This is Paul Inwood’s setting of Isaiah 12:2-6 and we don’t use it. This is because we use Frank Anderson’s setting instead. One of Inwood’s masses was one of our rotation of mass settings until the recent changes hit Australia and scuppered that idea. He is one of the most prominent English composers of Catholic music and never settles for routine. He also generates almost as much hate mail as Marty Haugen. This means he is doing something right.
It can be purchased for download at OCP.
This song is labelled “vigorous and bouncy” and if you think in 3/4 like me rattles along at 180+ bpm. If taken too far it could even sound a little manic, but is certainly not ordinary. All the verses have a different tune and the third is half as long again as the others. You can hear a snippet here.
My version is all MIDI and I suspect a bit of a fail. You should be able to hear the melody somewhere in there to learn it if you wish.
Refrain
We shall draw water joyfully, singing joyfully, singing joyfully;
We shall draw water joyfully from the well springs of salvation.
Verse 1
Truly God is our salvation,
We trust, we shall not fear.
For the Lord is our strength, the Lord is our song;
He became our Saviour.
Refrain
Verse 2
Give thanks, O give thanks to the Lord;
Give praise to his holy name!
Make his mighty deeds known to all the nations;
Proclaim his greatness.
Refrain
Verse 3
Sing a psalm, sing a psalm to the Lord
For he has done glorious deeds.
Make known his works to all the earth;
People of Zion, sing for joy; for great in your midst,
Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Refrain
© Paul Inwood 1986.
Hi,
Thanks for this post; I am a cantor from Long Island, New York, and I am doing this psalm next weekend at Mass. I love the music!
Thanks, Michelle. This is the sort of song we might attempt if we used cantors locally, so I’m a little envious.
We’ll be doing Fr Frank Andersen’s song (he is an Australian priest) which is fair enough but it is not nearly as challenging and interesting as Inwood’s.
Geoff
Hi Geoff, Michelle.
I am in karrinyup in perth northwest suburbia West Australia.
I have not sung we shall draw water as a whole prior to Saturday when the musical director asked me to sing, the psalm, other members singing 3 other Easter psalms, so I appreciate reading. Your comments and hearing almost the whole tune. My problem will be giving the “bounce” in time required. The chorus. I am comfortable with.
Brian
Geoff,
I have not heard Fr. Frank Andersen’s, but I agree this is challenging. I am very lucky to have a music director who pushes my vocal envelope; I do things I never would have imagined (think “Qui Sedes” by Vivaldi). He makes me fearless! We actually still did all the music for our liturgy right after Hurricane Sandy, without electricity; it was quite empowering. We live in one of the hardest hit locations on Long Island’s South Shore, but we managed to maintain normalcy in our parish. Many of our parishioners lost their homes and all their possessions in the storm, but they still came to Mass. We had a vestibule chock full of donations and our pastor was able to secure truckloads of supplies. We are still recovering. Nevertheless, I will remember you and think of your parish when I sing this psalm at the vigil, this coming Saturday. Again, many thanks for your kind help!
God bless,
Michele