"All the Nations (Psalm 86:9)" was commissioned by Staff Bandmaster, Ken Waterworth to help celebrate the Melbourne Staff Band's 125th anniversary in 2015. This MSB milestone year also coincided with the band's participation in The Salvation Army's 150th anniversary 'Boundless' celebrations that took place in London, England at the O2 Arena during July 1-5, 2015.
Start the video at 1:32:16 for The Melbourne Staff Band's live performance of 'All the Nations (Psalm 86:9)' live at London's O2 Arena during 'Boundless' The Salvation Army's International Congress, July 2015.
The Melbourne Staff Band performing 'All the Nations (Psalm 86:9)' at London's O2 Arena. (Photo used by kind permission of Simon Loukes).
The scripture referenced in the title acts as a unifying theme and strongly reflects the physical coming together of Christians from many disparate parts of the Salvation Army world: "...All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name..." (Psalm 86:9).
The music opens with a majestic fanfare in the cornets that is quickly followed by a fast minor scherzo that intones fragments from the hymn tune Moscow (Christ for the world we sing). After the pace subsides, the hymn tune St Peter (A.R. Reinagle) is introduced in reflective mode, followed closely by the more contemporary hymn Come, now is the time to worship (Brian Doerksen, 1998). The music closes with a celebratory reprise of the simple yet majestic tune, St Peter.