Church Music

Dan Schutte writes gorgeous melodies that sometimes sound like show tunes. This is a funeral song, or for All Saints, that is none the worse for his flair. It was added to Breaking Bread in 2019 by OCP. He has written a memorial verse with adaptations for syllables and accents of the deceased name – he thinks of everything.

As always OCP are happy to sell you the sheet music here and provide the text in their preview.

You wouldn’t guess from my typical backings, but it is possible to make a backing with just piano, cello and melody on BIAB.

This is a perplexing song from Rick Modlin. The text is fine for a recessional but the tune’s progression through various keys makes you wonder if it won him a bet. A choir may be more comfortable with this, but it still made the new songs from OCP for Breaking Bread in 2019. It is a challenging, stirring and beautiful piece if your assembly is up to it.

The sheet music can be purchased at OCP, where the text is in their preview. Do look at the music’s “fluid harmonic plan”.

It is was interesting massaging it into BIAB.

This Barbara Bridge hymn with environmental themes was added to Breaking Bread in 2019 by OCP. It is meant to be a call and response between a cantor and assembly, but there is nothing in the cantor’s line preventing the whole thing being being sung by the congregation.

The text is in the preview at OCP. You can also buy the sheet music there.

OCP added this traditional country song to Breaking Bread in 2019. It was written by a committee: Sarah Hart, Sarah Kroger, Josh Blakesley and Trey Heffinger. It is an obvious choice for Easter but the sentiments can work in any Mass really (except Lent of course). Using the number of You Tube clips as a guide, this song appears to have become popular very quickly.

The sheet music can be purchased at OCP and the text is available here.

The sheet music suggests an Appalachian feel so BIAB wheeled out the dulcimer.

This a traditional sounding hymn but was only written in 2015 by Michael Joncas. It was added to Breaking Bread by OCP in 2019. While the music harks back to the past, the text is informed by the present exploring social justice themes in a Eucharistic context.

You can find the text in the preview at OCP who would be happy to sell you the sheet music.

I dusted off BIABs fake organ for the backing.

This Owen Alstott text was set to the American folk song HARK MY SOUL. It was added to Breaking Bread by OCP in 2019.

It is a gathering song that could also work for Gifts.

The sheet music can be purchased at OCP where the text is in their preview.

It is a sweet singable tune for which I made a backing on BIAB.

I’m still looking through the songs added to Breaking Bread in 2019 by OCP.

This song appears mainly for Adoration but would obviously suit Eucharist as well. The tune is by Curtis Stephan and Steve Angrisano. The text is an English translation of the Latin texts Attende Domine (verses) and O Salutaris (refrain).

OCP has the text in their preview and will sell you the sheet music.

This funeral song was added to Breaking Bread by OCP in 2019. The text by Owen Alstott was set here by Rick Modlin. It is also suggested for Anointing of the Sick and All Souls. The assembly is likely to pick up the refrain even with the key change and the verses are probably for a soloist.

The text is in the preview at OCP , where the sheet music can be purchased for download.

I had a bit of fun with the BIAB backing and even slowed down at the end like the music told me to for a change.

Janèt Sullivan Whitaker’s lovely song of social concern was added to Breaking Bread in 2019. It has elements in the song that would suit for Gifts, Eucharist and sending forth. It goes off into a bridge that keeps things fresh and the song appears very singable.

OCP will sell you the sheet music and the text is in their preview.

Continuing with the songs that OCP added to Breaking Bread in 2019, there is this song by Jaime Cortez for Lent with a specific verse for Ash Wednesday. It is would be great during a second rite of Reconciliation too. There is both a Spanish and English text.

The sheet music can be purchased at OCP where the text is in their preview.