The following article originally appeared in the May 1999 edition of Metro Lutheran (Minneapolis, MN). It was written by Kathryn Christenson and is posted here with her permission.
Ylvisaker family left its mark on Midwest Lutheranism
There could be an Ylvisaker worshipping in a pew near you this Sunday, possibly disguised by the name of Quello or Running. Or you might be singing a hymn composed by Ylvisaker grandson John.
The first verse of “Drawn To The Light” is based on Isaiah 9:1-4; the second verse is from II Peter 1:19; and the third verse is from Revelation 21:22-26. The tune name is “LaCrosse” because it was premiered at a WELCA Conference held in La Crosse, WI. The four-note sequence that is repetitive in the song is the same four notes found in an old English tune called “Swarthfels Rocks”.
Background on the Composition “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry”
Prior to the merger of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Media Services Center of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) employed John Ylvisaker to write original compositions for its resources.
During 1985, the ALC was doing a series on baptism called “Reflections”. John began work on the song before any footage for the video had been shot. When the media team met to put the music with the video for the first time, it became obvious that the dance-like beat and fast rhythm of the music did not match the gentle scenes being depicted on the screen. The lyrics were on target, but not the music. As he left the studio that day, John received the suggestion to “take it home and personalize it”.
Thus began the most arduous task any composer can face – changing a completed work into something else. However, the original “false labor” later gave way to the “birth” of “Borning Cry”, which is now included in songbooks and hymnals around the world. Postscript: The first version of the music for “Borning Cry” later became “I Will Dance With Jesus.”
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