Church Music

I’m still finding Eucharist songs that I haven’t covered before in Gather 3rd edition.

This one is by James Cheppponis with the verses text coming from John Mason Neale’s translation of Sancti, venite, corpus sumite. It has a special indication for First Communion – I can easily imagine a choir at such a big celebration singing this while still allowing young people to sing the refrain easily enough.

The sheet music is at GIA, where the text is in their preview. My version in the guitar edition has a descant in the chorus and also in the second and fourth lines of the verses. The sheet music at GIA also has the handbell part in with the rest of music, instead of being the last remnant of interest that GIA has with superannuated hymns.

Godsongs has commentary here. Mary’s site is highly recommended for finding out about obscure hymns.

This is a song for Eucharist with words by Gabe Huck based on Psalm 114 and the Exsultet and set by Tony Alonso. It is in Gather 3rd edition.

It has the further use for Easter, but I don’t think it is as good as other Alonso tunes – it is a bit sing song.

The sheet music is at GIA, where the text is in their preview – all nine verses, which are meant to be mainly sung by the cantor with the assembly’s response, “Alleluia!”

I have found a run of Eucharist songs that I haven’t already covered from Gather 3rd edition.

Francis Patrick O’Brien is an American composer who is not one used often in churches in Australia at which I have played. I suppose we have our own priest-composers.

This is a communion song, although I’m struggling to see the specific application for Advent mentioned at GIA, where you can buy the sheet music. The text is on page nine of this handout.

I dragged out the wind up BIAB church organ for this one.

This is another useful song for Eucharist from Gather 3rd edition from Donna Pena.

It has echoing parts from verse 2 on, which is great but it means even the guitar version I have goes for six pages. The sheet music for sale at GIA goes for nine pages. It’s a fairly simple song really and I’m sure that shorn of excess it would fit on two. The text is on page 2 of this handout.

I have already covered as awful lot of the Eucharist songs in Gather 3rd edition on this blog, but I’ve found a few that are new to me.

This one is by James Chepponis and he based the text on the Didache. There is a neat modulation into the verses. The music in the guitar edition I have, has the descant above the melody, which requires me to concentrate more than I wish to.

The sheet music is at GIA and the text is here.

I’ve blogged this Brian Wren text from CWB II, but Gather 3rd ed. sets it to LAND OF REST. It is only available now at GIA in a handbell version, as they have yet another (copyrighted) setting to purchase at GIA now.

This is a Eucharist and gathering song from a reliable hymn writer.

The text is at Hope Publishing.

I think organ crushes the tune.

This is better:

This is a bilingual Spanish/English procession for Eucharist in Gather 3rd edition by Tony Alonso. The guitar version I have also has verse responses for Psalm 34 in English and Spanish.

The sheet music at GIA has bilingual, all Spanish and all English versions, with the texts in their preview.

I really didn’t think there were so many GIA songs in Gather 3rd edition that I hadn’t already blogged, so this is taking a lot longer to get through than I thought it would I can see the finish line though, after which I will get back to Australian songs.

I have arrived at songs for Eucharist, which are always in demand.

This is an unusual song by Ian Callanan, who is an Irish songwriter who is new to me. It is a real production that probably needs a choir and soloists to bring off.

The sheet music is at GIA and the lyrics are at Callanan’s website.

My backing might be too restrained for a change.

This song is still in the “Christian Initiation” section of Gather 3rd edition, so is meant for RCIA and Baptism, but also for other commitments, like marriage.

It has a text by Rory Cooney based on Ruth 1:16 and a tune by Gary Daigle. The sheet music is at GIA and the text at Cooney’s blog, with a commentary on how the song came about.

My list of the GIA songs that didn’t seem to take in the Australian churches I have played at now includes: African, African-American, Irish (especially Liam Lawson), women in general and Rory Cooney. While we have to fit in all the Australian songwriters, it still says a lot about insularity. This song is great by the way and appears to be justly popular in the USA.

I even made a restrained backing for a change.

Bob Moore write this song in Gather 3rd edition. This one is for baptism, but also Easter Vigil and Baptism of the Lord. He based the text on the Blessing of Water in the Easter Vigil liturgy.

It is meant to be call and response and usually these can just be sung through by an assembly, but I think this one is too repetitive for that and probably should stay call and response.

The sheet music is available at GIA, where the text is in their preview.

Gospel piano: