Church Music

Entrance:    Come to the Water (Andersen) AOV 1/74

Gifts:     Merciful God (Bringle/Alonso)

Communion: Springs of Salvation (Andersen)

Recessional: River of Glory  (Schutte)

They are having a bit of a Liam Lawton festival at Ryan’s parish with another of his tunes turning up there recently. I wasn’t sure about the last one, but this song is wonderful.

The sheet music can be purchased at GIA where the text is in their preview.

My backing is just the basic tune, but the Youtube clip has all the harmonies etc if you want to go all out.

This Liam Lawton communion hymn was used at Ryan’s parish recently.

You can purchase it at GIA where the text is in their preview.

It is a bit of an oddity in that it’s singable refrain invites participation, while the verses don’t. The verse is mostly all the note C. GIA say the “choral verses emulate a chant style.” A choir may feel cheated waiting so long for a different note.

This song turned up at RS’s parish – before Lent obviously – and it was new to me. It is by Jim Farrell and based on Psalm 145. It is indeed quite joyful.

I have a copy in my old Guitar Accompaniment Book from OCP. I’d bring it down a couple of semitones I think.

OCP sell the sheet music and the text is in their preview.

Before I go back to Catholic Worship book II, there is a backlog of songs from correspondents that are new to me that I want to look at.

This song for Lent and Easter was played at Ryan’s parish and is by Jeremy Young. The text I found in the preview at Hymnary – they have the scan from Gather Comprehensive 400 – just not my edition of that hymn book. GIA say the sheet music is out of print, but Stantons claim to have it.

The lyrics and chords are here and I used the chords to make the backing but fair warning I don’t think they are accurate and I made some substitutions.

Merciful God has verses for Ash Wednesday, Gathering and Communion.

Entrance:   Praise To You O Christ (Farrell) AOV 1/28

Gifts:   Song of the Transfiguration (Haas)

Communion:  Merciful God (Bringle/Alonso)

Recessional: Lord, The Light of Your Love (Kendrick) AOV 2/59

The liturgical goodness in volume one of the collection, Catholic Worship Book II continues for penance – just in time for Lent.

It is always nice for a Michael Mangan tune to surface in CWB II. This one notes help for the text from Peter Hehir. It is part of the collection This Is the Time, available in multiple forms at Litmus. The text is in the word document there as well.

I get a bit too bouncy and “for children” when I do backings for Michael Mangan and I fear I have gone there again. Please note, his songs are safe for adults as well.

Having already blogged the rest of the songs for First Communion in this collection the liturgical movement has reached penance.

This pithy text by Rosamund E. Herklots is here set to BELMONT by William Gardiner (probably the tunesmith).

The text is here. There is a nice appreciation of the hymn here.

I revved up BIAB’s fake organ for this. The sheet music below is in D but CWB II bring it down to C (thanks be to God).

For First Holy Communion, CWB II rightly says it is not a separate rite, it is Eucharist. But they do provide some songs that may be more suitable for children.

This one is another by the prolific Sr Jennifer O’Brien and it has a simple tune and a direct text. It could be used for any Eucharist.

1 Jesus calls us to his table, off’ring us his flesh and blood;

Bread and wine contain the myst’ry of this sacred holy food.

Refrain

Jesus, bread of life, make in us your dwelling place.

Jesus, wine of salvation, fill us with your love and grace.

2 At the table with the Twelve, Jesus blessed and broke the bread.

“Take and eat, this is my body, take and eat,” the Saviour said.

Refrain

3 Giving thanks, he took the cup and passed it to those gathered there.

“Drink of this, my blood poured out, covenant for all to share.”

Refrain

4 We who eat this bread of life and drink this saving cup,

Live in Christ and he is us; one in life and one in love.

© Jennifer R. O’Brien 2014.

This is a John Bell and Graham Maule song suggested for Confirmation in CWB II.

The text is here. The sheet music is available in the collection One is the Body at Wild Goose.

I used a midi file I found on the internet to guess the chords but I don’t think they were accurate. It matters less when the main instrument is the spoons.