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For Today...
'Come and pray in us, Holy Spirit'
A Taize canon.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdIHZZGt6r0 - from a service of prayer and meditation (Baltimore, Maryland).(09/06/2023)
Recent links
'Wa Wa Wa Emimimo (English version: Come, O Holy Spirit, Come)'
Come, O Holy Spirit - this Nigerian song makes a great start to a service.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yn98ri6OBU - it's in a Nigerian language at first, then changes to English.(08/06/2023)
'Santo Santo Santo (Holy, Holy, Holy)'
A beautiful short song from Argentina. We found it through the John Bell/ Wild Goose collections of World Songs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LU6bWsxC3A - very nice, but all in Spanish.www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMJIsCg2N9Q - bi-lingual version (rendered in compound time).
(07/06/2023)
'Holy, holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty'
Classic hymn for Trinity Sunday, and also one of the three hymns by Bishop Heber that we have in repertoire.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARhoT6SvUk8 - a live, raw recording from a Sunday service from a parish church in Sheffield.(06/06/2023)
'God is in His temple'
A fine hymn, very Trinitarian. Also makes a good opener for a traditional evening service, I've always thought.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvqLuxjikoU - a recording from the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London.(05/06/2023)
'Thou whose Almighty Word'
A solidly Trinitarian hymn, whose message of spreading the gospel has been mixed with national sentiment on occasion.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb8Jmo1DbhI - from a Trinity Sunday service at St John's, Detroit... and with a memorably wild introduction!(04/06/2023)
'Come Down O Love Divine'
19th century English, from the Italian that's 500 years older. No arguments about the tune for this one:- Down Ampney, by Ralph Vaughan-Williams.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi78bnzMyws - sung by the choir of Guildford Cathedral.(03/06/2023)
'Teach me to dance'
It goes a bit mad with the key changes at the end, but it's the first one I found that wasn't too slow!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE_fz0xc774 - sung by the Salvation Army's International songsters.(02/06/2023)
'Holy Spirit, living breath of God'
A Stuart Townend / Keith Getty song, modern and musically accessible.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH0p8tXMXlc - a recording which doesn't actually feature the Gettys. Bracketed by 'Gabriel's Oboe' from the film 'The Mission' and ending with a prayer of St Patrick. Works quite well.(01/06/2023)
'O Holy Spirit Breathe On Me'
Norman Warren's hymn about the Holy Spirit has a different theme for each of its four verses.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2bWjMMOFg - sung by a Chinese church choir. The page provides the lyrics in both English and Chinese!(31/05/2023)
'Holy Spirit, from before the dawn of time'
It rambles a bit (musically):- possibly one where it's better to be in the band than the congregation. But I like it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzPKOK0_Rh4 - it's by Michael Sandeman and Nathan Fellingham, and this is Phatfish doing their thing.(30/05/2023)
'Let your Spirit come (with the tongues of fire)'
A Mal Pope song - not really congregational in my view, but too good to ignore. You could get them in for the chorus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M40mkS5IMqA - while Aled Jones was recording this in Worcester Cathedral, I was working on a photo-shoot of architectural features. He came close to tripping over me at one point.(29/05/2023)
'Holy Spirit, we welcome You'
A Chris Bowater song. From 1991, when the rhythm seemed to be a little tricky for the average congregation.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUIXBmT-JNk - album recording by Mr Bowater himself.(28/05/2023)
'Majesty'
A golden oldie, well used in its time but worth hanging on to. For church musicians, it's an opportunity to bring out all those old riffs and tweak them anew.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaRwD2Y7C0s - a 'big' arrangement, fairly restrained but works well. Nice coda.(27/05/2023)
'Halle Halle Halle'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjf6bYQRbtU - exuberant, simple, and for the youngest to the oldest.(26/05/2023)
'Alleluia, Sing to Jesus'
The words of W C Dix's great hymn get sung in various different orders. Hyfrydol isn't the only tune used for it, but it's increasingly common - and why not!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmz-W733sz4 - a regular recording of a church closing hymn.(25/05/2023)
'Jesus be the Centre'
Top-drawer song, in the 'para-celtic' vein. Stands a bit of repetition, and benefits from a mix of gentle/driving styles.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG-l1kK-BpU - a Praise album recording(24/05/2023)
'At the name of Jesus'
A hymn with many possible tunes: Camberwell is one of the few tunes from the 20th Century Church Light Music Group which has stayed in mainstream use - and it's our choice.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFI5l8v_0UY - a Songs of Praise version, heavily truncated, as is usual for them with longer hymns.(23/05/2023)
'Jesus, Jesus, Holy and anointed one'
Beautiful and useful worship song, standing the test of time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=olBnC2nxCNw - nicely done.(22/05/2023)
'10,000 reasons'
Popular song (has won a couple of 'best' awards), with a near-anthemic chorus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E - very widely played live recording with Matt Redmanwww.youtube.com/watch?v=r3K3roEF36k - a shorter alternative, a studio recording, again sung by Matt Redman.
(21/05/2023)
'Jesus, we enthrone you'
Slow, versatile golden oldie.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jkyiT1_J6I - a light rendering, and an interesting variation.(20/05/2023)
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