Church Music

The next song in Fr Frank Andersen’s book Eagles Wings is “The Eucharist Song”, which I blogged many years ago here.

I should mention that the big book from 1985 I have of these songs with Erica Marshall’s hand written arrangements also has an introduction on music in church, and many of the songs have notes and suggestions for their use.  The small book from 1998 is a second edition with some of the lyrics updated but dreadful formatting and frequent mistakes. The downloadable sheet music is much more usable and a worthy investment for clarity and practicality.

That brings me to “Living Water”. This is a pair with his much more famous “Come to the Water” but with more of a mission emphasis.

It is a country song and that is a fine genre for church music as it encourages singing and is good for telling stories. Once again I have removed all his exclamation marks.

Refrain

I will give you living water.

Shade to rest under; strength to your heart.

Grow deep within me…filled by my spirit;

My burdens are easy; my life it is yours.

1.

We have been with the lonely…

To the hungry we’ve given your bread…

We now come with all our hopes and dreams

To rest awhile with you.

2.

To the empty we’ve carried…

Your word of hope and of life…

Build us now beyond our hopes and dreams

‘Til we live in you.

© Frank Andersen 1979

The sheet music I have by Fr Frank Andersen MSC is in a collection called Scripture in Song. It compiles three of his music books “Eagles Wings”, “Everything I Possess” and “Rising Moon”. A few of his songs are etched into every Australian Catholic’s consciousness, but the ones I’ll be covering here are going to be the deeper cuts and since they aren’t that well known I’ll be putting up the lyrics.

I’ll start with “Eagles Wings” and the first song is “Strong and Constant”, which I have already blogged here.

That means I’ll start with “In God Alone”. This song is based on Psalm 61. The melody looks fiddly but it has a conversational flow and mild syncopation. I like the minor key in the psalm as it suggests that state of mind where a refuge is desired. I hadn’t heard this one before and I think it’s great.

The downloadable version of the sheet music at MSCMusic is far superior to the ones I have that have dodgy formatting and missing chords.

With psalms I don’t mind if there are a lot of  “my” and “I” action in the text. You could use “Lord God” to substitute for Yahweh in the third verse. I have edited out exclamations marks as some of his songs have one at the end of every sentence, which somewhat defeats the purpose.

Chorus

In God alone can my spirit find rest.

My help shall come from God alone.

For God is my rock and my salvation.

My fortress on high. My lasting peace.

1.

In God is my safety, my mountain secure.

Come into his presence and sing with me.

2.

Take refuge in God, all nations come near.

Lay your heart before God, in praise we sing.

3.

Our Yahweh is power, such goodness I see.

To know God is wisdom, in praise we sing.

© Frank Andersen 1979

I will have a break from the Guitar Accompaniment Book.  I’m stuck in the M’s there and that means a few too many over sentimental hymns to the BVM.

Having blogged everything I could find from Chris deSilva from Perth, I will look at blogging the songs I have yet to cover from Frank Andersen, Leo Watt and Brian Boniwell.  I might even get around to some more Michael Mangan down the track.

I’ll start with Fr Frank Andersen MSC, as I already own his music books and I can start while I wait for the others to arrive.

To listen to his music, the best thing to do is use Spotify.

His music books and CDs are available here and there are links there to the new downloadable sheet music versions of his most popular songs, that are much clearer than the ones I’m using and come highly recommended.

When you get to “Mother” in the Guitar Accompaniment Book from OCP (c2005) you have to expect hymns to the BVM.

OCP says this one is from a collection called Wreath of Mary from 1883 and is set to traditional tune OUR LADY OF HELP. They omit the third verse noted here. You can purchase their sheet music here.

Mary at Godsongs has researched other possible origins and has a fourth verse.

Mother dearest, Mother fairest,
Help of all, who call on thee.
Virgin purest, brightest, rarest,
Help us, help, we cry to thee.

Lady, help in pain and sorrow,
Soothe those rack’d on beds of pain,
May the golden light of morrow,
Bring them health and joy again.

Lady, help the absent loved ones.
How we miss their presence here.
May the hand of Thy protection
Guide and guard them far and near.

Chorus

Mary, help us, help we pray.
Mary, help us, help we pray.
Help us in all care and sorrow.
Mary, help us, help we pray.

This is a nineteenth century Irish prayer to the BVM by Isaac B. Woodbury that appears to have been a song for young people.

I can’t see it being used in the present time in these parts.

Background information and the text are at Godsongs. Hymnary have scans of the sheet music. Sheetmusicplus have a full arrangement.

Entrance: All You Works of God (Haugen) AOV 1/19

Psalm 22 (McKenna)

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gifts: Shepherd Me O God (Haugen) AOV 1/33

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

Thanksgiving: The Lord is My Shepherd – Crimond AOV 1/144

Recessional: We Are Called  (Haas) AOV 2/60

This is Harry Hagan’s translation of a tenth century Latin text set to EISENACH by Johann Hermann Schein.

While the tune is, of course, public domain you can purchase it from OCP where the text is hidden in their preview.

There are details at Hymnary but not all the sheet music there on that page are this tune.

This is the right tune with a different Latin text.

I’m not doing a backing for this one either as I’ve blogged BUNESSAN before as the setting of many hymns. This is Eleanor Farjeon’s text made famous by Cat Stevens.

The text is here.

I’m not putting up a backing of this song because the tune, BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC is so well known, although I’m surprised to find it in OCP’s Guitar Accompaniment Book.

That is because I would posit the question – exactly what liturgy would be enhanced by this song.  OCP suggests the theme of the “second coming” but really. Is it just an example of inculturation for Americans?

I have soft spot for this arrangement that lacks the triumphalism of others.

A Vietnamese hymn to the BVM by Kim Long. It’s lovely.

OCP has the sheet music for purchase and the bilingual text is hidden in their preview.

BIAB does not really have a suitable backing but I had a go anyway.