Church Music

I’m going to have a look at John Burland‘s latest collection, Into the World.

In Australia, the most vibrant section of the Catholic music “industry”, remains the school market and the songwriters who started there and then became more relevant generally. For years there was the Holy Trinity of Michael Mangan, Andrew Chinn and John Burland and now there are Patricia Smith and Gen Bryant as well. It is the only sector of Catholic music in Australia, apart from perhaps Cathedral music in the major cities, that isn’t completely amateur. While they started by concentrating on young people and the school market, much of their repertoire is now for everyone.

This album is in a melodic praise and worship style, but with songs for particular liturgical needs, that are definitely designed for parish use as well as schools. When you listen to his versions on Spotify and Youtube, you will note that his production values are most professional.

The opening track was written by John Burland, Philippe-Marc Anquetil, and Stephen Leiweke. This is obviously a song for Pentecost and about the Spirit. The sheet music can be purchased at his site. When he sings, “send me higher” he really means it, so I would be lazy and bring it down from G to F then play capo 3. I left it in the original key for my backing though.

Chorus

Holy Spirit set my heart on fire, give me strength and take me higher.

Holy Spirit set my heart on fire and let it burn.

1 Holy Spirit, come. I want to know God’s love.

I’m standing here. (Holy Spirit breath on me.)

Let your will be done.

Chorus

2 Holy Spirit, come. Unite your church.

Lord lead us out (All together we go.)

To every nation of the world.

Chorus

Bridge x2

In a world needing rebirth, Holy Spirit burn in me.

Come renew the face of the earth, Holy Spirit burn.

Chorus x2

… and let it burn, let it burn.

© 2022 John Burland, Philippe-Marc Anquetil, Stephen Leiweke.

This is the last song in Michael Herry’s collection, Dare to Dream. It is a Marian hymn with chanted verses and a metrical refrain. The text is written by Tricia Walsh and Michael Herry, with Herry providing the music. “Yahweh” will need to be substituted.

The sheet music is free from the Marists, but they don’t have a music track to listen to this time.

My backing isn’t much help as BIAB hates chant. I would ignore the verses in my backing and chant properly, but the refrain is metrical , making this more usable for learning purposes.

1 Maiden Mary in whom the Lord did great things,

Hail Mary full of grace.

Your “yes” gave life to God’s Holy Word;

Woman of faith, hope and love.

Refrain

Praise my soul the Lord our God;

Rejoice in the name of Yahweh [our God].

What marvels the Lord has worked in me.

2 In your dark night on the hill of Calvary,

Numbly you stood, drinking at the well of grief.

The myst’ry of the cross you bore,

Mother of all weighed down in sorrow.

3 His friends in fear gathered in an empty room

As dark and cold as their doubting hearts,

And in their midst you prayed and you waited still.

Woman of faith who dared to believe.

4 The Spirit came in the sign of wind and fire,

Rousing hearts with firm resolve.

You shared our joy at the Church’s birth,

Mother of faith hope and love.

5 Mother of Christ, you who pondered the ways of God.

Lead us on and guide us safely home.

Lest we forget your final words to us.

“Go now and do whatever he tells you.”

© 1991 Michael Herry

This is a chant for the Feast of Pentecost by Michael Herry from the collection Dare to Dream.

There is an ostinato refrain for choir or assembly over which five tenor solos are the verses. The sheet music is free at the Marists, but there is no recording of this one. I like his ambition here.

My backing has the parts at opposite ends of the stereo spectrum.

Ostinato

Come, Spirit of God, enkindle in our hearts the fires of love (x2)

1 Holy Spirit of God, breathing over the seas at the dawn of creation.

2 Holy Spirit of God, filling the whole universe with the presence of God.

3 Holy Spirit of God, bringing God’s life to the womb of the Virgin Mary.

4 Holy Spirit of God, descending in tongues of fire on the apostles.

5 Holy Spirit of God, come and shine forth in our hearts with your glorious light.

© 1993 Michael Herry

This is a gathering song from Michael Herry’s collection Dare to Dream. Once again, the text is by Tricia Walsh.

The sheet music is free from the Marists. You can hear their version at their site as well.

I made two backings:

1 Little by little the dream tales hold; Spirit stirs a mem’ry bold.

Breaking open turning round, cocoon unfolds the dance begins.

Arms stretch out across the world to gather, hold and heal.

A heart opens to the myst’ry of love and enters the pain of the poor.

Refrain

Give voice to the silence, shatter the fear.

Shout out with your lives the Lord is here.

Proclaim in the darkness a vict’ry won.

Your life a light to the world, a light to the world.

2 Life in God, sunk deep in truth, wellspring of hope in a hopeless land.

Symbol of peace amidst despair, Psalm for God sung strong and loud.

Standing with those in chains today, bringing the Word to life.

Open to dreams that lead the way to freedom for one and all.

3 Life poured out on crown of pain, now safe in God’s embrace.

The truth of love calls loud for peace, Your song is sung a dance set free.

Again God’s power over death is seen. You gave in love, you dared to dream,

And now a rainbow of grace and hope lays claim on our hearts of stone.

