Church Music

OCP lists “Behold, Before Our Wond’ring Eyes” as a new entry but it used to be featured so I suppose it was removed and has now been reinstated. In any case I have already blogged that song here.

This is a Christmas song by Steve Angrisano and Curtis Stephan. It has a fair old range for the assembly who may also struggle with the rhythm. I suspect it is a better solo vehicle than for liturgy. It is an enjoyable song nonetheless. It is a 2017 song that has been included in Breaking Bread for 2020.

The text in the preview at OCP who will sell you the sheet music.

This song by Barbara Bridge has been added to Breaking Bread for 2020. It is from 2016 and so is pretty recent. She uses Isaiah 49, Hosea 11 and Psalm 139 for her text. Any liturgy with mercy in mind would benefit from this most singable hymn.

The text is in the sample at OCP where they will sell you the sheet music.

The music liturgy team were able to meet for the first time in a while and we have selected these songs for next week’s liturgy:

Entrance:  Gather As One  (McKenna) AOV NG 48

Psalm 94 (McKenna)

O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.

Gifts: A New Commandment (Unknown)

Communion: Take and Eat (Russell) AOV 2/162

Thanksgiving: The Summons   (Maule-Bell) AOV NG 149

Recessional: We Are Many Parts  (Haugen) AOV 1/86

The index for each year’s Breaking Bread is available in pdf from OCP and includes all the the songs added for the year. This is from the list of those added for 2020. Going through older hymnals I have found the songs I haven’t heard before are lesser used for reason – a genre unfamiliar to local assemblies, too much cantoring or the lesser works of known composers. I’m hoping the newer material will be full of wonderful unfamiliar hymns.

While added only recently, this song is over twenty years old and yet it is a good start. It is a lovely minor key song for morning prayer in Spanish and English by Pedro Rubalcava. The third verse is more of a bridge.

OCP provide the text in their preview here.

They will also sell you the sheet music.

I made trip hop(ish) backing on BIAB aiming for the haunting quality of the music.

After years on and off I am at the end of the alphabetical section of this enormous loose leaf tome. From here on there are Psalms and then many Mass settings (redundant for the most part) with some additional service music: that is miscellaneous songs from various settings.

In this version of GAB there is then “new music” from 877 to 957 and I will doubtless return there. I also want to circle back to Gather Australia to their hymns for Feasts and Seasons that I skipped over last time.

In the mean time, I’ve decided to look at some really new material. OCP publish a list of their new material in Breaking Bread every year and I will use the previews on their site to look at what is there and might stand out. I’ll start with 2020 and work back as able.

This is another baptism song, this time by James Hansen.

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

This is a grand song by Stephen Dean for Baptism or Confirmation. He derived inspiration for the text from Romans 5:15, 6:4, 8:38-9 and Ephesians 4:4.

The text has been provided in the preview at OCP who will sell you the sheet music.

I generally use a more restrained set of BIAB organ sounds that resemble (sort of) a small church organ. Since the instruction says majestic here, I let fly with a grander sound and put the descant in as well.

This Scott Soper song is an obvious accompaniment to an Anointing Rite, but would make sense for Reconciliation as well. I worry about songs with a gospel styling, because your assembly really needs to be able to handle the style to make this song usable.

On the other hand I can think of no song more appropriate to our current time.

You can purchase the sheet music at OCP, where the text has been provided in their preview.

BIAB has gospel styles, so I used one to make a backing.

This is an early song by Michael Joncas from way back in 1979. It is for Eucharist, obviously.

There are fiddly differences between the tune for the verses that are annoying.

OCP sell the sheet music and have given us the text in their preview. The lyrics are also here.

Owen Alstott based this song for funerals and All Souls day on Psalms 27 and 43. The refrain goes from 2/4 to 3/4 after 2 bars and then back to 2/4 for the verses. The melody is singable enough but I fear there is no opportunity to sing this enough for an assembly to get past the chorus, so a cantor or choir may be needed.

The melody sounds a bit like “A Church is Burning” by Paul Simon.

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