Church Music

In Gather 3rd ed. we have left the “Comfort” section and thematically entered the “Reign of God” as it were.

This is a hymn from Swaziland and in this version of Gather 3 you only get the English lyrics. The sheet music that can be purchased from GIA is bilingual. The copyright here bothers me somewhat. The translation is by John Bell and he gets credit for that and fair enough. Both the music and the text is called “Swaziland traditional” and its transcription is copyright to the Swedish Youth Exchange Project. Hopefully they do something nice with any proceeds.

If you are up for this sort of music it sounds great for an entrance procession or recessional. Minimal accompaniment would seem best.

This is a very old song of comfort, especially suitable for funerals. The text is C18 by Nicholas L. von Zinzendorf (Jesu, geh voran) and translated in to English by Jane Borthwick C19. It is set to a C17 tune ROCHELLE by Adam Drese.

Mary at Godsongs has more background.

This is certainly worthy of it’s inclusion in the “comfort” section of Gather third edition. I was worried I would get only US artists from GIA, but I’ve already found a few Liam Lawton songs, so Ireland is represented. Looking ahead there are African and Scottish tunes so maybe it is just that I have hoovered up a lot of the American material from other sources.

Lawton based this on Psalm 34. It is playable and singable so it has its virtues. The sheet music is available at GIA and the lyrics are here.

In my BIAB backing, I left out the embellishments in the tune that you hear in the clips – I figure assemblies would do the same.

Watch how the pianist in this clip takes communion in both forms and carries on, what style:

I realise that songs from Gather 3rd edition are probably all well known, especially in GIA parishes in the US, but I am still finding songs I haven’t heard of or blogged on this site.

This has a Marty Haugen arrangement of a traditional tune BALM IN GILEAD, setting Susan R. Briehl’s text. It is a delicate hymn of comfort.

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

I followed the chords and melody in the hymn book, but it sounds a little off to me in my BIAB backing.

I like Haugen’s restrained version:

Not sure about this remake:

More Psalm 23 from Gather 3rd edition, this time from Lori True.

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

This is Francis Patrick O’Brien‘s take on Psalm 23, which makes sense for the “Comfort” section of Gather 3rd edition. I don’t think he is much used in Australia, but he is well known in the US, going by the number of YouTube clips – I by no means posted all of them and even Presbyterians were singing it. I was raised a Presbyterian and singing a hymn written by a Catholic priest then would have collapsed the roof.

Maybe we have enough of our own priest composers in Australia, but his songs are certainly singable enough and worthy of consideration.

The sheet music can be purchased at GIA and the text is here.

I am looking at all the songs left in Gather 3rd edition that I haven’t come across from other sources over the years.

Finding a John Bell chant is always great and this makes a lot of sense for inclusion in their “Comfort” section.

GIA don’t seem to have a downloadable version but the collection We Walk His Way is available there and at Wild Goose. The text is based on Matt 11:28 and can be found here.

Another song of comfort from Gather 3rd edition, this Stephen Pishner song has a particular place for funerals.

Something in the tune reminds me of Peter Allan’s “Don’t Cry Out Loud”, which is a good thing.

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

Just so you know: Peter Allen.

This is a lovely song of consolation from Tony Alonso from Gather 3rd edition. Inspired by Matthew 11:28–30, it is suitable for funerals, Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick.

The text is here and you can buy the sheet music at GIA.

This is another song in the “Comfort” section of hymns from Gather 3rd edition. This is by Paul A. Tate. The text is inspired by Matthew 11:25-30. If you have done Norbet’s “Come to Me” to death, perhaps this is an alternative. He has written a lovely melody for this one.

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

The “rest now in me” is supposed to be echoed by the assembly after the cantor or choir, but I would just have the assembly sing everything and repeat it rather than hand most of the song away. There is a harmony line for the chorus that I have ignored for my backing.