Beginning Today

The hundredth post on this blog calls for something special!
To usher in the wedding season, here's a hymn that is popularly used as an entrance hymn at wedding masses.
There is also version that is done by the Dameans. You could listen to it here.

Here's a simple arrangement that you could use. Couple that with a 4/4 on your keyboard and you're good to go!

I also came across the chords that I had penned down a while back.  Adding the chords below, in the hope that some of you may find it handy!

Beginning today

                 C                   G               Am                     G

Beginning today , my mornings are yours

F                           G                         C     G

The hopes that dawn in their light

C                 G               Am                       G

Beginning today my evenings and dreams

       F          G              C

My gift to you is my life

C                            F                     C                        Am

I will always remember the time you first called me

F                              C

Out of my empty sleep

        Am                          F                 Am

To awaken in me the hope of a new day

        F                                G  G7

The love I wanted to seek

Give it a listen here :

You Are a Priest Forever

It's Vianney Sunday tomorrow, and here's a perfect song to pay tribute to our dear priests.  This song was composed by Annie Karto, a Catholic singer-songwriter during the Year of Priests. 

It can be used for an ordination service, or as a special song in honor of priests.

I wrote down a brief organ accompaniment which I have shared below. Feel free to use it and improvise as per your requirements.

Heading to the lyrics:

You are a Priest Forever

Ch:You are a priest forever

Set apart, Holy one.

You are a priest forever

With you I have placed my only son.

1. Your hands hold his Body

In your care, his precious blood

Lift him high, for all the world to see

There can be no greater Love.

2. Intercede for my people

Shepherd their hearts, as my own.

Be my light, to guide their weary souls

Back to my heart, their home

Give it a listen :

Sheet Music : 

You  are a priest forever

Updates

Please take note : I have replaced page 2 of the sheet music for the Gloria - Mass of St. Cecilia.

Everybody, do try singing this tune. It's very simple to learn, easy to remember, beautifully written and totally grows on you!
Follow the link below!


http://mosaicofchurchmelodies.blogspot.in/2014/07/mass-of-st-cecelia-gloria.html

Thank you Lord - Don Moen

This has got to be one of my favorites! Written by a gifted song writer and a wonderful worship leader,  it's Don Moen at his best! This version is simply beautiful.
We sung this at a confirmation mass as the post-communion hymn. Was so heartening to see all those young voices thanking and praising God together. Alternatively, this song would also make for a good recessional hymn, ending mass with a big thanks to the Almighty!

 In the words of Don Moen, take a brief minute and say a 'Thank You to God' for all the blessings that you cannot see!

Sing along with the lyrics :

Thank you Lord - Don Moen

I come before you today
And there's just one thing that I want to say
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord
For all you've given to me
For all the blessings I can not see
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord

With a grateful heart, with a song of praise
With an outstreched arm, I will bless your name

Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord

For all you've done in my life
You took my darkness and gave me your light
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord
You took my sin and my shame,
You took my sickness and healed all my pain
Thank you Lord,Thank you Lord

With a grateful heart, with a song of praise
with an outstretched arm, I will bless your name

Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord

Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord

Give it a listen here :

Go right ahead and try it out on your organ! Here's the sheet music :

Sheet Music : Thank You Lord

Hope you enjoyed listening to this hymn! Keep the feedback coming..

Lord I Lift Your Name on High

Trivia! This awesome worship song is written and composed by Rick Founds! For the longest time, I used to think it was by Hill Song or the Maranatha Singers! This worship song is probably one of the most popular praise and worship numbers, that I'm sure must be a favorite of most of you.

I was scouting for an appropriate version to post here and was in a dilemma as to which version I should choose. There's a loud and jumpy rock version by Petra, that I'm sure would go very well with the audience at a gospel rock concert! Then there's the prayerful, musically-rich version by the Maranatha Singers. My personal favorite would  however be the instrumental, karaoke, sing-along, pray-along-with version.

