James Garrahy was inspired by the psalms for this song of praise from the emmanuelworship collection Lifted. Most of these songs were being played for some years before they were recorded and it makes this album the pick of their early work.
As it is out of of print, and with their permission, I will put up the sheet music with my backing.
Chris has sent this important missive:
To anyone looking for some simple chant responsorial psalms and/or gospel acclamations for Lent, I now have a complete collection available on LiturgyShare.org from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday including Sundays and the solemnities of Patrick, Joseph, and the Annunciation. Items can be freely downloaded in complete collections from the website’s homepage, or individually via the Liturgy page, in editions for accompanist, cantor and congregation. There is even a printable “tablet” version using colour text to help the cantor stay on track for each stanza!
All have been recorded on YouTube (but don’t expect world class singing!) for demonstration purposes. They can either be accessed from the website or directly from the YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@LiturgyShare – all of Year A is collected in a playlist that will remain on the YouTube homepage during Lent.
One feature of the Gospel Acclamation is that the one tune works for all four of the responses given in the lectionary (Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ … / Glory and praise to you … / Glory to you, Word of God … / Praise and honour to you …). It is, of course, perfectly acceptable to use the same response right the way through Lent.
Metric hymn selections (three for each of the four usual spots plus Hymn of the Day) will be added over the next week or two in the same format as has been the case since Advent, and will also be accessible either via the website or from a playlist on the YouTube homepage. Accompaniment and lyric downloads are available when copyright allows. Links are normally included in the comments section of YouTube as to where accompaniments might be found (if copyrighted) as well as to the LiturgyShare website when downloads are possible. Note that the videos are intended to aid practice and hymn selection rather than showcase beautiful performances, though the latter can be accessed (where available) via the website.
Finally: the psalms were meant to be sung!!! Here are some excellent options if you want something that sticks to the Australian lectionary, but is more musically advanced (interesting / beautiful?) than what I have produced:
Michael Herry: http://www.maristmusic.org.au/ (free, including audio)
Kate Keefe: https://www.musicformass.co.uk/ausnz/index.html (free)
Colin Smith: https://willowpublishing.com.au/product/responsorial-psalms-year-a-sundays-holy-days-and-special-occasions/ (commercial, either individual or as a complete collection)
Amanda McKenna: https://willowpublishing.com.au/product/sing-the-responsorial-psalms/ (response only; commercial, either individual or as a complete collection)
Thank you, and I hope all readers have a holy and blessed Lent.
Chris Wroblewski
This is a song from the emmanuelworship collection Lifted by James Garrahy that I have already blogged here. We certainly used this in liturgical settings – Pentecost for example.
I am mentioning it again because unlike the rest of the songs it is not out of print! You can purchase the sheet music at Willow.
This is the same old backing from all those years ago.
This song from the emmanuelworship collection “Lifted” goes all the way back to 1994 and was written by Patrick Keady and Natalie Balinger. While known for their up tempo, praise and worship style music, they really shine with their ballads.
This one is based on Romans 8:32 and despite the syncopation and sixteenth notes is actually singable by an assembly and is quite lovely. It changes key with the repeat.
Since it is out of print and with their permission I will post the sheet music.
The BIAB backup needed the new extra chords per bar feature in BIAB 2023 to follow the sheet music.
This is the title track from emmanuelworship‘s 2001 collection Lifted. It’s another up tempo testimony of encouragement, that is more for schools or youth rallies than mass. The words are by James Garrahy and the music by James Garrahy and Patrick Keady.
The sheet music is out of print, so with their permission I am posting it. If anyone is thinking these songs are simple rave ups, check out the triplets, the syncopation, the accidental notes crossing keys and the dynamics and all at breakneck speed. There is a lot going on with all these songs. It also would be great fun for a band to play, especially if you had some brass.
My backing is using the new BIAB 2023. I am still using the 2021 version a lot due to its familiarity, but this song needed the new feature of more than 4 chords to the bar so I used the new edition.
In my quest to cover Australian Catholic music I am looking at emmanuelworship‘s collection Lifted. This one is an energetic vocal testimony.
The text is by Liz Buchanan and the music by her and James Garrahy. It is a solo vehicle for the verses but the chorus could be sung by a crowd.
The collection is out of print and unavailable, so with their permission I’ll put up the sheet music. Hmmm… making backings for these songs take a lot more time than metrical hymns.
This song from the emmanuelworship collection Lifted, is a raucous invocation of the Spirit and a call to action. It was written by James Garrahy. It is not something with which an assembly could easily participate, so it would find a place in performance, schools and youth rallies.
The book is out of print so with their permission I will post the sheet music. I made my usual BIAB backing to help learn it.
As a complete contrast to Shirley Murray’s metrical social justice hymns, I going to cross back over the ditch to Brisbane, Australia and do the collection Lifted from Emmanuel Worship. It is from way back in 2001. This book is long out of print but with their permission I will post the sheet music, except where there is a version available for sale at Willow.
I think they came to my then parish in Daisy Hill, Queensland, which was my introduction to their ministry, and we did use three of the songs from this collection in liturgies for some time. I also went to one of their Ignite conferences around this time as well, looking for different music, although I was already an old man comparatively by then. In this collection there are songs of encouragement for young people, now as then, and they are still worth looking at. Many find their place outside of the mass, but since young people’s usual contact with the church is through school they may find a place there.
“Want to Be With You Lord” was written by the then worship director, James Garrahy. It is a rock song of praise and thankfulness. I have a quibble with the words ” brokenness restored”, which suggests we have been restored to brokenness, but that is pedantry.
Entrance: Come to the Feast (Haugen) AOV 1/151
Gifts: Mercy from the Heart of God (O’Brien/Ogilive) AOVD
Communion: A Place at the Table (Shirley Erena Murray – Lori True) AOV NG 1
Recessional: We Remember (Haugen) AOV 1/81
Entrance: Christ Light, Shining in the Darkness (Grant) CWBII 468
Gifts: Bless Our Gifts (Grant) AOVD
Communion: Shepherd Me O God (Haugen) AOV 1/33
Recessional: Mercy from the Heart of God (O’Brien/Ogilive) AOVD
