Church Music

This version of a “Song of Farewell” for a funeral is by Dennis C. Smolarski SJ and is set to OLD 100th so everyone can sing along.

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

BIAB in organ mode:

I still working through the best part of Catholic Worship Book II – volume one, which is full of songs for particular liturgies. I’m covering songs I haven’t already blogged.

In the funeral section is this text by Richard Frederick Littledale set to MELITA by John Bacchus Dykes.

Together In Song had the chords so I could make this backing more easily.

1 O Lord, you died that all might live
And rise to see the perfect day.
The fullness of your mercy give
To this our friend for whom we pray.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest,
Grant him/her eternal light and rest.

2 Lord, bless our friend who died in you,
As you have given him/her release.
Enliven him/her since he/she was true,
And give him/her everlasting peace.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest,
Grant him/her eternal light and rest.

3 In your green, pleasant pastures feed
The sheep that you have summoned hence;
And by the still, cool waters lead
Your flock in loving providence.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest,
Grant him/her eternal light and rest.

4 Direct us with your arm of might,
That with our friend we may all come
To dwell within your city bright,
Jerusalem, our heav’nly home.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest,
Grant him/her eternal light and rest.

This is the ICEL text from the Order of Catholic Funerals set to WINCHESTER NEW.

1 I know that my Redeemer lives,
And on that final day of days,
His voice shall bid me rise again:
Unending joy, unceasing praise!

2 This hope I cherish in my heart:
To stand on earth, my flesh restored,
And not a stranger but a friend,
Behold my Saviour and my Lord.

I’m not sure if I am in a fit state of mind to cover the extensive selection of funeral songs in CWB II. Currently, funerals are limited to ten participants in Australia due to Covid 19, but that won’t last forever.

I have blogged elsewhere some of the highlights: “Go Silent Friend” 143, “There’s a Place” 148 and “When Human Voices Cannot Sing” 149 – all wonderful texts and tunes if you can get through them without breaking down.

These two are both set to FINLANDIA so there is a good chance the mourners will know the tune.

“Fare well …” has a text by Michael Thwaites that he has posted on his website. It works just as well as poetry.

“Be still..” is by Katharina vons Schlegel and translated by Jane Borthwick. The text is here.

This is a little confusing. The tune O PERFECT LOVE is by Joseph Barnby. There is a traditional hymn called “O Perfect Love” set to its namesake tune but this isn’t that one.

This is a paraphrase of Psalm 128(127) by Bernard Kirkpatrick and this time it appears he has put copyright on it. It is written for weddings.

I made a backing with the help of chords from Together in Song (it’s not that hard CWB II) but you need to get the lyrics from CWB II or Bernard Kirkpatrick himself.

This is a far as the music liturgy team got before the shutdown.

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7

Psalm 21

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

Gospel: The Passion according to Matthew (26:11-54)

Entrance: Blessings on the King (Lynch)  AOV 1/104

Gifts:  Tree of Life (Thompson) AOV NG 138

Communion: We Remember (Haugen) AOV 1/81

Thanksgiving: Holy Darkness (Schutte) AOV 2/24

Recessional:  Jesus, Remember Me  (Berthier) AOV1/152.

CWB II says the source of the text of this sung prayer for the married couple is unknown, and I certainly can’t find the source either.

They set it to HYMN TO JOY following the excellent practice of familiar tunes for less common liturgies. Flipping yesterday’s recommendation from CWB II, I think this may be better with HYFRYDOL.

1 May God’s light of joyous blessing shine upon these two, we pray;

Brighten now this glad occasion as we gather here today.

Let them hear the voice of music, know the scent of fragrant flow’r,

Feel the touch of solemn beauty in the the quiet of this hour.

2 When they hold their hands with promise of kind trust and loving care,

Strengthen, guide, sustain, unite them in the life they now will share.

May God’s gift of joyous blessing rest upon these two, we pray.

Always follow them and keep them, favour them along the way.

With assembling for Mass cancelled in many places the traffic on this site has declined remarkably. Which is lovely, because it means that in normal times the site really is used to assist people putting together the music for liturgies.

This is another wedding hymn in CWB II.

The first two stanzas are by Harry Huxhold, to which John Newton’s blessing has been neatly added as a third verse.

The text is here (scroll down).

Set, as here, to the well known tune HYFRYDOL, it allows those attending the wedding service to participate. The HYMN TO JOY is suggested as an alternative and that would have the same advantage.

This is another wedding song, for when we have weddings again in the future.

M. D. Ridge wrote the text and it is set to LASST UNS ERFREUEN. The familiar tune will encourage participation in the encouraging and supportive words.

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

As I get to the wedding songs in CWB II, all weddings in Australia are now limited to the celebrant, participants and witnesses after Covid 19 was spread far and wide by a recent nuptials.

I love this tune, SUSSEX CAROL, that is also used for John Bell’s wedding tune “Blessing the Marriage“.

This one has a joy filled text from Brian Arthur Wren. The text and sheet music are freely available from the wonderful people at Hope Publishing.

My backing is little more than the melody line this time.