Church Music

We rarely get past the tried and true at Christmas mass, so it’s great to get other ideas.

Emma’s parish do the right thing and play some more obscure songs including Australian Christmas Carols, like “Christmas Day (the north wind)” with words by John Wheeler and music by William G James. The north wind is of course very hot and dry as you can see in the text here.

They also do “Sing Gloria” from the same songwriters. I think “Carol of the Birds” is their most well known song.

This is the whole set:

From outside Australia “Lord Today” by Balhoff/Ducote/Daigle of the Dameans is a Christmas song new to me.

…and there’s Michael Joncas’s “A Christmas Carol”.

I love “O Holy Night” but have heard it crash and burn at the hands of an unwary assembly. Of course if you have a backing band like this you’re fine.

I love this version of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” by Andy Williams, but probably because it was on the only Christmas record we had when I was a child and I’ve never heard a better version since.

I’m not sure if even Pentatonix can redeem “Little Drummer Boy.”

To play outside church the greatest Christmas songs celebrate the reality of the human condition, so Merry Christmas one and all:

Brendan suggested this song as a bridge between Carols and the actual Christmas Mass, which sounds a nice idea as I’m not sure it’s really a liturgical song but has possibilities as a solo vehicle along with major risks of over-emoting.

It is by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene and seems to be have covered by everyone, but I can’t recall hearing of it before.

The text is here and there are various arrangements for sale online. (eg musicnotes and sheetmusicplus)

I had fun making a backing, and you know Mary needs accordion:

I found pages of You-Tube clips of covers of this song, here’s just a few:

Pentatonix

Los Cantantes Catolicos

Jordan Smith (The Voice 2015)

CeeLo Green

Emma’s parish use the lovely simple Marian song by Peter Gagen. It is a bit of an orphan. It was originally published by Spectrum Publications but I can find no sign of it so I am assuming it is out of print.

You have to decide what to do with all the Yahwehs.

Chorus

My soul praises God my Lord,

And my heart exults in Him,

For he looks upon my life,

And He loves its lowliness.

 

1. Sing to God a song of love,

Sing to Yahweh all the earth.

Sing a song to the Lord our God,

And bless his holy name.

2. Yahweh made the earth and heav’ns

And with Him is splendour and might:

Let us all pay tribute to Him,

And bless his holy name.

 

3.Let the earth and skies proclaim,

Let the fields and seas shout for joy,

Let all men look to the Lord our God,

And bless His holy name.

© 1986 Spectrum Publications Pty. Ltd.

Mary’s parish do this Marian chant for Advent, so for my education I looked up the Gregorian version.

Chantblog has the background and the sheet music is here.

My backing is just the vocal line:

Better still learn it from this:

This is another song from Mary’s parish, which is a translation of a German song from  the 16th century.  It is set to ES IST EIN ROSE. It is a lively song for Christmas.

All the details are at Hymnary including lyrics and sheet music.

My stodgy backing has only one of the vocal lines:

This is better – SATB with streaming sheet music.

Sheer bliss – Renee Fleming:

Acapella x4

Christmas at Baylor:

Augustana Choir:

Entrance: Angels We Have Heard On High

Psalm 83 (McKenna)

How happy they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

Gifts: Blessed Be Our God (McKenna) AOV NG 13

Communion: What Child Is This?

Mary’s Boy Child

Thanksgiving: In Love We Choose to Live (Cotter) AOV 2/63

Recessional: Joy to the World

Carols before Mass:

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Angels We Have Heard On High

O Little Town of Bethlehem

The First Nowell

Once in Royal David’s City

Entrance: O Come All Ye Faithful

Christmas Psalm

Gifts: O Holy Night

Communion: Come to the Table (Burland)

Away in a Manger

Mary’s Boy Child

Thanksgiving: Silent Night

Recessional: Joy to the World

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Mary’s parish sing this song suitable for Advent, with a text translated from a fourth century liturgy, so that’s going way back. It was translated by Gerard Moultrie and is set to PICARDY.

Hymnary have the text and sheet music.

This is a song by Bob Dufford SJ based on Psalm 80 suitable for both Advent and Lent that was used at Emma’s parish. The verses are all different so might be material for a cantor. It is meant to be “yearning and insistent” and the the slow drawn out “bring us back” in the refrain is certainly emphatic.

The text is at Cantus Mundi, where there are several You-Tube clips as well.  The sheet music can be purchased at OCP.

I like this version with more of a 6/8 feel:

Enthusiasm and piano:

Just back from a lovely weekend in Sydney where I saw the illuminations on St Mary’s Cathedral amongst other cultural activities.

Ming’s parish sang Jacques Acadelt’s “Ave Maria” today, and to make a backing I borrowed the MIDI file, which matches the sheet music also available at freesheetmusic and ran it through BIAB.