I was planning to do the Mason version of Psalm 129 that we did throughout Lent, but thought it would be too much of a change to sing the whole psalm out of the blue when we normally just do the refrain, without a seasonal explanation.
I have got to the “Social Concern” section of the hymns in Gather 3rd edition. This is a text by Fred Kaan that I have already blogged here, but Gather use none of the three settings suggested there, rather using ST THOMAS by John Wade. I applaud GIA for not copyrighting an arrangement of this one for a change.
The powerful lyrics are at Hope Publishing where they suggest yet another setting, McELRATH by Hal H. Hopson. Ahh – the joys of a metrical hymn that can be set to anything 8.7 8.7 8.7 – bliss.
My current quixotic survey is of Gather 3rd edition – fortunately I have already covered many of the songs already so I am up to this song in the Discipleship section with a text from Sylvia Dunstan set by Paul A. Tate long after her death.
Even my guitar version of Gather has notes for the harmonies, while remaining clear with the chords and melody line – you just have to watch when the lyrics jump above the staves. It is in the Celtic via USA style.
This is a typically blunt text from John Bell that has a specific use for adult baptism but fits the discipleship section Gather 3rd ed. well enough.
It is set to a traditional Scottish tune, O GIN I WERE A BARON’S HEIR by Joseph William Holder, not that GIA let you know that in case you find the public domain music elsewhere. I have John Bell’s arrangement in his I Will Not Sing Alonecollection, but GIA have an arrangement by Tony Alonso and Michael Mahler. Copyrighting such things is a very lucrative arrangement, but I grant that the guitar version I have shows little of the work that has gone into the full sheet music you can see in their preview at GIA. The text is on page 2 of this leaflet.
In my backing I ignored the notes provided for the interludes and let BIAB use its whistle.
Of the versions below, the original from Wild Goose shreds the admittedly gorgeous Alonso version, but I do like the stripped back versions from the various churches a lot.
This is a bilingual English/Spanish song from Rory Cooney. Or rather he wrote the words and music for the refrain, based on John 21:15, and the verses are Psalm 23 from the The Grail with music by Joseph Gelineau.
Cooney gives SATB parts for the refrain if you need them (T&B in unison) and it appears the cantors can be in two parts for the verses.
The sheet music is at GIA and the text here. The music says no guitar in the verses so… no guitar in the verses.
Hymnary has a list of the many hymnals in which it is featured.
1 Guide my feet while I run this race, yes, my Lord! Guide my feet while I run this race, yes, my Lord! Guide my feet while I run this race, for I don’t want to run this race in vain! (race in vain!)
This is Dameans songs by Mike Bailhoff, Gary Daigle and Darryl Ducote in Gather 3rd Edition.
It is based on Isaiah 61:1-3 and is in the “Mission/Ministry” section. I note the Dameans’ version has spoken sections, which are not noted in this version. They must have been very popular in US, judging by the number of You Tube covers out there, a selection of which appears below.
Mike Bailoff’s version below changes the lyrics to “He has anointed me”. It is a difficult song to sing without sounding too sure of yourself, so it would be best used in a liturgical situation where an assembly is part of a communal decision that we have indeed been anointed.
At GIA you can buy the MP3, but they don’t even have the usual handbell arrangement for the songs they try to forget about. In this case it is because they no longer distribute their music. So the sheet music can be purchased at OCP. The text is on page two of this handout.
This is a stirring social justice hymn written by Michael Mahler when he was still a young man. It sounds like a Marty Haugen song, which isn’t a bad influence to start with. It is in Gather 3rd. edition. The GIA bio mentions his love of musical theatre and that is where his career very successfully went. There are more of his songs to come in this collection before he ventured off into other musical areas.
I've worked my way through the As One Voice books and other collections making backings on Band in a Box to help me (& you if you're interested) learn new songs for church. This is aimed at churches and musicians that own the collections but haven't exploited them fully. If you don't have them they are certainly worth buying. This site is educational, nonprofit and designed to enhance the commercial prospects of songwriters. This site does not distribute copyrighted sheet music.
Disclaimer
Any opinions expressed here are personal views and not the responsibility of any Church.
All music backings posted are created by myself and the intention is for them to be used to learn the songs. If any copyright holder wishes me to cease publicising and promoting their wares and directing people to where sheet music can be legally purchased please let me know.
Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise”
To access my backings for Paul Mason's mass go to Feb 2011 in the archive.