Church Music

In her recent newsletter, looking at the advanced age and distant origin of the songs we sing in Australian parishes, Monica O’Brien put up some good examples of Australian music we could be using. They are all songs that are available to be purchased as sheet music and downloaded to be used to freshen up our tired musical liturgies.

Born Anew – Br James Maher
Make Me a Channel – Amanda McKenna
Live Life Anew – Michael Harvey & Ronelle McKay
We Gather at Your Table – Gina Ogilvie & Monica O’Brien
A Hymn of Healing for the Church – Br Michael Herry
The Lord is My Shepherd Psalm 22/23 – Gen Bryant

I have already blogged “We Gather at Your Table” and “A Hymn of Healing for the Church.”

James Maher msc wrote “Born Anew” for the 125th anniversary of St Mark’s parish, Drummoyne. It is a baptismal song, but with application as a recessional. It is in a fine country style.

The sheet music can be purchased for download at Willow. Even for an older person like myself the process is painless.

My backing is also a little country.

1 Born anew in living water, named and loved as one with you.

Guided by the Holy Spirit, nourished well with sacred food.

We are one, we stand together.

We proclaim your living truth,

Reaching out with hearts and hands to those in need.

Being companions on life’s path of mystery.

Refrain

That we might hear your voice, that we might recognise your love,

The source of all we are and all we do.

That we might speak your name and dare to walk with you in faith.

Oh let our hearts be opened now to you.

2 Christ you came as one among us and promised always to be near,

In our living of the Gospel, we behold your presence here.

As the love within our loving

And the truth which bids us come,

Calling us to enter closer to your side.

That our deeper yearnings might to be satisfied.

Refrain

Oh let our hearts be opened now to you.

© 2008 James Maher msc

Monica O’Brien sent out a newsletter from Willow Publishing recently about the songs we use in worship in Australian parishes.

I reproduce here the main points she makes:

Recently, I read shocking statistics from ONE LICENSE reports that clearly indicate that we are caught in a time warp here in Australia.

Would you believe that no hymns or songs in the Top 100 titles (other than mass settings) were written by Australians later than 1992? That’s over 30 years ago!

This reflects poorly on our ability to introduce new material to our congregations. And please do not say there is no quality music being written… there are many well-crafted songs being written for liturgy that have yet to see the light of day despite efforts to broaden the repertoire.

…

It’s crucial that we support Australian composers who are called to write music for the church. Consider this: if their music is consistently overlooked in favour of old favourites such as “Sing to the Mountains,” “Here I am Lord,” and “One Bread, One Body”, why would they continue to invest time and resources into writing new compositions? If we don’t nurture and promote our local talent, we risk losing their valuable contributions to our liturgical music landscape. By embracing new works, we not only enrich our worship but also encourage these gifted individuals to keep creating.

What will it take to introduce some new, fresh compositions?
Are music ministers afraid, lazy, disengaged, tired…?
It’s important to remember that all music was new at one point in time and in centuries past, the Catholic Church was a patron of new music.

She links to Timothy Hart’s article on the matter, which is well worth reading and commenting upon.

I would say that music ministers don’t even exist in many smaller parishes. Some of those remaining are just hanging on, getting tired and becoming disengaged, and it is easy to cling to what you know and what will not challenge an aging assembly that isn’t always singing anyway. The Catholic church is a poor patron from an institutional perspective, as it seems incapable of seeing beyond what happens in the cathedral and the parishes sink or swim on their own. That’s no reason not to look for recent Australian music to use in our Australian parishes, if for no other reason as to be symbol of commitment to renewal.

Willow has a lot of good music in its digital archive that was not collected in AOV 1,2 and Next Generation, but it is hard to know where to look sometimes. Their selections for liturgy link to appropriate songs that include the newer ones. If you search here for “AOVD” you will find those songs I’ve covered by artists such as Peter Grant, Patricia Smith and David MacGregor that were too late for AOV hymnals.

She mentions some fairly recent music by Australian composers, so I will have a look at those and some other recent Willow releases over the next week or so.

I’m still trying to use the readings from the missal to inspire song writing. This is (loosely) based on the readings from the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, where Jesus tells the disciples to “put out into deep water.” I have incorporated something from all the readings. I’ve tried to make it singable. It is a fairly rapid attempt so may need a lot of refining.

