Joy! Joy! Joy!

“Joy! Joy! Joy!” shares the Scriptural truths about Biblical joy. Joy is not changing in good or bad times (John 15:11). Joy is not the same as happiness, which is affected by the situations of life (Romans 12:12). Joy is deeply rooted in God (1 Peter 1:8-9). It is finding the hand of God in each situation- in the rain or sun (Psalm 16:11). Joy causes praise (Psalm 32:11). Joy causes a song (Psalm 5:11). Joy is “not found in a place, but in the One who always stays beside me.” (Philippians 4:4)
The syncopation pictures the unchanging situations that life brings; yet, the joy of knowing God, Who is unchangeable and in control, negates each negative circumstance. This music allows space to teach children complicated rhythms whilst avoiding childism’s concept that syncopation is too challenging for them. Being that Sunday school music is taught orally, the syncopation won’t be problematic in the learning of this piece.
Musically, the piece follows a basic structure from verse to chorus. Keeping the first beat of each measure clear and strong, the child can listen to where each word lines up with beat one rhythmically. The staccatos in the piano allow for a light texture over the flowing melody. The melody consists of sixteenth notes, ties, and divided phrases. Intervallically, the piece uses stepwise motion, third and fourth intervals, and same-note repetition. Measures 16-18 change the intervallic shape dropping downwards in melody to return to the chorus’ main theme of “Joy! Joy! Joy!” The piece ends on the tonic note of the chord picturing the solidifying of consistent joy regardless of life’s circumstances.