Church Music

A commisioning song from Fr Robert Galea called “To the Ends of the Earth” is No134 in AOV NG.  He manages not to press the power pedal without being wimpy, which is a cute trick.  It is gentle but insistant and that is probably better than emotional blackmail by song.  You can hear him sing it here. My backing is even more gentle than his version and that might be a good sign of a little restraint creeping into these hamfisted backings.

Fr Galea’s version on the AOV NG CD has a bridge that is just repetition of:

to know you is to love you

to love you is to serve you

The music in the book has a couple errors:

an unecessary tie over “for you” at the bottom of p419.

p421 second line  C#m2   … C#m7 is much more likely

Verse 1

The time has come
To lay it down
And find it all in You
More than this world could ever give
ln one glimpse of You

The fire burns within my soul
A love too loud lt won’t let go

Chorus

Draw us close
Send us out
Let our lives be Yours
Set our hearts on fire for You
That Your light may shine through us
To the ends of the earth

Verse 2

Stir in us a passion to
Be Your witnesses
Our generation
This world and nation
Make us one in You

Clothe us now
with Pow’r divine
Let Your light shine in us

Chorus

© Robert Galea 2007

This isn’t from AOV NG, but we heard John Bell sing it in his DVD series “Singing the Unsung” and everyone thought it was lovely.  It is a Korean melody and the text is from Genesis. I’ll bring it down a notch before I try this at mass, but this backing is in the key John Bell sings it in his workshops.  It is also approximate, as I don’t have the proper music for it, though it appears to be available in several collections.

The last verse says something to me about making a virtue of the ridiculously poor English missal translation.  It’s still wrong headed but I may have to just view it as a spiritual exercise.

Verse 1

God who made the earth

Declared it good in the beginning

Meant a time and purpose

For all things that were and would be.

Chorus

While earth remains

There will be seed time and harvest

Summer sun and winter moon

The dead of night, the bright day.

Verse 2

Though humanity

Defiled the Eden God had cherished

God did not despise the world

Whose worth its maker could see.

Chorus

Verse 3

So, in Christ God came

From paradise to imperfection

Repossessing earth and people

Through a tomb and a tree.

Chorus

Verse 4

We, who follow Christ

Discover heaven through limitation

Pruned, we bear more fruit

And grafted to the vine we are free.

Chorus

words by John L Bell
©1999 WGRG Iona Community Glasgow

No 133 in AOV NG is a communion song from Judy Bailey.  “Though We Are Many” would be the logical song to follow on from “The Peace of the Lord.”  I love her songs for their simplicity, even though they are quite hard to do backings for on BIAB.  I can’t find a link for this song, which is a pity as the song develops with counterpoints and a great bass part so you’ll just have to busk it.  The tempo should be ~165bpm.

Though we are many, we are one body

Because we all share in one bread. (rpt)

So let’s thank the Lord,

Praise him for all he’s done

And let us share in this bread (rpt)

© Dyba Music / Judy Bailey 2004.

No 132 in As One Voice: the Next Generation is “There’s No Other Name,” written by Cathy and Felix Weber.  Felix Weber is an experienced songwriter who has placed songs with popular secular artists, including Australia’s Vanessa Amorosi.  It is a professional P&W pop song.  The version on AOV NG CD is by Jared Mahone.

Chorus

We praise You Lord, We love You Lord,

We worship you together.

For your righteousness is our shield and strength.

We worship you forever.  (Rpt)

Verse

Love flows from you.

Peace comes from you.

There’s no other name above Your name.

Chorus x2

Verse

Bridge

There’s no other name by which we are saved.

There’s no greater power that we can proclaim. (rpt)

Chorus x2

There’s no other name (x5)

© Cathy and Felix Weber 2006.

Another wonderful song from Amanda McKenna is “The Way”, No 131 in AOV NG.  I’d play it somewhat faster than the 100bpm suggested.  I’d love her horn section but I’ve made do with MIDI horns for my backing.

The last line of the music should have a tie over “days.”

Refrain

The way, the truth, the life in the body of Christ.

The way, the truth, and the life in Christ.

Verse 1

Don’t let your heart be troubled,

No need to be afraid.

We haven’t been abandoned here,

the Spirit guides our days                   in the…

Refrain

Verse 2

We’re called to be a witness,

Bring Christ to all the world.

The good news is for ev’ryone,

So let your voice be heard              in the…

Refrain

Verse 3

Be welcoming to strangers,

Show care for all the poor

And share your love with ev’ryone,

Your heart’s an open door          to the…

Refrain x2

© Amanda McKenna 2006.

