My biannual trip to the Lifeline book sale in Brisbane looking for an accompaniment version of Gather Australia has once again failed to find the Holy Grail.
I did add to my collection of wire bound Praise and Worship books, which occasionally come in handy. I got my copy of “Together in Song” there some years back and it has been very helpful for more traditional tunes.
This year I found the Accompaniment book of “The New Living Parish Hymn Book.” It is an Australian Catholic Resource first published in 1987. Some of the songs have chord symbols, which is what I need. Many of the arrangements are by the editor, Fr John De Luca, who was the director of music at Manly Seminary and then the director of the choir at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney from 1971-5. It is mainly traditional fare but contains Ray Repp of all people and also Peter Kearney songs. There is also a proper copy of Estelle White’s “Gentle As Silence”, which I played for many years off a hand written copy.
De Luca steered clear of the larger publishing houses and the selections are therefore a little thin even for the 1980s, but is in remarkably good nick, with its red white and blue ribbons still attached. I suspect it may plug some gaps.