Church Music

So the question arises – are the revised masses playable, learnable, even doable?

Maggie Russell’s Mass of Freedom is sung enthusiastically by our parish.  The Gloria has required a very extensive rewrite.  Have a go at singing the new words to the revised tune.  I’ve left it in the original key although we usually bring it down to F to make it more singable.

Refrain

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to people of good will.

Rpt Verse 1

We praise you,

we bless you,

we adore you,

we glorify you,

we give you thanks for your great glory,

Lord God, heavenly King,

O God, almighty Father.

Refrain

Verse 2

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

you take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us;

you take away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father,

have mercy on us.

Refrain

Verse 3

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father.

Refrain

No 83 in As One Voice: the Next Generation is John Coleman’s “Jesus with Me”.  I’m pretty sure I heard him sing this at the AOV conference last year.  Another slow meditation, it is absolutely wonderful, but because the first two verses are sung freely I can’t get that feel with BIAB so I’ve just done my own arrangement, which will have to do.  Listen to the CD if you get a chance, or listen to it on bandcamp.

Refrain

Jesus with me, always with me.

Ever near me, always with me.

Verse 1

The Jesus who feeds the hungry and tired,

Jesus feed my family and I

Refrain

Verse 2

The Jesus who hungered, was tortured and died,

Is the Jesus who rose on Eastertide.

Refrain

Verse 3

Just as the spearpoint enters the side,

There is Jesus – incoming tide.

Refrain

Verse 4

The Jesus who gave the blind man his sight,

To your presence, open our eyes.

Refrain

rpt vs 4

Refrain

© John Coleman 1998.

I’ve already done this wonderful easter song, “Jesus is Risen”.

No 81 in AOV NG is James Maher’s beautiful meditation, “Jesus, Face of God.”  It’s worth finding Julie Jenkin’s version on the CD.

Jesus, face of God, holy mystery,

Truth beyond what we’ve conceived, bold reality!

Jesus, word of God, heaven’s poetry,

Wisdom born beyond our minds, divine humanity.

Jesus, heart of God, pierced on calvary,

Love beyond imagining, heaven’s majesty.

Jesus, song of God, Spirit’s melody,

Sounding deep within our hearts, transforming harmony,

Holy mystery.

© James Maher msc 2007.

Getting back to As One Voice: the Next Generation takes us to No 80, “Jesus, Bread of Life” by Amanda McKenna. This song is an old fashioned waltz and a bit of a Swiss army knife of a song. The refrain could be used as a communion mantra, refrain + verse one as a gospel acclamation, verse 4 for last week’s gospel, etc.  She even has an extra verse for advent.  In other words she is as liturgically useful as anything.

You can buy the sheet music for download at As One Voice and if you look around their site you’ll find Amanda has put up many other instrumental parts for sale.

My backing is just the song as written with five verses. She alters the tune in some of the verses just enough to drive the assembly crazy I suspect, but it is a useful song nonetheless.

Refrain

Jesus, bread of life, cup of love poured out for us.

Jesus, lamb of God, holy one, gift of peace.

Verse 1

No-one can live on bread alone,

But ev’ry word from the mouth of God.

Refrain

Verse 2

This is my son, my beloved one.

He is my delight, listen to him.

Refrain

Verse 3

Those who drink this water I shall give

Will have welling springs of eternal life.

Refrain

Verse 4

Lord rubbed my eyes and I could see,

And I believed, believed in God.

Refrain

Verse 5

All those who live and believe in me

Will never die forever, says the Lord.

Refrain

© Amanda McKenna 2006.

See you in April.

Before I get back to AOV NG, I’ve done this lovely setting for this weeks Psalm, “Be Merciful, O Lord” by Steve Angrisano.  My backing tries to be as cool as Steve but I’ve not done the high notes he does in the third verse.  I found it in Spirit & Song No 66.

It can be purchased for download at spiritandsong.

Refrain

Be merciful, O Lord. Have mercy on us, for we have sinned.

We come before you; cleanse us from within.

Have mercy on us Lord.

Verse 1

Have mercy on me in your goodness, Lord.

In your great compassion wipe out my offense.

Wash me from guilt, Lord, cleanse me from my sin.

Have mercy on me Lord.

Refrain

Verse 2

Create a clean heart for me, O God.

And a steadfast spirit, renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence, O Lord.

Take not your Spirit from me.

Refrain

Verse 3

Give me the joy of your salvation, Lord.

And a willing spirit sustain within me.

Open my lips, let my mouth proclaim your praise.

Have mercy on me, Lord.

Refrain

Have mercy on us , Lord.

© Steve Angrisano 1999.

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Paul Mason has an SATB version of this as well, but I’ve done the simpler one.  He has an interesting repeat of Lamb of God.

Lamb of God, Lamb of God,

You take away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us, Lamb of God.

Lamb of God, Lamb of God,

You take away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us, Lamb of God.

Lamb of God, Lamb of God,

You take away the sins of the world,

Grant us, Grant us peace.

Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.

Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.

Paul Mason has settings for all three of the new Memorial Acclamations.  They have different tunes and tempos.

We proclaim your Death, O Lord,

And profess your Resurrection

Until you come again

When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,

We proclaim your Death, O Lord,

Until you come again

Save us, Saviour of the world,

For by your Cross and Resurrection

You have set us free.