Author Archives: maddg

Bob Hurd’s song “Be It Done Unto Me” is a Mary song that is gentle and subtle, flowing from major chorus to minor verse, and is another one ready for Advent. You can hear the original version here. It can be … Continue reading →

This Victorian era translation (R F Littledale) of a 15th century text (Bianco do Sienna) with a tune by Ralph Vaughn Williams is a nice old hymn. Listen to a stirring version here. My backing is the usual BIAB church organ sound I’m afraid. 1. … Continue reading →

Sr Sandra Sears of the Community of St Barnabas and St Cecilia wrote this Mary song that has lots of relevance for Advent, which is coming soon. There is no sample at the AOV site of this song but I think … Continue reading →

Michael Joncas is famous for his setting of Psalm 91 called “On Eagles Wings,” but he also wrote this setting, which is a more standard Psalm setting. You can hear it at this site. It can be purchased for download … Continue reading →

This is a song by Marist Priest Kevin Bates. It comes from Psalm 32 but our liturgy teams have used it at other times and also just as a response when it fitted. Listen to the snippet here to see how gently … Continue reading →

This song by Bob Dufford has no right to be so popular. Marrying selections from the Beatitudes with passages from Isaiah is an interesting way to link Jesus with the God of the Old Testament I suppose, but the fiddly timings should … Continue reading →

I like a tune with the instruction, “vigorously” written on it. Carey Landry is better known for tunes that are not at all vigorous – “Only a Shadow”, “Abba Father”, “Hail Mary Gentle Woman,” – you get the picture, so … Continue reading →

This is Dan Schutte’s very popular song that is now wrong because it says the “Yahweh” word. He writes perceptively about the problem here and the revised text is here. It sings better with the original text. It can be purchased for … Continue reading →

Owen Alstott is an OCP composer who wrote this song, which is obviously a song of gathering, but also with application for Eucharist.  He is Bernadette Farrell’s husband – isn’t it great for a man to be the less famous … Continue reading →

This is a very used song by Fr Frank Andersen.  It falls foul of the Yahweh rule and the singing in God’s voice rule, but it is beloved by many and you couldn’t kill it off with a stake through … Continue reading →