I Surrender - Marcus Venables

The New York Staff Band perform the tone poem "I Surrender" by Marcus Venables at the NYSB's 130th Annual Festival at West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, NJ on May 13, 2017. The piece features the song "I Surrender All".

In life, we as people have so many things. If you were asked to give it all up, could you? Mathew 19:16-22 talks about the rich young man that asked Jesus what good he must do to receive Eternal Life. Through the piece there is the idea of surrendering our life and following God’s plan. There is the theme of material things/possessions and another theme that asks “All to Jesus?” The music battles with the want of these possessions and the want to follow Christ. The question of “All to Jesus?” never really gets answered until a realization occurs of surrendering everything and being a witness for Christ through the gifts He has given us.

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust him,
In his presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
O the joy of full salvation
Glory, glory to his name.