There are two classic Australian songs on this topic, Paul Kelly’s “Deeper Water” and Richard Clapton’s “Deep Water.” My song is nothing like theirs – mores the pity. It is though, unmistakeably related to the Australian beach experience.

1 Wretched and lost and out of our depth,
With unclean lips, a mouth full of sand.
Swallowing sea water, blind from the spray,
Still looking for strength for our soul on the land.

Refrain
Don’t fear to go past the shoreline,
Through surf to calm waters with God.
Purged by the breakers, ready to be sent…
Into deep water.

2 Tossed in the torrent and fighting the rips,
Watching our castles collapse on the beach.
Waiting for God to stretch out a hand,
Yet feeling God’s grace just out of reach.

3 Thanks for the feel of God’s sun and God’s wind.
Thanks as we float with the pull of the tide.
Receiving the Gospel of senses that saves,
Faith in the waves and the deep ocean wide.

© 2024 Geoffrey Madden

I can’t resist posting these great Australian classics:

This is the last track on Proclaim Lismore Wildfire’s 2019 album, All Things New. It’s a prayerful chant of praise that can go for as long as you wish.

It was written by Rachael Kama, Blair McWhinney, Emily Millan and Danial Saban. I will certainly return to look at more songs from this talented young group.

The sheet music and resources are at their site. My version is much shorter than theirs.

CHANT
Oh You overwhelm me.
Oh You overwhelm me.
Oh You overwhelm me.
Oh You overwhelm.
FREE VERSE 1
Oh You overwhelm me. When I am lost, You search to find me.
Oh You overwhelm me. When I’m broken, You are here.
Oh You overwhelm me. When I fall, Your love surrounds me.
Oh You overwhelm.

FREE VERSE 2
Oh You overwhelm me. You cross the deserts, fields and sea.
Oh You overwhelm me. Revealing all You are to me.
Oh You overwhelm me. All I was (am) and all I’ll ever be.
Oh You overwhelm.
BRIDGE
You break my heart open.
and You steal away my sin.
You break my heart open.
You flood right in, You flood right in, You flood right in.

© 2018 Kama Millan McWhinney Saban

This is a song for personal reflection from Wildfire Lismore found in their 2019 album, All Things New. I was worried everything would be rowdy, but this album has heart felt reflective pieces as well. It was written by Rachael Kama, Blair McWhinney, Emily Millan and Daniel Saboa.

The sheet music and other resources at their site.

1 You know my name.
You call me your own.
You know the depths of my heart,
You draw me home.

2 There’s no words I could say.

There’s nothing more I could do.

There’s nowhere I could run

To hide away from You.

Refrain

Draw me into You.
Draw me to my knees.
Help me lay it down.
All my hopes, all my life, all of me.

3 Though my heart may stray.
Or if my will should fade,
Still Your love will always remain,
You’ll never change.

Refrain

Draw me, draw me, draw me into you. x4

© 2018 Proclaim Lismore Wildfire
Kama – McWhinney – Millan – Saban

This is the title track from Proclaim Lismore Wildfire’s 2019 album All Things New. It is a lovely, gentle sung prayer asking for the Holy Spirit to change us. It would be useful in Pentecost and also as a reflection in Lent.

It was written by Rachael Kama, Blair McWhinney & Emily Millan, and the sheet music and other resources are here.

With this backing I used some of the written piano part for a change, rather than just relying on Band in a Box for everything. I also relied more on what they were singing rather than the sheet music for the melody.

VERSE 1
We’ll wait on You. (Repeat x 3)
Cause…
REFRAIN
You make all things, all things new. (Repeat x 4)
VERSE 2
Come Spirit come. (Repeat x 3)
Cause…
REFRAIN
VERSE 3
Fall Afresh. (Repeat x 3)
Cause…
REFRAIN
INSTRUMENTAL
BRIDGE
You make our souls as white as snow.
You make our hearts as pure as gold.
You make the darkness into light.
Let Your Kingdom come, let Your will be done! (Repeat line until finished)

We’ll wait on You.
© 2019 Wildfire (Kama, McWhinney & Millan)

The next song from All Things New by Proclaim Lismore Wildfire is “Steadfast Love” written by Rachael Kama, Cameron O’Toole and Laurie Pratt.

It is for youth assemblies and is both a song of praise and a cry from the depths – a psalm for young people.

