. He would shout repentance with a powerful voice so loud that it would shake the whole earth. That way, people would surely get the message and indeed repent. But no, that cannot be. Each person has agency to choose to repent and follow Christ, or not. Still, he thinks that being an instrument in bringing even one soul unto God is the greatest blessing ever.

I was privileged to write the solo version of this text for a vocal student of mine who was leaving soon to fill his mission in Thailand. He had a powerful, heroic tenor voice that really suited the music. He sang it beautifully for his farewell.

The format of the song is a rondo -- the refrain repeats after each contrasting section. Each adventure away from the refrain is unique and carries its own special message and music. Each return to the refrain connects the parts together and unifies the whole.

Not long after I wrote this solo piece, a baritone friend of mine wanted me to adapt it as a duet for us to sing together -- Soprano and Baritone. I did and we premiered it at a Stake Conference meeting. I am just sorry that we never recorded it.

The solo "O That I Were an Angel" is in a collection of Sacred Songs and Hymn Arrangements "The Praiseworthy Singer" Volume 14.

"O That I Were and Angel" Sacred Duet for Soprano and Baritone is available for digital download.

'Tis the Season...wait...Pre-Season?

10/14/2023

Already the stores are setting out Christmas items...decorations, gift ideas, clothes, candy. Playing non-stop Christmas music in the store will be next. All weeks before Halloween or even Thanksgiving.

This is not such a new phenomenon for musicians, though. We tend to write, arrange, and start practicing Christmas music in July!

Since I am not currently directing a choir, I decided to do a different project in this Christmas "pre-season." I've been working on adding more offerings on my YouTube Channel. A few years ago, I recorded seven of The Mark Hayes Vocal Collection: 10 Christmas Songs. He is a prolific master arranger, composer, clinician, choral conductor, and pianist. The score folio came with a CD of the master himself playing the piano accompaniments. There is nothing quite like singing with the composer himself indicating the exact interpretations.

When I first sang through these pieces with the CD accompaniment, I marveled how "in sync" I felt. It was as though he knew how to anticipate the length of time I needed to extend the phrases and even the time I needed to take a breath. It made me feel like he was following me.

For vocal students and performers, these pieces are excellent repertoire. Perhaps these recordings will help the student learn them easier. For my other followers, I created visuals to help tell the stories of these beautiful Christmas songs.

(Click on the images and it will take you to YouTube to play the videos.)

The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey copyright 2020