Church Music

This is an interesting song with a text by Anne Delsorte and music by Brian Boniwell.

It is a conversion between God and a seeker that I can’t see as liturgical song, but more for private devotion or a performance piece. The verses have subtle differences in the melody and there is a coda with  different music, so I can’t see an assembly coping in any case.

The lyrics have the flavour of the fourteenth century English mystics and were possibly inspired by Richard Rolle’s “Fire of Love“.

You can hear a snippet at Apple Music and get the sheet music from Brian Boniwell.             (email at boniwell@aapt.net.au )

1

I the Lord reach out to you, longing so to take you to myself.

Heart on fire with love for you, how I long to give myself to you.

Give your heart your mind to me and we will live no longer two but one.

2

Here I am Lord take my heart, hold me in your arms and make me yours.

Set my heart on fire for you, help me give myself, my all to you.

As I give my life to you, we live no longer two but one.

3

Heart of God and heart of man, united in the joy of one embrace.

Fire of love, God’s holy gift, making one these hearts within your flame.

Give yourself in love to me and we will live no longer two but one.

Coda

Come my beloved one, give yourself to me,

give yourself to be forever one.

I’m still looking at Australian Catholic songwriters and I’ve already done an album of Fr Frank Andersen and will get back to do the rest of his albums.

There are lots of others to look at and Brian Boniwell is the next composer whose work I will be exploring.

Brian has kindly given me a couple of his music books to look at. This album is called People of the Resurrection. It contains a “hit” with his version of “The Lord Is My Shepherd” that is sung and loved all over Australia. I’ve blogged that song here as it is in AOV.

The other thirteen songs are new to me, including “Christ is Risen”.

This is a somewhat restrained Easter song in a folk style. The text is simple and direct and the tune is singable with a nice lilt in the “a-as” in the chorus. It is in F and as a good guitarist he suggests capo 3 in D. I’d play it capo 1 so I didn’t have to hit that long D in the chorus.

I give details on how to get his sheet music here and you can hear previews at Apple.

1

Round the world the tide is turning.

Life has changed and death has new hope.

No more shall we live in darkness.

No more shall we fear.

Chorus

He is risen as he said.

Christ is risen from the dead.

He is risen as he said.

Christ is risen from the dead.

2

In the East the sun is dawning,

Joyful with the light of new day.

Christ our hope has gone before us

Changing death to life.

3

Every heart exult with gladness.

Lift your head to welcome the light.

See the Son of God in glory

Risen from the dead.

© Brian Boniwell 1997.

Entrance: Gather Your People (Hurd) AOV 1/71

Psalm 33 (McKenna)

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Gifts: Song of the Body of Christ (Haas) AOV 1/27

Communion: Table of Plenty (Schutte) AOV 2/20

Thanksgiving: Lord to Whom Shall We Go (Herry) AOV 1/6

Recessional: All the Ends of the Earth (Dufford) AOV 1/76

This is the last song from Frank Andersen’s collection, “Eagle’s Wings” that I need to do a post on because the other three have already been covered here:

This Blessing Cup

Come to the Water

The Fullness of God.

“Renewal Song” is apparently inspired by Matt 11:25-26, although I can’t see how – vss 28-30 make more sense. Father Andersen suggests it has a special role in liturgies with the elderly or sick. It is meant to lighten the atmosphere and have a “sense of playfulness”. It has a strong message of encouragement.

You can purchase the sheet music to download here.

Chorus

Father I thank you for your goodness.

You show yourself to children.

And in my life I see you leading me

Into my childhood once again.

1

Under the shadow of your guiding hand

I walk the journey of my life.

Across the years I see you leading me;

And I am young again.

2

I feel the waters of your life in me;

They come from deep within my heart.

Into your peacefulness you’re calling me.

And I am born again.

3

Beside your waters I am growing still.

Your spirit rises in my heart.

Renewing every fibre of my life;

And I am strong again.

© Frank Andersen 1979

I’m sure I have played this song at church in the past but I’ve never blogged it here. He based it on Exodus 19:4. Like many of his songs Fr Andersen suggests the verses aren’t suitable for the assembly, but that hasn’t stopped anyone.

It has an obvious use in funerals and the chorus is suggested as a psalm response.

In the big book I have, he suggests that when singing the chorus we express the “sweep and swing of the soaring eagle that is built into the music.”

