John Keys - Come By Here

Topic: Instrumental Versions
John Keys recorded an organ version of "Come by Here" in 2012 that was intended for use by churches that did not own organs. It could be played by itself, or as an accompaniment for group singing.

In many way Keys’ background was radically different from those of Bryan Latimer and Anthony Giamanco. They were raised in parts of Michigan where the glaciers left poor agricultural lands, and came of age after the automotive industry had begun retreating from nearby cities that once were centers for music. [1] Keys was from Chester, England, which dated back to the Romans. [2] Its cathedral was transferred to the Church of England in 1541, and survived the English civil war relatively undamaged. The latest organ was installed in 1844, and restored in 1969. [3]

The early educations of all three were modest. Latimer and Giamanco went to state universities in Saginaw and Ypsilanti. Keys worked as the assistant organist at Chester cathedral. Then, their roads diverged. After three years, Keys went on to New College, Oxford, and then the Geneva Conservatoire. The Michiganders worked for local churches, while he was made director of music at Saint Mary’s church in Nottingham. [4] The organ there was installed in 1973. [5]

Keys was luckier than they: his name resulted in concert invitations. However, even he had found ways to supplement his income. This recording of "Come by Here" is one of 2,500 he has produced for smaller churches. His website said:

"We recognise that increasingly there are multiple churches in a parish or benefice, and so a single purchase of our CDs and downloads is licensed for use in up to four churches, as long as they are in the same parish or benefice." [6]

The nature of the market he was serving dictated the simplest type of accompaniment: his website listed special collections for Methodists, Roman Catholics, and Seventh Day Adventists. [7] Many of these, especially in the United Kingdom, subscribed to Thomas Hastings view that the organ should do no more than support the choir, and the text of the hymn. [8]

He began by playing the third and fourth lines of "Come by Here" to set the pitch and pace. His right hand played the melody, and the left only played chords at the end of the third line, and after "Oh" and "Lord" in the last.

He then repeated the melody three times with no variations. The left hand played three descending notes after the first line and a chord after the second. The third and fourth were unchanged from the first iteration.

Keys played the Xx pattern of the Hightowers’ version, but the organ had none of the percussiveness of their piano. As Lightnin’ Hopkins showed with his organ version of "Needed Time," [9] this was not a limitation of the instrument but an aesthetic or marketing choice made by Keys.

The most interesting thing about his rendition was that it existed. His website gave no indication of where he learned this melody, and his subtitle indicated he thought it was the same as "Kumbaya." So far as I know, "Come by Here" has not been published, and it has not been commercially recorded in some years. Keys must have heard about it from some individual.

Performers
Instrument: pipe organ.

Credit
Copyright: John Keys

Notes on Music
Opening Phrase: Hightowers 1-5
Tempo: moderate
Basic Structure: Strophic; one verse repeated without variation

Notes on Performance
Keys’ website said: "The discs were recorded by John Keys at the organs of St. Mary’s Church, Nottingham and Nottingham High School." [10]

Availability
Amazon: Uplifting Hymns, Volume 1. John Keys’ label, 21 August 2012.

End Notes
1. Wikipedia. "Chester."

2. Wikipedia. "Chester Cathedral."

3. Wikipedia. "John Keys (Organist)."

4. Latimer and Giamanco were discussed in the last post.

5. Wikipedia. "St Mary’s Church, Nottingham."

6. HymnsCDs website.

7. HymnsCDs website.

8. Thomas Hastings was discussed in the last post.

9. Hopkins’ version was described in the post for 23 August 2017.

10. HymnsCDs website.