Church Music

I’ve already blogged an adaptation of this song, but not this arrangement, which is closer to the original as arranged by Diana Kodner. GIA now sell a yet different version arranged by Rob Glover, which appears more swung than this one and easier to play. Hymnary also have the sheet music.

The text is an African American spiritual thought to be based on advice to fugitive slaves to cover their tracks by using watercourses. I have found varying versions but the ones below are from Gather.

My backing is also the one in Gather 3rd edition.

Refrain

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children

Wade in the water
God is gonna trouble these waters

1 See that band all dressed in white
God is gonna trouble these waters
It look like a band of the Israelites
God is gonna trouble these waters

2 See that band all dressed in red
God is gonna trouble these waters
Look like a band that Moses led
God is gonna trouble these waters

3 Look over yonder, what di I see?
God is gonna trouble these waters
Holy Ghost a comin’ on me.
God is gonna trouble these waters

4 If you don’t believe that I’ve been redeemed,
God is gonna trouble these waters
Follow me down to Jordan’s stream,
God is gonna trouble these waters

This is Kate Cuddy’s setting of words from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It would slot in nicely to a Rite of Initiation.

The sheet music is available at GIA.

You have been enlightened by Christ.

Walk always as children of the light

and keep the flame of faith alive in your hearts.

I have moved along to the section on Christian Initiation in Gather 3rd edition. I am getting to all the songs that I haven’t covered already on my blog. It may be no coincidence that a lot of the songs that aren’t widely used enough to have already come up here are written by women.

This song is for RCIA and baptism and has a text by Mary Louise Bringle set by William P. Rowan to the tune, APPALACHIAN FALL. It is is simple, singable tune.

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

This is another Marian hymn and Gather 3rd edition gives the Latin and an English translation by Neil Borgstrom. The tune is SICILIAN MARINERS (aka O DU FROLICHE).

GIA have a different arrangement in a higher key for sale as sheet music. The version in Gather 3rd ed. can be viewed in the preview archived at Hymnary.

This is Mary Louise Bringle‘s paraphrase of the Magnificat as set by Norah Duncan, with a tune called DUKTA. It is certainly a lively setting.

I have already blogged the version still available at GIA set by Michael Joncas.

You can see the text and tune in the preview archived at Hymnary, but otherwise you are probably going to need one of the two hymnals in which it is noted to be included.

Delores Duffner wrote this Marian hymn found in Gather 3rd ed., set to PLEADING SAVIOUR. I like the “mother of exiles” theme.

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

Another song for the BVM from Gather 3rd edition. This one is written by Dan Kantor and he has added some additional words to the Hail Mary.

The sheet music in the guitar edition I have get a bit messy with all, the harmony lines. The clips below give an idea of that.

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

My backing sticks to the melody.

Having been raised a Presbyterian, I always struggle with Marian hymns. This one by Tony Alonso in Gather 3rd edition keeps it simple and successfully avoids the oversentimental – he based it on the Litany of Loretto and the “Ave Maria” chorus is based on the LOURDES HYMN. It is call and response, but could be sung through without issues. The Spanish version is provided as well, though the response is in Latin – I had to look up Ora pro nobis – still a Presbyterian at some level I suppose.

The sheet music can be purchased at GIA, where the text is in their preview.

It’s a good idea to use a familiar tune for a text used on one day of the year like All Saints or for liturgies where people who aren’t regular parishioners are likely to attend like funerals. To that end, John Bell’s moving words are usefully here set to O WALY WALY, and found in Gather 3rd Edition.

The sheet music of his arrangement is at GIA and the lyrics are here.

I have made a bit of a dent in Gather 3rd edition, picking up all the songs that I haven’t already covered on this blog. This one is for All Saints and is a text by Sylvia Dunstan set here to PLEADING SAVIOR.

GIA now only have other setting for sale of Dunstan’s lyric. The words are here.