- This notice is mainly for Woden Valley UC leaders and singers for planning coming song choices. Suggested choices only; subject to leaders’ choices. Other ideas from members always welcomed. Please review and volunteer to sing in a group or solo on any date or all.
28 Mar 21. Psalm 118 for the entrance on Palm Sunday, and Psalm 31 to commemorate the Passion. We will give Paul Stookey’s The Building Block, with the psalm text retrofitted, another airing. PFAS 31C, My times are in your hands, rolls out a series of four short but very apposite apothegms.
2 Apr, Good Friday. Psalm 22, [Pearce] We have sung TiS 9 in years gone by, and it will be appropraite to present some of this Willcock song again.
- And Joan has included TiS 334, wonderful as a plainchant by a small group of women.
4 Apr, Easter Sunday, [Curtin] Psalm 114 for the vigil (see Ps114 page here> and PFAS 114C ‘Freedom is comin’) and 118 for the resurrection. TiS 74 also available. I’d go with ‘Freedom’.
11 Apr, Psalm 133. [Curtin] This psalm is short but sweet. ‘How good it is to live in peace with one another.’ We plan a mixed voice group to sing PFAS 133D, Miren que buono.
18 Apr, Psalm 4. [Curtin] TiS 2 is tempting, as I do not recall ever singing this Gelineau setting. The chant for the verses is inviting for four-part harmony, but fitting the words will take some practice.
25 Apr, Psalm 23. [Curtin] People might like to return to CRIMMOND, TiS 10, sung as a hymn rather than responsory.
- I’d love to do Bobby McFerrin’s beautiful version sometime.
2 May, Psalm 22:25-31. ‘In the presence of your people’, TiS 727, is a good sing. However, the version in Psalms for All Seasons PFAS 22F has three verses rather than one+lai lai. (Maybe you prefer one+lai lai?) The counter melody is also written as a descant which might suit our flute and recorder players.
9 May, Psalm 98. TiS 56 offers a non-responsorial setting from the old Scottish Psalter of 1650. However the language is dated and non-inclusive. PFAS 98B is fun, although the refrain might be a little long for a congregation learning it on the spot. A short and easy refrain is found in TiS 166. The preferred choice at this stage is to use this with the psalm verses replacing those in the hymn book. Here’s another easy option:
16 May, Psalm 1. A swinging Spanish song in Psalms for All Seasons 1E is very tempting: ‘How blest the people’. Roll up! (TiS also goes ethnic with a Thai tune.)
23 May, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b. Together in Song 65 includes half a dozen verses from the set reading. Close enough. The refrain should be familiar, and verses set to a double tone are suitable for a cappella voices. Our arrangement is for three parts a cappella.
30 May, Psalm 29. Trinity Sunday. TiS 17 is readily available but it might be time for a Taizé chorus. Turn to 713, a lovely setting, and again very suitable for SATB or TTBB.
Psalms in the South 