Geoff Bullock’s lovely ballad, “The Power of Your Love,” is No130 in AOV NG.  The stated speed of 94 is just a little breathless and could be slowed a little.

There are many versions on the net to purchase for download (eg music notes) and there is a choral version here.

You can listen to two versions of this song here, the original Hillsong version and a remix two version, along with some interesting and funny self descriptions.  Neither is the version on the AOV NG CD, which is Geoff Bullock solo singing the original version but without the Hillsong bombast.  The solo version on the site has subtle changes to the lyrics, especially in the first verse and chorus, which I suspect indicate some emotional maturity and reflection.

Verse 1

Lord I come to You   [Lord you come to me]
Let my heart be changed, renewed   [And as my heart is changed, released]
Flowing from the grace [This miracle of grace]
That I have found in You [Gently sets me free]
And Lord I have come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

Chorus

[You] Hold me close
[You] Let Your love surround me
Bring me near  [For you come near]
[To] Draw me to Your side
And as I wait [And in Your life]
I will rise up like the eagle [I’m rising…]
And I will soar with You
[As] Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

Verse 2

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
And Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love

Chorus

Verse 3

Lord, you’ve come to all

With hope that shines to light the way

As mercy soothes our souls,

The peace that flows so free. [Healing every heart]

Love that sees the tears

Overcomes our darkest fears

Grace that lifts us up

In the power of your love

Chorus

Coda

And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love (x4)

© Word Music LLC / Maranatha! Music 1992.

No 129 in AOV NG is “The Peace of the Lord” by Judy Bailey.  This has an obvious liturgical use, and I’d love to be in a church where this happened before the Lamb of God – it would be good to segue into a rhythmic Agnes Dei straight from this.  You can hear her at WYD Sydney performing the song here.  I didn’t see my kids in the crowd.

My backing is close as BIAB gets to accordian township jive so give me a break!

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

Peace! (rpt)

And also with you, also with you.

Peace! (rpt)

© Dyba Music / Judy Bailey 2004.

John Bell has arranged this traditional Guatemalan chant, and a fine thing it is too.  “The Peace of the Earth,” is No 128 in AOV NG and a lovely blessing song with a nice deep counterpoint for the male voices.  As usual, my backings for chants leave more than a little to be desired.

THE PEACE OF THE EARTH

The peace of the earth be with you,
the peace of the heavens too;
the peace of the rivers be with you,
the peace of the oceans too.

Deep peace falling over you;
God’s peace growing in you. (Repeat)

Words: Guatemalan traditional
Trans: Christine Carson
Music: Guatemalan traditional
Arr: John L. Bell
Trans & Arr © 1998 Christine Carson & WGRG, Iona Community, Scotland.

http://iona.org.uk/resources/wild-goose-resource-group/

No 127 in AOV NG is Ps 23, “The Lord is My Shepherd” by Joshua Blakesley.  You can hear his version here.  It is gentle, reflective and gets it all done in two verses.  Love the cello, but BIAB’s fiddle is the best I can do.

It can be purchased for download at spiritandsong.

I’m not sure the song has enough to recommend it over every other setting of this psalm, but see what you think.

Refrain
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want,
The Lord is my shepherd:
there is nothing I shall want.

Verse 1

He lets me rest in open fields so green.
He leads me to the quiet streams.
He gives me strength and guides me in his ways.
He renews his promises each day.

Refrain

Verse 2

He is my guide, my shepherd and my king,
and in my fear he offers peace.
Though I walk through the valley, I will not be afraid.
You will protect me; I’ll be saved.

© Joshua Blakesley 1998.

I’ve been spouting off that this mass will be too hard to learn in its new form since hearing it at the Archdiocese education session and so have been putting off trying to learn the new version.

…and I was wrong. Paul Mason has done a great job with this popular old mass and, while it is still not very guitar friendly, it is no less playable than the old one.  The Gloria will take a degree of relearning however.

So half the Bishop’s six masses are suitable for the suburbs and thank the Lord for Paul Taylor and Paul Mason.

I’ve done some basic backings on BIAB for the main parts of the mass, so I suggest you download the assembly version here and sing them until you’ve forgotten the original versions.  It should only take a thousand repetitions or so.

Gloria

Gospel Acclamation

Holy Holy

We Proclaim

When We Eat

Amen

Lamb of God

22/3/25

Wendy noticed I had left off the music for the “Save Us” and she is quite right – the music I was given way back then didn’t have it and I didn’t notice.

Looking back, these acclamations are unusual as they are all very different in tempo and melody, although they end sort of the same.

Thanks so much, Wendy.