Church Music

I’ve still got a few stray David Haas songs that have eluded me in other collections but turn up in my copy Gather Comprehensive to blog.

This is a Eucharist song with a singable refrain for the assembly in 4/4 that goes to 3/4 for the cantor in the refrain.

As written, you need a cantor, because the verse starts over the last note of the refrain, although I’m sure that two extra bars would fix that. You just have to contend with some high notes in the verse. It is an exquisite song.

The text is in the page scans at Hymnary. The sheet music can be purchased at GIA.

My backing has the assembly and cantor lines separate.

I’m running out of David Haas songs in Gather Comprehensive but before I do the last couple, here is a psalm setting by Bobby Fisher that Ryan called “quite the production” when used at his parish recently.

The refrain is singable if your assembly is up for some funk. Your cantor will probably be stretched by the verses.

The sheet music can be purchased at OCP where the text in in their preview. It is the ICEL text for the refrain and NAB for the verses, which does not match the text we use locally.

Entrance: Alleluia! Love is Alive (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

Psalm 97 (McKenna)

The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power;

his saving power.

Gifts: As I Have Done For You (Schutte)

Communion: Will You Love Me?  (Boniwell) AOV 1/40

Thanksgiving: Year of Youth Prayer

Recessional: Called (Unger) Year of Youth Hymn

This uplifting song for Eucharist or gathering is a David Haas song designed for acappella use plus intermittent percussion.

The text is in the page scans at Hymnary and the sheet music can be purchased at GIA. You’ll need confident singers leading this one.

I had to make up chords because it is only meant for percussion backing.

This is a one line chant from David Haas.

The text and melody line is at Hymnary and I can’t find the sheet music at GIA.

Christ will be your strength! Learn to know and follow him!

This is another of the songs by David Haas that I have found in my copy Gather Comprehensive that I haven’t looked at before from other collections.

I’m pretty sure Haas pulled this one out at the Perth APMN conference even though it wasn’t in the booklet. It is an easy call and response refrain and a tricky set of verses with shifts in time signature that would make it difficult for an assembly. It is, however, catchy as anything if your cantor or soloist is game.

The text is here.

I can’t find it for sale at GIA as a single sheet, except as a handbell arrangment, but I suspect it is in this collection of music for the RCIA. It does seem a good fit for that purpose.

My backing has the cantor and assembly as separate melody lines. Fair warning, my copy of GC is melody line so I guessed the chords.

This is David Haas’s setting of Fred Pratt Green’s lovely text of social justice.

The text is available from the wonderful people at Hope Publishing.

The sheet music is available very cheaply at GIA in a collection called “To Be Your Bread“.

My backing has guessed chords.

This lovely song from David Haas is based on Phillipians 4:5-9 and would be a suitable prayer in many liturgies, especially funerals. One of the You Tube clips suggest it was written in response to the 9/11 tragedy.

It is a good example of his work that we miss when we don’t go beyond his classics found in AOV 1&2. The tune is simply gorgeous and the text is well adapted. I would bring it down from Ab to F so groaners like me have a chance at the verses.

The text can be found here. You can purchase the sheet music at GIA.

For once I’ve managed a more restrained BIAB backing.

David Haas has written many songs that aren’t heard in Australian churches as many parishes stick to the suggestions in As One Voice, which while excellent are 20 years old now. I’ve blogged some of his songs from other collections and have recently been hoovering up those in Gather Comprehensive that I haven’t heard before.

This one is a folk song strong on social justice (that’s a good thing right) and suitable for ministry and service contexts. The first two verses have three lines for a cantor with the assembly replying and the the third has six.  It is rather high and I’d bring it down from Ab to F and I think it could really be sung through by the assembly then.

The text is in the page scans at Hymnary and the sheet music can be purchased at GIA.

I have made up the chords for my backing.

Entrance: Alleluia! Love is Alive. (Angrisano, Manibusan, Hart)

Psalm 21 (McKenna)

I will praise you Lord, in the assembly of your people.

Gifts: We Walk by Faith (Haugen) AOV 1/63

Communion: Unless a Grain of Wheat (Farrell) AOV 1/35

Thanksgiving: A New Commandment (Unknown)

Recessional: Celtic Alleluia – Recessional Version (O’Carroll/Walker) AOV 1/13

This is OCP’s preview of the “Sending Forth” version with the lyrics.