My vision is that this blog should cater to a wide genre of people, young and old, soft-music-lovers and rock-music lovers alike! So there you go, all the three versions to aid you in lifting the Lord's name way up high!

Lyrics :

Lord I Lift Your Name on High

 Lord, I lift Your name on high
Lord, I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us

Ch : You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high

Give it a listen here :

The first is the prayerful version which can be sung at a mass as a recessional hymn. The next is the gospel-rock version , followed by the Karaoke version to sing along with and pray with. Listen to all of them and choose your pick!

1) Slow version, apt for a church service




2) Gospel-rock version




3) Karaoke version :
You could sing along, singing aloud making it your prayer to the Lord

Mass of St. Cecilia - Gloria

Next in the series of posts on Mass Settings is the "Mass of St. Cecilia" by Estela García-López and Rodolfo López. It is actually written for a bi-lingual assembly, to be sung partly in Spanish and partly in English. St. Cecilia is known as the patron saint of music and in my (humble) opinion, this tune does justice to her!

I recently happened to stumble upon this setting and was immediately drawn to it on account of its simple, catchy and energetic tune!  I changed the tune (albeit very slightly) to make it easier for the kids to sing along.  A requisite for children's hymns is that they should be simple, easy to pick-up and easy to memorize. This tune definitely ticks the boxes for each of those.

I ended up creating a midi version for myself to share with the children as it helps in learning the tune correctly. All you choir animators, feel free to put it to some good use :)

Find below the lyrics, the midi version, the video and sheet music for the same.

Lyrics:

Gloria - Mass of St. Cecilia  

Glory, glory to God, in the highest

And on earth peace to people, people of good will.

 1. We praise you, we bless you, 

 We adore you, we glorify you, 

 We give you thanks, for your gre-at glory, 

Lord God, Heavenly King, 

O God, almighty Father.

Glory, glory to God in the highest,  

And on earth peace to people, to people of good will.

 2. Lord Jesus Christ, Only begotten Son, 

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, 

You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us; 

You take away the sin of the world, receive our prayer; 

You are seated, at the right hand of the Father, have mercy(3) on us.

Glory, glory to God, in the highest

And on earth peace to people, people of good will.

3. For you alone are the Holy One; 

You alone are the Lord. 

You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, 

With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the Father. 

Amen

Glory, glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace to people, people of good will.

Here's the midi version : (English translation)
I've put in the English translation for the same. You can sing along with the tune using the sub-titles. If you wish to sing along, make sure you turn on captions and view the video in full screen mode. To hear the bilingual (Spanish-English) version, click on the second video on this page.

Give it a listen here : (Spanish-English version)

Sheet music: (English version)

To buy the sheet music, please click here. It includes choral arrangements, guitar and piano accompaniments etc. for the bilingual (Spanish-English) version.

Below is a minimalistic arrangement that you could use. Pair it with a good beat on the organ, play the right hand accompaniment and you should be good to go!

To save the music, right click the image for the sheet music below, click  "Save As" and download it to a location on your computer.

Mass of St. Cecilia (English) - page 1

Mass of St. Cecilia (English) - page 2

Hope you enjoyed this Gloria taken from mass settings for the "Mass of St. Cecilia". For many other mass settings click here.

Children's Hymns PlayList

For all the children out there!  Here's the entire collection of hymns you could learn/sing/action-dance to! Write to me by leaving a comment if there's any specific hymn/song that you would like to be listed here. Happy listening :)

Here's a quick look at all the children's hymns covered below.

1. All Day Song - Evie Tornquist
2. Alleluia, Give thanks to the risen Lord
3. Come Let Us Sing For Joy
4. Come on and celebrate
5. Cry Of My Heart
6. Jesus I Believe What You Said 
7. Glory Glory Lord
8. Give me Oil in my Lamp
9. He's Got The Whole World
10. This Is The Day - Bob Fitts

Kiddos! Listen to all your favorite gospel songs here :