This is a Roc O’Connor song that could be an entrance hymn. The verses have little variations in the tune to flummox up the unwary, as well as a few triplets to trip on.
OCP sell the sheet music here and have provided the text in their preview. There are original and revised lyrics to choose between. My backing turned out stranger than usual for some reason.
This is a pretty song for Christmas that I will never use because it is inappropriate in the Southern Hemisphere.
The text is by Edward Caswell and it is set to WINTER’S SNOW by Kevin Keil. He removed the refrain and several stanzas for this version, which can be purchased at OCP.
1 See, amid the winter’s snow, born for us on earth below, see the tender Lamb appears, promised from eternal years. There within a manger lies He who built the starry skies; He, who throned in height sublime, sits amid the cherubim!
2 Say, ye holy shepherds, say, what your joyful news today; wherefore have ye left your sheep on the lonely mountain steep? “As we watched at dead of night, lo, we saw a wondrous light; angels, singing ‘Peace on earth’ told us of the Savior’s birth.”
This is a notional selection for Pentecost. I’ve put in Kathleen Boschetti’s tune as a suggestion of a new song to learn if we ever get sick of the other Holy Spirit songs.
At Holy Spirit Cranbrook, Donna let us know what music they played today. The gathering song is Paul Mason channelling Hillsong (a bit). They are all great selections and if you are uncertain about them I have blogged them all with a singalong backing on the site – just use the search function:
Gathering: The Power of the Spirit by Paul Mason Liturgical Song Psalm: Send Us Your Spirit by David Haas GIA AOV1 no 97 Offertory: Different Gifts by Maggie Russell Willow AOV2 no 13 Communion Reflection: By the Waking of Our Hearts by Ricky Manalo OCP Recessional: With One Voice by Ricky Manalo OCP
This is a paraphrase of Psalm 27 by Jim Farrell, who I have read is a pseudonym used by Owen Alstott, Bernadette Farrell’s husband. If anyone knows for sure do let me know.
You can see its use for Reconciliation and in Lent. It looks simple enough on the page but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective.
This is a litany by Bernadette Farrell with a refrain for the assembly and declaimed verses by the cantor.
Check out the text of the verses in the sample at OCP, where they sell the sheet music, for a broad range of saints from outside the box. They suggest it’s use in a paraliturgy concerning social justice, but many of the verses will fit more usual liturgies, and obviously you could create your own local list.
The version in GAB says the author specifically did not want guitar chords on the piece. The chords are on the keyboard version, so I suppose it is for organ only. These chords allowed me to make a backing, but it is for the refrain only – the spoken verses are all yours.
This is another Spiritual, this time for Christmas. It appears more for a Christmas performance or pageant than a liturgy, but is singable enough.
1 There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn; Rise up, shepherd, and follow; It will lead to the place where the Christ was born; Rise up, shepherd and follow.
Refrain: Follow, follow; Rise up, shepherd, and follow. Follow the Star of Bethlehem; Rise up, shepherd, and follow.
2 Leave your sheep, leave your sheep, and leave your lambs; Rise up, shepherd, and follow; Leave your ewes and your rams, leave your ewes and rams; Rise up, shepherd and follow. [Refrain]
3 If you take good heed to the angel’s words; Rise up, shepherd, and follow; You’ll forget your flocks, you’ll forget your herds; Rise up, shepherd and follow. [Refrain]
This is a public domain hymn. OCP bring it down from D to C (thanks be to God).
The clips on YouTube show just how many ways you can do one song:
When I was noting the songs that are in use in the USA that are less used here, like songs in Spanish, I should have also mentioned that Spirituals are not really part of the multicultural mix here either.
I’ve blogged another version of this song, but not with this tune. OCP sell the sheet music.
Pretty much all the songs in Spanish from OCP are unfamiliar, as we have no local need for that repertoire. This one for Easter is pretty lively though and it has an English translation so why not?
This hymn is by Francisco Gomez Arguello with the English translation an uncredited OCP in house job.
The sheet music can be purchased at OCP who let your see the text in their preview.
Looking at the songs from the Guitar Accompaniment Book from OCP that I haven’t already covered, it seems the reason that they haven’t come to my attention can be that they are very old hymns, very Spanish hymns and then there are those that must have a cantor. That is usually due to the complexity of the verse tune or cross overs in the melody lines. Songs where the assembly can sing everything are always likely to be more usable.
I love Bernadette Farrell’s work and this is a gorgeous hymn well up to her usual standard, but it must have a choir or a cantor so its appeal will be more limited. Apart from being in Ab (why), there are tricky triplets and a third verse with a completely different tune.
She based the text on Psalm 90 so it makes sense for funerals and All Souls day.
I've worked my way through the As One Voice books and other collections making backings on Band in a Box to help me (& you if you're interested) learn new songs for church. This is aimed at churches and musicians that own the collections but haven't exploited them fully. If you don't have them they are certainly worth buying. This site is educational, nonprofit and designed to enhance the commercial prospects of songwriters. This site does not distribute copyrighted sheet music.
Disclaimer
Any opinions expressed here are personal views and not the responsibility of any Church.
All music backings posted are created by myself and the intention is for them to be used to learn the songs. If any copyright holder wishes me to cease publicising and promoting their wares and directing people to where sheet music can be legally purchased please let me know.
Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise”
To access my backings for Paul Mason's mass go to Feb 2011 in the archive.