I’ve done another sweep through the new songs available for digital download at Willow Publishing, the home of As One Voice. I’m doing backings based on the samples available to get an idea of how these unfamiliar songs go and see how they can add to a music repertoire for mass. Many do not have a any preview to listen to, so I hope my backings will help.
As I have said here in the past, many parishes are stuck with whatever the last hymn book they purchased last century and it doesn’t hurt to sing a new song, as they say.
Patricia Smith is a stand out amongst the Australian song writers at Willow from the last decade. This is a very moving piece based on Crux fidelis for veneration of the cross.
She has used excerpts from the text from ICEL and suggests the first piece is sung three times as the cross is unveiled.
Behold the wood of the Cross on which hung the salvation of the world. (Cantor/Choir)
Come, let us adore. Come let us adore. (All)
During the veneration itself she provides three antiphons. This backing plays them in sequence:
I Come, let us adore. Come let us adore. x2
II Sweet the timber, sweet the iron, sweet the burden that they bear! x2
III Crux fidelis inter omnes arbor una nobilis:
nulla talem, silva profert, flore, fronde, germine.
I noted that the Latin words in the second line of the third antiphon appear in various orders from different sources so take your pick.
If you need a new song for veneration you can purchase this one from As One Voice. You can also view the sample sheet music there.