Author Archives: maddg

Every church musician has a folder of miscellaneous songs that are used sometimes but aren’t in the major collection their church uses. Since I’ve done backings for everything in As One Voice, I’ll put up backings from my miscellaneous folder. … Continue reading →

I’ve finished making backing tracks to learn new songs from these collections. I may put up other versions as time goes by, but even the ropey ones are adequate to their purpose. I’ve had some feedback from choirs who are … Continue reading →

Paul Inwood writes interesting tunes and this is one of them.  It is a setting of Ps 16 but can be used generally. The first three verses have enough subtle differences to trick the assembly and the fourth is really … Continue reading →

A gentle, lovely song about being community by Richard Gillard. The sample at AOV shows it is best with minimal or no instrumental backing. There are some good versions on the net: here, here, and here for example. There are … Continue reading →

A song for nativity plays that allows for a lot of dressing up. It was written by Leigh Newton and you can hear a sample at AOV. 1. At Christmas time the birds all sing The rabbits jump, the lizards … Continue reading →

Another Taize chant from Jacques Berthier. Go to AOV for a sample in English. Also known as La Tenebre you can hear it in French here, and AOV has it in eleven languages. Our darkness is never darkness in your … Continue reading →

This is a socially aware text by Shirley Erena Murray set to a traditional sounding tune by Hal Hopson. Listen to the sample at AOV. You can get a copy of the sheet music, without chords, from Hope publishing. My … Continue reading →

This song comes up from time to time and I’ve never found a way of singing it that I approve of.  The text is by Damian Lundy and no-one will admit to have written the music. The sample at AOV … Continue reading →

We use this Marty Haugen song a lot. It is 3/4 in AOV but has more of a 6/8 feel and is an excellent recessional. The sample has a bored sounding children’s choir, some nice percussion and is somewhat slower … Continue reading →

I have a vague recollection of doing this Brian Boniwell song many years ago, but certainly not lately. It is a gentle 6/8 song with a bridge after the second refrain. The sample gives the feel of the song, but … Continue reading →