Christian Song Review: Symphony of Peace by Jon Shabaglian and Temitope
Our unity as a Church, rooted in one body and spirit, should lead the world to peace anchored in God's grace and love. Symphony of Peace is the soundtrack for such a time as this.
Jon Shabaglian and Temitope have released the single Symphony of Peace, which was inspired by a season of pain and suffering in Shabaglian’s life and for so many others in the past few years. It could not be more eloquently stated than with the lyric, “But Lord have we traded, the choir of gatherings, for solos of discord?”
Symphony of Peace was composed to bring healing and peace to the wounded soul. For so many, those wounds have been inflicted with the dagger of discord in our culture, church, and even families. Symphony of Peace seeks to begin the healing that comes with unity based on God’s truth.
Shabaglian’s grandparents escaped the Armenian genocide in Turkey, so his heritage is rooted in struggle. Temitope is an artist and activist of Nigerian descent with a heart for unity and peace. Included in the track is also a choir from Psalmist Mission, an organization committed, “To use music to bring Light into culture, bringing God’s hand and people’s hands together, while equipping leaders to do the same.”
BIBLICAL FAITHFULNESS
Symphony of Peace revolves around Mathew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Jesus preached this in his Sermon on the Mount and it is recited throughout the song. While the bridge draws directly from scripture, the chorus petitions God to use us to bring a symphony of peace to this world, while the verses shed light on this truth’s profound application to the Christian life.
MUSIC AND PRODUCTION
Sam Hart produced the song, showing great musical sensitivity. The beginning of the song stays restrained with a beautiful piano arpeggio over a subtle pad. This leaves plenty of room for the melody and lyrics, sung by both Shabaglian and Temitope, to remain the focus.
The chorus brings in the Psalmist Mission choir, placed well back in the mix, with strings to fill out the sound. This continues through the second verse. In the second chorus, the choir starts to pull forward. In the inevitable bridge, the choir takes a prominent role reciting Mathew 5:9 in answer to the lyric, “We will be blessed.”
The song builds well, with Hart keeping the production and instruments from overwhelming the song, even in the most intense parts. Shabaglian and Temitope do well to let the melody carry the song without over-embellishing or veering off track.
I would like to point out the powerful construction of the bridge. The repetition of the lyric, “We will be blessed,” is moderated with the singing of Matthew 5, “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” and “They will be children of God.” The balance they achieve with purposeful repetition, the direct application of scripture, and consistent instrumentation is masterful.
