Crystal ball, by J Waterhouse. Image Wikimedia commons
This ‘sticky’ post is intended for South Woden readers. Scroll down for weekly blog posts.
Subject to the choices of worship leaders, here are ideas for the Easter season and following months of 2018.
1 Apr. Ps 114. First up is a challenge. Nothing in my fairly extensive online Dropbox library, nothing in TiS, NCH asks us to tremble before God, TEP asks us “What alarmed you that you fled?” What a choice! PFAS has the best bet with a South African refrain ‘Freedom is coming’. Verses will run to a tone similar to the tune.
Psalm 133 in the Vespasian Psalter; British Library
8 Apr. Ps 133. Spanish swing reigns here with PFAS 133D, Miren que buono (O look in wonder) in the limelight. Fun.
15 Apr. Ps 4. Tempted to use TiS 2 with its easy refrain, but the Gelineau verse setting fails to grab me. NCH has interesting words and harmonies ahead of close competition from PFAS 4A, the sole offering in this source. A nice Malawian call-and-response appears in PFAS 4A alt but we use a home-grown tune.
22 Apr, Ps 23. Paul Kelly’s Meet me in the middle of the air, with young women’s voices.
29 Apr. Ps 22:25-31. This is not Good Friday with its wounded call of “Why have you forsaken me?” (v.1); it’s a different selection. TiS 727 ‘In the presence of your people’ is a suitable choice; the verses could be sung to a tone, such as a descending chant on the same chords.
6 May Ps 98. ‘Sing a new song’ was the beginnings of the short refrain that became known locally, at least by the author, as the South Woden Communion Chant. It’s easy to refit with chosen words from the selected psalm of the (communion) day.
TiS 166 is also a well-known fall-back option.
Psalm 1, Beatus vir, in the Bedford psalter MS 42131 British Library.
13 May Ps 1. I cannot recall singing TiS 1, which is a Thai melody. We should do it. Also a Genevan duet available for anyone who wishes, preferably a sight-reader.
20 May Ps 104:24-35. Sticking with TiS, try 65 ‘Send forth your Spirit’, with its theme of renewal — and a sub-text of conservation? However, we replace the text with the RCL verses to the double tone in the music edition of TiS. TEP also has a lively little number.
27 May Ps 29; PFAS 29D suits; but TiS 17 is by Willcock — safe hands, although it omits a few verses. However, South Woden will turn to the Taizé chorus Dona nobis pacem, TiS 713, with retrofitted text from Ps 29.
3 Jun. Ps 139:1-6, 13-18; Bruce’s rendition of Search me O God by Michael Card has always been well placed and well received. However, it should not be overexposed. The NCH refrain is suitable, but Keith has found a nice song on the same theme by Bernardette Farrell.
10 Jun. Ps 138; PFAS responsorial 138B has reasonable chords but that’s about the extent of its merit, for me at least. I quite like TiS 86 but would prefer the verses sung rather than spoken. TEP refrain is also a good choice.
17 Jun. Ps 20; A cantor’s word-sheet on Dropbox reminds me we have done PFAS 20B sometime. Simple chants throughout. For a more upbeat message about the futility of warfare, go for TEP‘s ‘Some take pride in horses’.
24 Jun. Ps 9:9-20. Anything Latino catches my eye; in this case it’s the Paraguayan tune in PFAS 9A. Pick a tone for verses. SWUC has a paraphrase that fits the refrain tune.
Psalms in the South 