I’m nearing the end of the David Haas songs in Gather Comprehensive that I have yet to blog from other collections.
This charming song has a simple singable refrain for the assembly and verses with enough variation to suggest a cantor. An anointing mass, a second rite, a liturgy in Lent – all these would be enhanced by this song.
The text is here and the sheet music is available for purchase at GIA.
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.
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.
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 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'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.