With ‘The River’, composer and songwriter Larry Karpenko delivers a deeply moving piece that straddles the line between personal reflection and spiritual elevation. Inspired by his formative years near the Shenandoah River and a lifelong desire to express connection through music, Karpenko crafts a song that is equal parts confession and orchestral praise.
What begins with gentle piano and harp arrangements flows with calm intention, just like the river it’s named after. But there’s more than pastoral beauty here, there’s also yearning. As Karpenko sings of “the river that runs through my heart,” he invites us into a space of vulnerability, where longing for peace, connection, and divine presence merges into a singular feeling.
Karpenko’s lyrical and musical songwriting is rooted equally in the real and the spiritual. The piece draws from his college years, where memories of the Shenandoah’s winding path became a metaphor for finding refuge, especially during moments of emotional or existential unrest. His melodic phrasing speaks in quiet tones, only to build with clarity and resolve as the song develops.
One of the most poignant moments arrives as the arrangement swells and a choir enters, lifting the track into something truly transcendent. Working closely with members of his own church community, he envisioned this moment as one where “you could imagine angels singing in heaven,” and the result delivers exactly that: a swelling choral passage that brings tears as easily as it brings chills.
Midway through, the track shifts into a powerful rendition of the hymn “Shall We Gather at the River,” not as a detour, but as a natural culmination. The past and present intertwine with orchestral brass, handbells, and reverent percussion to carry us through a triumphant final act, ending in a moment of stillness where Karpenko returns, gently, to “the river that flows by the throne of God.”
This release is especially notable as Karpenko’s first orchestrated and published work, and it stands as a testament to his musical vision and emotional clarity. It also marks a personal milestone by incorporating handbells in honour of his children, and daring to blend traditional sacred arrangements with contemporary instrumentation like drum kit and layered harmonies.
More than just a debut in a new musical format, ‘The River’ is a heartfelt invocation. Larry Karpenko reminds us that healing and hope can be found in quiet waters, and that sometimes, the places we return to in our minds are the ones that shape us most.