Antiphon:

I have carried you on eagle’s wings!
I will care for you in all your years!

My heart is full of peace;
You have been within my life!
Your guiding hand has always covered me
I am full of confidence in You! Antiphon

My soul is like a child,
Cradled safe within your arms!
You have carried me across my years!
Leading me thru’ sorrow and thru’ joy. Antiphon

You have bridged the flowing streams,
And moved aside the mountains tall!
You have kept me through the stormy past
I know that you secure and guide me still! Antiphon

Never need I be afraid!
No matter how uncertain things may be!
Sometimes thru’ me, sometimes in spite of me,
You seem to find your purpose in my life! Antiphon

I know failure in my life
The weakness so central to my heart!
When I have strayed or fallen in my life
You gently set me on my feet again! Antiphon

© Frank Andersen 1979

Frank Andersen based this uplifting hymn on Col 1:15-20.

You can get his sheet music and CDs here.

My old book had only three verses but the new downloadable version has four.

1

Christ the visible expression of our God. We praise you!

Long before creation he existed and was Lord. We praise you!

Chorus

And therefore he is rightly called Lord of all.

And therefore he is rightly called Lord of all!

2

Through him everything was made, he is the Father’s word. We praise you!

Power and dominion rest on him, creation’s Lord. We praise you!

3

Deep in him the principle from which all life began. We praise you!

Center point of history, God’s reconciling plan. We praise you!

4

Making peace upon the cross he suffered for all men. We praise you!

Reconciling man to God and reconciling men. We praise you!

© Frank Andersen 1979

Tom Hodgson is looking for a copy of this book.

I want to obtain the new living parish hymnal accompaniment book ( blue cover ) by Lucas set written in the late 1960’s. It is the hymnal I grew up with and I have been chasing one for over 20 years. Would anyone know where one is?

I have a copy I bought years ago at a Life Line book sale.  I can’t find one on Abebooks.

I think it is what he is after but it is from 1987 and edited by John de Luca. There was the loose leaf “Living Worship Hymnal” that was also blue I suppose.

Any suggestions for Tom?

Entrance: A New Heart for a New World (O’Brien/Watts) AOV 1/158

Psalm 77 (McKenna)

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Gifts: Come to Set Us Free (Farrell) AOV 1/39

Communion: In the Breaking of the Bread (Hurd)  AOV 1/58

Thanksgiving: I am the Bread of Life (Toolan) AOV 1/49

Recessional: Bring Forth the Kingdom (Haugen) AOV 2/4

This song by Fr Frank Andersen, from Eagle’s Wings is based on Philemon 1:3-11. I’m not sure how a text like this can actually be used.

His music can be purchased here.

Chorus

I thank my God each time I think of you.

And when I pray for you I pray with joy.

1

Now there is one thing I am sure of

He who begins this work in you

Will see that it is truly finished

When the day of Jesus comes.

2

That I should feel like this towards you

Seems only natural to me.

For you have shared with me my labours;

The Gospel privilege with me.

3

Since you have borne with me my burdens,

I now bear you within my heart.

And God alone knows how I miss you.

I love you just as Christ loves me.

3

Since you have borne with me my burdens,

I now bear you in my heart.

And God alone knows how I miss you.

I love you just as Christ loves me.

4

I pray your knowledge will be deepened.

Your love be mutual and strong.

Then you will reach the perfect goodness.

Then to the Lord you will belong.

© Frank Andersen 1979

As I continue through Frank Andersen’s Eagle’s Wings, Deep in the Spirit can skipped  as I have already covered it.

This song is pretty self explanatory but none the worse for that. It is based on Psalm 139.

It is a lovely tune that reminds in parts of the incidental music in Charlie Brown’s Christmas! The latest version in the downloadable sheet music loses a couple of Yahweh’s. I have have lost all his exclamation marks.

As a song for personal devotion it is a lovely surprise and one of Father Frank’s hidden gems.

Chorus

I will praise my God in the morning.

I will sing God’s praises all my day.

For my God is my strength and glory.

My God truly is my song.

1

Lord, you know each turn within my heart,

You read me from afar.

All my ways lie open to your mind, my God.

2

If I flew beyond the rising sun,

Or westward to the sea…

I would still be held within your arms, my God.

3

It was you who planned my inmost self,

You formed me in the womb.

For this wonder of myself, I now thank you.

© Frank Andersen 1979.