Church Music

Trish was able to point me to the sheet music of this song her parish used at Open Hymnal. With CWB II relying so heavily on old material, especially for tunes, Open Hymnal is looking a much more practical alternative for traditional hymnody.

This is a C18 German song for Eucharist. The version in the Open Hymnal is hamstrung by archaic English in the translation and over complex sentence construction that will make singing it interesting. It is much like the current missal translation in that respect. There are however a lot of variations in lyrics after the first verse available. OCP have a version with a less clunky translation. It is set to NON DIGNUS.

This from the Open Hymnal version:

O Lord, I am not worthy that thou should'st come to me.
But speak the words of comfort, my spirit healed shall be.

o Lord, Thou art all holy, the angels thee adore;
How, then, ought I sincerely my wrongs and sins deplore!

But when Thou soon will enter, my heart, my sinful heart,
Then heal me, be my shelter, for Thou my Saviour art.

O Lord, how can I thank Thee for such a gift as this?
A gift which truly filleth my soul with heavenly bliss!

I praise Thee, I extol Thee, I love Thee O my Sire,
Till once in joy and glory, in heav'n I Thee admire.

This is from Godsongs and has the verses used by OCP and which seem in more common use:

 O Lord, I am not worthy that thou should’st come to me;
But speak the word of comfort, my spirit healed shall be.

And humbly I’ll receive thee, the bridegroom of my soul,
No more by sin to grieve thee or fly thy sweet control.

Eternal Holy Spirit, unworthy though I be,
Prepare me to receive him and trust the Word to me.

Increase my faith, dear Jesus, in thy real presence here,
And make me feel most deeply that thou to me art near.

Happy morning, sweet the hour, That on which Thou cam'st to me,
Beauteous, too, that glorious power, Which allures my soul to Thee.

Thou for whom I've long been sighing, Jesus now, at length Thou'rt mine, 
In Thy sweet embraces lying, Press, oh, press my heart to Thine.

Let not death nor life asunder Rend the bond that makes me Thine; 
Ah, how blissful is the wonder That uplifts my heart to Thine, 

Trish has continued my never ending Catholic education by reminding me of the Open Hymnal. It is a great source for public domain hymns.

The song “Down in Adoration” she used isn’t there but I discovered it was given as the last two verses of “Sing, My Tongue, the Saviour’s Glory” CWB II 314. Tantum ergo was continued after Pange lingua gloriosi and I have found this in more than one hymnal now so that must be as it is meant to be. The tune is still ST THOMAS by John F Wade.

While looking for all this I found Matt Maher’s “Adoration”, in which he adds a chorus to Wade’s tune. It would need careful handling to keep the prayerful atmosphere going.

I made a backing nonetheless. The sheet music can be purchased at OCP where his extra lyrics are in the preview.

This is another song from Trish’s parish used at Easter. It is from a southern Gospel and country tradition.

It was written by William and Gloria Gaither.

I saw that it had also been arranged in a more contemporary fashion (sheet music can be purchased here) and my backing attempts that. The text is here. The line about the empty tomb explains its use at Easter.

Trish let me know some of the music selections for Easter at her parish. I couldn’t find them all but this one has a text by Judson W. Van De Venter and music by W. S. Weeden.

I think it is mainly used in Protestant traditions, but you could see its use for RCIA and commissioning liturgies.

My backing started with the BIAB file at Small Church Music, but its current state is all my fault.

1 All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Refrain:
I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
2 All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine. [Refrain]
3 All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me. [Refrain]

Some versions of the text have more verses than this.

I will get back to the songs for specific masses in CWB II, but there are a few songs mentioned in liturgies posted here to look at.

Ryan noted a song for Palm Sunday called “Hosanna” by Carl Tuttle. I have a copy in Together in Song 724. I really dislike nearly every Palm Sunday song I have had to play at mass over the years, but this one is acceptable. It is, however, not covered by One Licence – only CCLI – so that scuppers it use around here.

The text is here.

The sheet music can be purchased at various sites including sheetmusicplus.

I have mentioned this song on the blog before but I didn’t post a backing. Now I have the music in Catholic Worship Book II and we played it after each baptism at the Vigil so I though I’d post one.

You can buy the sheet music at GIA.

The text is here (scroll down) although we just used the refrain, which is all that is in CWB II, and that is all I have used in the backing.

This clip shows how not to sing the song. The syncopated “up” is quite deliberately lifting them up from the waters musically. The syncopation police at work here destroy the effect.

These are better:

We changed back to the Mass of Glory and Praise by Paul Mason at the Easter Vigil. We will use Alleluia No 1 (Fishel) for the Gospel Acclamation through Easter.

Entrance: Alleluia Love Is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

Psalm 177 (McKenna)

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

Gifts: Without Seeing You (Haas) AOV 2/158

Communion: Bread of Heaven (Manibusan-Hart)

Thanksgiving: We Walk by Faith (Haugen) AOV 1/63

Recessional: Jesus is Risen (O’Brien- Ogilvie) AOV NG 82

A shout out to all the music ministers who have survived the Triduum. I was just strumming along with very talented musicians who carried the burden, and sang the Exultet, and other impossible tasks, so I got off lightly.

If you are an Australian Catholic liturgical musician you are with few exceptions a volunteer and in many small parishes doing everything by yourself. If you are lucky enough not to be criticised for your work you may find that you beat up on yourself at times. Since the miracle of the loaves and fishes was actually about music ministry in the Australian Catholic church be at peace.

So let us share Easter blessings regarding the miracle of musicians and their ministry and the life of the risen Christ in the voice of the assembly that is nourished by them.

Those who decide these matters in our parish wisely add things slowly to annual celebrations. This year, apart from Percy Jones’s setting of “Springs of Water” CWB II 337, the only new song was Marty Haugen’s delightful “Up From the Waters” CWB II 97, after the baptisms.

How did Easter go musically in your parish?

Trish suggested this setting by Paul Sarcich in Gather Australia.

Holy Spirit, Lord of Light,
From the clear celestial height.
Thy pure beaming radiance give.

Come, thou Father of the poor,
Come, with treasures which endure;
Come, thou Light of all that live!

Thou, of all consolers best,
Thou, the soul’s delightful guest,
Dost refreshing peace bestow.

Thou in toil art comfort sweet;
Pleasant coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

Light immortal, Light divine,
Visit thou these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill.

If thou take thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay;
All his good is turned to ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour thy dew,
Wash the stains of guilt away.

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

Thou, on us who evermore
Thee confess and thee adore,
With thy sevenfold gifts descend.

Give us comfort when we die;
Give us life with thee on high;
Give us joys that never end.

Finishing up the Pentecost songs in CWB II:

389 Send Down the Fire of Your Justice

391 Veni Sancte Spiritus (Taize)

The Latin text:

Veni, creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia,
quae tu creasti pectora.

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas
et spiritalis unctio.

Tu septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae
tu rite promissum Patris
sermone ditans guttura.

Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.

Hostem repellas longius
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

Per te sciamus da Patrem
noscamus atque Filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

ascribed to Rabanus Maurus and set to Mode VIII chant melody.

This is how it goes.