Church Music

This an Ash Wednesday/Lent song from Paul Inwood in Gather 3rd edition. We really should use more of his inventive songs.

The sheet music can be purchased at GIA, where the text with all nine verses (count ’em) is in their preview.

This is a powerful simple prayer for forgiveness ideal for Reconciliation and Lent. For a short poem it has a long attribution. It has a Spanish text by Sara Menéndez de Hall, based on the English words of C. Maude Battersby here translated back into English by Janet W. May. The details of all that are here. This text is here.

It is set to CAMACUA by Pablo D. Sosa.

Apart from Gather 3rd edition, it’s sheet music can be purchased at GIA.

Having got through the Eucharist songs in Gather 3rd edition not already accounted for, I am up to the section for “Pastoral care of the Sick.”

I have already blogged this one as found in CWB II, but Gather uses the more usual setting of the PASSION CHORALE.

The text is here. GIA now use a yet other setting and now only have this in handbells.

This is a typically delightful and useful communion chant by John L. Bell, suitable to be sung as we process.

The sheet music is at GIA. Even the guitar edition I have has the four harmony lines for the singers in parts out there. The text is on page three of this handout.

I have blogged the setting of Delores Duffner‘s text from Gather Australia, where it is set by Rosalie Broughton, but the parent company used Michel Guimont‘s music.

You can get the sheet music at GIA.

Rob Glover has taken chant (ADORE TE DEVOTE) and regularised it (12 12 12 12) for this Eucharistic song in Gather 3rd edition.

The assembly will cope with his refrain well enough even with the triplets. The verses are cantor territory, and there is music for a descant in the chorus.

The sheet music at GIA has lots of extra instrumental features and the text is in their preview.

I do love the percussion:

I am on the seemingly never ending last stretch of songs in Gather 3rd edition that I haven’t already blogged because they came to my attention in other collections or from local use. The kinds of neglected music I am finding are Irish, African, African-American, Spanish, songs by American priests and hymns by women in general.

This is is a very restrained Eucharist song with plenty of verses for long processions, from Lori True. The tune has many nice touches, modulating to Db in the verses, pretty triplets, etc, but I don’t think the official version’s arrangement flatters the song. Maybe shorn of harmonies and with simple accompaniment it may shine.

The sheet music is at GIA, where the text is in their preview. The guitar version I have has to sandwich the words for the different vocal lines in the refrain into the sheet music, so the main line is above the staves. I find that confusing, but it does give all the harmony lines for those who want them.

This clip won’t embed and it is better than the official release so listen here:

https://youtu.be/4PbB6edxiiA?si=FZKtsXM0kY-vO-hI

I am not the least bit surprised this song has never been used in any Australian church I have played at. Listen to the clip below and you will see you will need an exceptional gospel choir to pull this one off.

It is a hymn for Eucharist by Leon C. Roberts. The verses are based on John 14:1-4. The music has all those jazz chords you love, Db7#11 anyone. I’ll just have to dream about being this good.

Here is a mystery: This is a GIA copyright, where they have lots of his songs, but the only place I can find the sheet music for sale is at OCP. Probably one of those missalette oddities.

I had a go at a backing:

This is more like it:

This a slightly jazzy Eucharist song from Kate Cuddy in Gather 3rd edition. GIA also note a use for Christ the King, one of the hardest masses for which to find music.

The sheet music is at GIA, where the text is in their preview. It has an short introductory piece before the song proper starts: “I am the living bread from heaven” sung twice, that is not in the guitar version I have.

I’m still finding Eucharist songs that I haven’t covered before in Gather 3rd edition.

This one is by James Cheppponis with the verses text coming from John Mason Neale’s translation of Sancti, venite, corpus sumite. It has a special indication for First Communion – I can easily imagine a choir at such a big celebration singing this while still allowing young people to sing the refrain easily enough.

The sheet music is at GIA, where the text is in their preview. My version in the guitar edition has a descant in the chorus and also in the second and fourth lines of the verses. The sheet music at GIA also has the handbell part in with the rest of music, instead of being the last remnant of interest that GIA has with superannuated hymns.

Godsongs has commentary here. Mary’s site is highly recommended for finding out about obscure hymns.