This is another great text in GIA Unbound. Written by David Bjorlin, it is an antidote to fear that excludes and divides. The tune was written by Eddie Cavazos.
This is a delightful song for Christmas and beyond written by Chris Shelton and set to OLD CORNISH CAROL (aka MY DANCING DAY). It is found in GIA Unbound.
This is a Christmas song for those whose Christmas is in winter. It’s not as recent as some of the others in Unbound, but they were putting up a lot of Christmas songs to give us material for the season coming up quickly.
I suppose the initial inspiration was Shakespeare, but Shakespeare’s text makes for a very different sort of carol:
Blow, blow, thou winter wind, Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude; Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life is most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friend remembered not. Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life is most jolly.
In GIA Unbound this is a very new version of an very old text to a very old tune. Alan J. Hommerding has created his take on the “The Prayer of St Francis” for the eight hundredth jubilee of the saint. He set it to TALLIS’ CANON.
In my random look at songs from GIA Unbound I found this recent Carol Meier song for the Season of Creation set to her arrangement of the traditional tune WAYFARING STRANGER.
It works rather well.
The sheet music can be purchased at GIA, who provide the text and commentary in the preview.
I have noticed that GIA keep recycling the songs that it displays in the “Unbound” section, so by the time I blog these songs they are no longer highlighted there. They are still recent songs available at GIA in any case.
This is a singular text looking at the link between science and faith that suggests itself for the season of creation and was written by Mary Louise Bringle. I initially thought it was “From Wisdom to Wonder” which a different but interesting thought.
The sheet music can be purchased from GIA who provide the text in their preview.
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.