Church Music

This is listed as a Negro spiritual and is another one for Stations of the Cross.

You can find the text here.

I think my backing particularly poor but I put it up as something I would use as a hack guitarist to listen to, so I can get the intervals right with all those trembles over 3 1/2 bars. That’s about all it’s good for.

There is sheet music all over the net for this tune, for example,you can get a 5 part arrangement + piano here. Hymnary has some background and links to lots of other arrangements.

You tube has a lot of versions for your meditative and listening pleasure.

We will be singing a Michael Herry song next week and I’ve found another that you could use for the Way of the Cross. You can hear a snippet at Amazon. Spectrum say it is in this book but it is out of stock and they suggest you contact Brother Michael.

We adore you O Christ and bless you

Because by your holy cross you redeemed the world.

© Michael Herry fms 1995.

*The Marists have made the sheet music available here.

The music selected for this week is:

Entrance: Tree of Life (Thompson) AOV NG 138

Psalm 95 (O’Brien)

If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your heart.

Gifts: God of Second Chances (Haas)

Communion: Come to the Water (Andersen) AOV 1/74

Lord, to Whom Shall We Go? (Herry) AOV 1/6

Recessional: We Remember (Haugen) AOV 1/81

This is another one for confirmation, this time from Taizé.

We used to do just the ostinato and just one verse but there are six verses in my music that is No 41 in Songs & Prayers from Taizé (available from GIA and elsewhere) and that is what I used for my ridiculously long backing.

The text with all the parts etc is here, but if you are following on my backing verses 2 and 3 are reversed in that version for some reason.

Cantus Mundi has Youtube selections and non english lyrics.

We used to play a few Michael Herry songs and this was one for confirmation.

You can hear a snippet on I-tunes of all places and the whole thing on Spotify. They do it in a more restrained and respectful manner than our recall our version for the kids. You can order it as part the collection “God of Surprises” here.

Vene Sancte Spiritus,

Vene Sancte Spiritus,

Vene Sancte Spiritus,

Vene Sancte Spiritus.

© Michael Herry fms 1993.

I’m looking through the last few songs in the miscellaneous pile of songs I’ve played in church over the years and I’ve come across Amy Grant’s “Thy Word”. It was used as a gospel acclamation and I can see why, but there are specific acclamations written for that and they are to be preferred.

The text is here. This song is a good example of a solo vehicle that can moulded by consensus into something singable. Before I entered the notes into BIAB I had no idea how over written and syncopated it was from the perspective of something for an assembly. I guarantee you we smoothed things out adequately.

My backing has the feel of how we used to play it, up tempo country.

You can purchase the song for download in various places on the net including at musicnotes.

More stalking of other parishes – this time a selection from Yola’s parish. This song was written by Trevor Thomson. Another song in a minor key for Lent and a very pretty Celtic style tune it is.

You can purchase this song for download from spiritandsong and listen to it at Thomson’s My Space page.

The text is available here.

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Another new one (for me at least) from Chris’s parish. This is a text by Sylvia Dunstan to a traditional tune “Picardy” adapted by Davis Haas. This is another good choice for Lent.

The text is here. (Scroll to the bottom of the page.) Haas adds a call and response descant line and a key change – you can listen to his version on his MySpace page. The sheet music is available in a collection at GIA and as a single sheet here, but it is a traditional tune if you strip out Haas’ adaptations.

My backing does that.

I have this down as composer unknown.

The text and an arrangement in F is available here. My music is in D which is kinder for little voices I think.

These are the selections made by the music liturgy group for this week.

Entrance: Open My Eyes (Manibusan) AOV 1/166

Psalm: A Trusting Psalm (Bates) AOV 1/115

Gifts: God of Second Chances (Haas)

Communion: Tree of Life (Thompson) AOV NG 138

I Have Loved You (Joncas) AOV 1/126

Recessional: Holy Darkness (Schutte) AOV 2/24