© 1993 Michael Herry

This is a folk song about Saint Mary Mackillop but written before she was beatified. It is another one of Michael Herry’s Dare to Dream songs with lyrics by Tricia Walsh. By coincidence, today is her feast day.

The sheet music is freely available from the Marists and you can hear their version there as well.

BIAB does simple folk well.

WOMAN FOR TODAY
1 What did you see young Mary, as you
Rode the plains with windswept hair?
Rough bush huts and children,
Their poverty, their despair.
What did you hear gentle Mary,
as the crimson sunrise birthed a new day?

Refrain
Mary your voice calls down the years;
A message of hope it brings.
Lead simple lives of service;
Depend on God in all things.

2 What was your dream, brave Mary,
As you saw beyond the storms of the day?
A land of plenty, shared by all,
With schools to light the way.
Who joined you on your journey
As your dream took root in barren land?
All who came to hear the call,
Brave hearts and helping hands.
Mary your voice calls down the years;
A message of hope it brings.
Lead simple lives of service;
Depend on God in all things.

3 We honour you, blessed Mary.
Your way of life shaped our history.
Living faith and stirring hope
For justice and dignity.
Woman of courage; spirit free;
Faith tested and proved like gold.
Heroic in vision, word and deed,
Your life a treasure we hold.
Mary your voice calls down the years;
A message of hope it brings.
Lead simple lives of service;
Depend on God in all things.

© 1993 Michael Herry

The next song in Michael Herry’s collection Dare to Dream is a bit confusing.

It is a fine setting of the psalm for the second week of Easter Year A by the well known Australian setter of psalms, Jenny O’Brien. I gather her psalm collections are out of print and hard to find. There are some in collections for specific liturgies at Adelaide’s Office for Worship, and audio tracks, without sheet music, for responses for Years B and C. (only three from year A) It would be nice if the sheet music was put up Herry style.

The question is, what is it doing in Herry’s collection? Maybe the Marist Singers just liked singing it – you can hear them do it at the Marist’s site. The sheet music with the text is freely available there as well.

This is a chorus by Michael Herry from his collection Dare to Dream.

The sheet music is free from the Marists. You can hear their version at their site.

It is a contemplative sung prayer. The text is by Tricia Walsh.

I heard a country lilt and it wound up in my backing.

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts won’t rest ’till in thee.

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, when shall we see your face?

© 1993 Michael Herry

Michael Herry’s song “Designer Label” has a subtitle, “with apologies to Country Road” an Australian clothing store.

It is from his collection Dare to Dream, and is designed as a Recessional. The sheet music is free from the Marists.

You can listen to their version at their site but I don’t think the Marist Singers are the best for a country flavoured song. The second and third verse share a different tune to the first verse.

Refrain

You are God’s chosen race, his saints, he loves you,

So be clothed in compassion, gentleness and truth,

Be kind and humble of heart.

1 Bear with one another, forgive each other when a quarrel starts.

Over all these gifts put on love.

2 May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts,

Because for this you were called.

Called together as parts of on body.

3 Let the message of Christ in all its richness find a home in you.

Teach and advise each other,

And with thanks in your hearts sing him praise.

© 1991 Michael Herry

Since the title is meant to be a joke, here’s another one. His song reminded me a little of Steve Martin’s song his grandmother sang to him.

This is the title track of Michael Herry’s collection Dare to Dream.

The lyrics are once again by Tricia Walsh and suitable for Eucharist generally and Lent specifically.

The sheet music is free from the Marists and you can hear their version there. The verses are set for a tenor solo in the first verse and a tenor duet in the second verse. Note that the tune for each verse is quite different, and quite high in the second.

Refrain

Dare to dream with wings that take you

Across the pain that scars the world.

Fly swift, fly sure, have courage and live the dream.

God has called you out of the darkness into the wonder of the light.

Be strong in faith, hope and love; Live out the dream.

1 Will you come with me through the darkness of the cross

To the joy of the dream fulfilled?

Know in my kingdom the burden is light,

So come and follow me.

2 I see a world where the power of love celebrates our world as one,

Where bread is broken and shared for all,

So will you follow me?

© 1993 Michael Herry

Michael Herry wrote this song for the Year of the Family in the 1990s. After yesterday’s blockbuster this is a sweet singable song.

There are Marian uses and Eucharistic uses as well as the obvious use for gathering. There are extra verses for a recessional at the end of the sheet music.

You can hear music from the Dare to Dream collection, including this song, here and the sheet music is freely available from the Marists.

Just to prove BIAB can be used with subtlety:

1 We are family, as we gather in your name;

We are family, we are one yet not the same.

As we gather in our brokenness we are but blind and lame.

May we reach out to each other yet again.

2 In your family, may you open us to share;

In your family, make us bold enough to care;

May the spirit of a woman hast’ning to her cousin’s side,

So inspire us to reach out with our lives.

3 Living family, we know our God is real.

Living family, we’ve got nothing to conceal,

For in giving we receive, and in dying come to life,

Living fam’ly overcomes the darkest night.

4 So be with us Lord, as we journey on each day;

So be with us Lord. You’re the Truth, the Life, the Way;

As we gather ’round your table, may our lives and hearts be one

To be offered now together with your Son.

Rpt Verse 1

© 1993 Michael Herry