There is also a song with this title by a Christian band called “Wildfire Praise”, which is not the same.

The sheet music and other resources are at their website.

My backing starts quietly but gets noisy soon enough.

Through every storm, through every up and down,
In every hiding place we’re found, Your love sees us through!
Through the darkness, You’re our only light,
guiding us through day and night, Your love sees us through!

PRE REFRAIN
With your grace, we sing praise!

REFRAIN
From north to south, from east to west! Your love endures forever!
Give thanks to You Lord for You are good! Your love endures forever!

VERSE 2
You know our deepest story in and out,
Washing all our fear and doubt, Your love sees us through!
Delivered us, You saved us from distress,
Filling up this emptiness, Your love sees us through!

PRE REFRAIN
REFRAIN
BRIDGE
Pushing You away, constantly afraid,
But Your love sees us through.
Lost in our own minds, caught in our mistakes,
but Your love sees us through.

REFRAIN

© 2018 WILDFIRE Kama O’Toole Pratt

I heading warily into the area of youth ministry, a place from which age disqualifies me rather.

However, I recently met some impressive young people who have been involved in Proclaim Lismore Wildfire and heard some of the music written by the people there. To my surprise there is a diocese that actually funds and encourages youth ministry.

They have lots of music, both recordings and sheet music at their site. I see no reason why schools around Australia should not be using these songs and better still making their own as well. That would certainly make for a hopeful Jubilee.

I am starting with their earlier material from 2019, simply because there is proper sheet music there rather than just chord charts, so it is easier to do backings.

“Fill Us” is a great song written by Rachael Kama, Emily Millan & Daniel Saban. It is from the collection All Things New. The sheet music and other resources are here.

My backing is more dance than theirs, but I gather this is for dancing and even has actions.

Verse x2

Come Lord, Jesus, come to meet us, 

Fill this place. 

In the fullness of Your presence, we find grace

Prechorus

Only You can satisfy. 

Fill the emptiness inside. 

Chorus x2

You give life! Jesus overflow in us.
Take our lives and fill us, fill us!
(Hey!) Fill us, Fill us!

Rpt everything so far then…

Bridge 1

You created us for this,

Bridge 2 x3

Overflowing, everlasting joy you came to give.
Never-ending, never-failing Love,
Within in our midst.
Unrelenting, overwhelming,
Peace, so we could live in…

(last time) the fullness of God.

Refrain x2

© 2018 WILDFIRE: KAMA, MILLAN & SABAN

Shemida was looking at doing this Advent hymn by Dianne Hannibal.

The sheet music is available at many places on the internet including here.

The text is here (scroll down).

I don’t have the sheet music so I made up a backing, which may be approximate. Some arrangements have a key change but I left that out. Part of “Come O Come Emmanuel” occurs towards the end.

By the way, this sounds like a hopeful lament! – the exception that test the rule (see yesterday’s post and Chris’s apposite commentary).

This is not an Australian song.

This is the hymn for the Jubilee Year 2025 on the theme of hope.

The original text is by Pierangelo Sequeri and the English translation is by Andrew Wadsworth. The music is by Maestro Francesco Meneghello.

It doesn’t sound like a song to sing in a suburban or country parish and may not be inculturated for Australian parishes. Maybe we should have written one for ourselves.

I made a backing but I don’t think I got the “with confidence” instructions. The tune strikes me as a mournful theme from a sad part of a movie scored by Henry Mancini – btw I love Mancini.

The sheet music is here in a sensible key – and here in a less sensible key. The SATB is here and it may be best as a choir vehicle. Thank you New Zealand for making them easy to find.

Refrain

Like a flame my hope is burning,

may my song arise to you:

Source of life that has no ending,

on life’s path I trust in you.

1 Ev’ry nation, tongue, and people

find a light within your Word.

Scattered fragile sons and daughters

find a home in your dear Son.

Refrain

2 God, so tender and so patient,

dawn of hope, you care for all.

Heav’n and earth are recreated

by the Spirit of Life set free.

Refrain

3 Raise your eyes, the wind is blowing,

for our God is born in time.

Son made man for you and many

who will find the way in him.

The Vatican site gives the song in many languages, both to listen to and with sheet music.

It sounds good in Italian.

So so in English:

… also better in Nepalese:

This is better than all of them:

This is a useful singalong karoake version: