Church Music

I saw this song mentioned on Mary’s blog, where she links to its text and sheet music here. It is noted that this setting of Psalm 51 is by an unknown author.

Chorus:
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence, O Lord,
And take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation,
And renew a right spirit within me.

Have mercy on me, O Lord in all your goodness.
In your great compassion, wipe my sins.
Wash me from my guilt and cleanse me from my sins
And renew a right spirit within me.

Open my lips, and I proclaim your praise.
My humble heart I offer up to you.
May the sacrifice I give be pleasing in your eyes
And renew a right spirit within me.

I tried to work it out from that sheet music, but it seems a bit defective (or I’m not up to it).

The link here has more useable music. This link made me aware of Keith Green’s version, which he claimed to have written, which is nearly identical.

Just to be perverse I’ve made a backing that follows the slightly different verse melody of Green while sharing the usual tune for the chorus.

The music liturgy team has chosen these songs for this week:

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

Psalm: The Lord is My Shepherd (Boniwell) AOV 1/26

Gifts: God of Second Chances (Haas)

Communion: Tree of Life (Thompson) AOV NG 138

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

Recessional: Christ Be Our Light (Farrell) AOV 2/3

This is a song from emmanuelworship and written by Patrick Keady. It can be purchased as part of the Lifted collection here. This is a real emotional roller coaster of a song that rewards extreme dynamic variation. (ie quiet to loud and back again) Emmanuelworship have a habit of things like verse/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/chorus/coda but feel free to play around with it.

Verse

Your mercies are new every morning

and Your forgiveness is free

I thank You my Jesus for dying

and proving Your great love to me.

Rpt Verse

Chorus

You have loved me with an everlasting love

You have loved me with Your arms open wide upon a cross

You gave Your life for us! How much

You’ve proven Your great love for me.

Verse

Chorus

Chorus

Coda

How much

You’ve proven Your great love for me.

© Emmanuel Worship 2000

This is another oldie and I think it is by Brian Boniwell, but I’m not actually sure. Singing in the voice of God is less acceptable apparently these days, so I’m not sure if this one can be revived. If anyone can clarify if Mr Boniwell did write this one I’d be grateful.

My backing appears to have been done with children in mind.

Refrain:

You are the ones that I have chosen

You are the ones who know my name

I’ll give to you the light of my spirit

I’ll give to you the love of my heart.

Verse 1

Give to me your time just to listen

Don’t be afraid, I’ll be with you everywhere

Though I’ll be gone, you will seek and you will find me.

Live in me and you will know.

Refrain

Verse 2

Lift your eyes and see me in my sorrow

Drawing you and pouring out my life

Look on me, I’ll be your consolation

Live in me and you will know.

Refrain

I’ll give to you the love of my heart.

?© Spectrum 1984

This is an ancient (early1970s) song by Dan Schutte. I don’t think it can be resuscitated if you can’t sing Yahweh.     …unless of course you rewrite the song as has been done.

The original text is at Cantus Mundi (and at Dan Schutte’s site incidentally – it’s No 23). It can be bought at OCP.

My version is in A, but I note that in rewriting the words the key was raised to C, which may be an easier key in which to sing if you throat feels tight after the 2008 Yahweh directive.

My backing is another ancient MIDI file originally made with Band in a Box vs.1 for windows and recently put through ProTools for fun.

This is an old song by W. F. Jabusch that we used to sing. I have an ancient version that had eleven verses, but someone has helpfully covered several over with liquid paper. It is copyright 1970 WLP. It is now administered by OCP and they had the same idea because it has been cut down to five verses as you can see when you access the text at spiritandsong. You can buy and download the sheet music at OCP. I notice in the preview of the piece that the melody is unaltered but the chords have been substantially changed in the newer arrangement.

Hymnary have lots of helpful background on the hymn and its author.

In the unlikely event that you don’t know this chestnut you could sing along with my backing that I believe has space for eleven verses if you know them.  It is an ancient MIDI file tarted up on ProTools.

This is childrens’ song that is great for Confirmation/ First Eucharist groups and for school based exploration of Advent.

You can hear a snippet at As One Voice and it is available there as part of the As One Voice For Kids collection. It is also available in a collection at GIA.

We will make a place ready for you, Jesus.

We will open our arms to your love.

We are happy to sing of the riches you bring.

We will make a place ready in our hearts.

© Damian Halloran and Maria Millward 1998.

I’ve been spending some time renovating my old posts on As One Voice: the Next Generation looking for dead links and adding links to purchase sheet music for download where available and I noticed I somehow missed this song by John Angotti. I must have been trying to finish the last few songs and just skipped it, because I did make a backing at the time.

The song is based on Matt 25:35-40 and would be fine for when that reading comes around. My only caveat is that the refrain has too many short notes and the assembly will struggle with it.

You can get the text from the sample sheet music at Voices As One. They also provide a snippet of the song to listen to and will let you purchase the song for download here. I suspect it may also be in “More Voices As One” but I can’t find a live link to a full list of the songs on that album at WLP.

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.