It was one of those accidents where you find something useful when you’re looking for something else. While reading on the nature of worship, a particular blog article ended with Adoniram Judson’s early 19th Century baptismal poem, “Come Holy Spirit, Dove Divine.” The flowing text called out (at least to me!) for a musical setting. Accordingly, some melodic and harmonic ideas began to percolate in my thoughts. However, before getting very far along in writing a tune, there were two surprises in store. First many others had already set the text to music before (with a multitude of tunes) going back to at least 1833. Second, despite being a Baptist for over forty years, I discovered that this hymn has been in the Baptist Hymnal since 1956 yet I have no recollection of every singing it! Well, chagrined at my ignorance, I carried on writing a new melody and harmony for this deserving text. I sought to make it friendly to congregational singers while still containing rich and sing-able harmonies and so aimed for a four-part hymn-style form. However, as I suspect my ignorance of the hymn is a common condition, a fresh and modern tune which would be at home in varied musical styles and have popular appeal was also pursued. The result is a delightful and uplifting tune, easy to sing, with an optimistic and forward momentum, commensurate with the meaning of believers’ baptism, “Buried with Him in baptism; raised to walk in new life.” The music is flexible in application to many church music styles: praise team and band, choir and organ, congregation and piano, or mix and match to fit your needs. May you find Come,Holy Spirit, Dove Divine, singing a much needed text, a means for your congregation to joyfully join with new believers in celebration of their baptism!
A delightful, uplifting, easy to sing setting of a traditional baptismal text suitable for congregation or choir. Flexible enough to work with many church music styles: praise team and band, choir and organ, congregation and piano, or mix and match to fit your needs. Use this to corporately celebrate the truth inherent in baptism: “Buried with Him in baptism; raised to walk in new life.”
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For Flute, Horn or Trombone, Piano, Drum Set, Strings/Synth
Fairest Friend is a medley of two beloved hymns, Fairest Lord Jesus and What a Friend We Have in Jesus. It is set as a flute and horn (or trombone) duet with piano accompaniment. Optional rhythm and strings/synth may be used if available or to add color but the piece works well with the three principal instruments.
A Prayer of Beauty is a re-imagining of “America, the Beautiful” written for professional, college, or advanced high school brass quartet. Independent lines, mixed meters, and adventurous harmonies will challenge musicians. But the familiar melody, rich colors, and glowing resolutions provide a delectable reward for the effort. The pathos, introspection, and hope found in the music will also leave listeners feeling enriched for the experience.
The music’s message is timely and urgent and works well for programming as commentary on current events but is also sufficiently broad and deep to complement varied concert themes. It has sufficient artistic merit to hold its own with other art music while still holding wide audience appeal.
Lo, a Rose is a somber, contemplative setting of the incarnation of Christ as described in the traditional German carol, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. This arrangement is moderately easy but allows good musicianship to shine. The light and delicate accompaniment, with hauntingly beautiful harmonies, directs the focus onto the text while providing just the right amount of color and interest. Thus, Lo, a Rose, allows a choir to demonstrate artistic merit without enduring exhaustive preparations. The setting portrays that the light and salvation brought to us by the Rose was achieved via bitterness and sorrow.
Lo, a Rose is a perfect complement to a Christmas Eve service, or a vehicle to contemplate the incarnation, or as part of any Christmas musical presentation.
Although the familiar melody is ever-present in this setting of “O, Sacred Head Now Wounded” it will sound very foreign to most ears. In acknowledgment of the atonal origins of the pierrot ensemble, this arrangement embraces dissonance and chromaticism and avoids clear statements of conventional harmony without, however, being altogether atonal. Thus, it is a most unusual setting of the tune, but one that poignantly paints the deep anguish expressed in the hymn text, which is the anguish of the crucifixion’s witnesses. The music is simultaneously shocking and familiar, which seems a fitting way to present this familiar story in all its appalling horror.
The music may be successfully performed with advanced high school or later musicians. It is not excessively demanding technically but will require artistic taste and expressiveness and good counting skills. It is well suited for recital or chamber ensemble concert in either secular or sacred venue.
This is a completely new choral-anthem setting of the popular gospel hymn text. The colorful melodies and harmonies are a world apart from the incessant lilting cheerfulness of the original tune to better depict the range and depth of emotions expressed in the text’s story of redemption. The music leads listeners on a emotional journey from the despair of sin’s eternal ruin to the joy of Christ’s saving grace. The chorus concludes with a passionate testimony and witness for Christ.
The music is written for SATB chorus with piano accompaniment and is suitable for most amateur church ensembles as well as more advanced groups. The opening stanza may be sung as a bass/tenor duet or with full men’s sections.
This fresh setting of the Welsh tune, HYFYRDOL, works perfectly for an offertory, prelude, or devotional function. Although written for the Advent season, the multiple familiar hymns set with this tune (e.g., Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners; Love Divine, All Loves Excelling; Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus; etc.) make the piece suitable throughout the church year. It is readily performed by high school or higher musicians yet still contains sufficient variety and artistic expression to be rewarding for even advanced performers. The familiar melody is stated clearly throughout and accompanied with interesting and sonorous harmonies so as to be accessible to all audiences.
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