What better way to start off a new year of blogging than with a little lonesome honky tonk? Here’s one I just finished with Colin Gordon-Farleigh: PDF, MP3.
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Author: Greg Scheer
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A Christmas Tradition
One of our Christmas traditions here in the Scheer household is for me to force the whole family to listen to Joel Cohen and the Boston Camerata’s lovely CD “An American Christmas.” If you’re tired of syrupy Christmas crooners, this is the CD for you. It’s a great collection of full-blooded songs from the Sacred Harp and other early American traditions.
If you’re not tired of syrupy Christmas crooners, then you might enjoy the Scheers other Christmas listening tradition–the 3WS “Home for the Holidays” CD. The recording starts off with Lou Christie singing “O Holy Night” and ends with my arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” The Pitt Men’s Glee Club sang on both tracks, conducted by yours truly.
When 3WS contacted us to be a part of the “Home for the Holidays” CD, we were told that our musical contributions were going to charity. So I happily donated my arrangement of “God Rest Ye” that we had just sung in our Christmas concert and quickly wrote the choir parts for the Glee Club to sing with Lou Christie. And that’s the end of the story, right?
Wrong. About five years later, I was walking through a mall in Tallahassee when I heard the familiar strains of “O Holy Night” playing as I shopped. But it wasn’t just any “O Holy Night,” it was the one we recorded with Lou Christie. It seems that once the charity phase of the project was complete, the song was marketed to a number of other radio stations as part of “The Ultimate Christmas Album, vol 3.”
Someone, somewhere, is collecting royalties from my work this Christmas. Whoever you are, you’re welcome. And now, for some more giving: here’s Lou Christie and the Pitt Men’s Glee Club singing “O Holy Night.”
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Walking
I’ve been taking walk down my musical memory lane as I digitize some old recordings I made on reel to reel and cassette. One of my favorites is a song called “Walking.” The song was written 1985ish and recorded 1987ish with my good friend Stephen Brown under the name Canon Tallis. Though it features all the over-introspection and the mimicked British accent that you’d expect from a college student of that time, I think the song holds up quite well even today. Listening to this reminded me of all the things I wanted to do with music before I learned what you were supposed to do. Maybe I can regain my youthful wide-eyed wonder about the craft while retaining what wisdom and experience I’ve grown since then.
In any case, this is dedicated to Stephen’s mom, Nancy, who wants us to play it at her funeral.
In 1987, when I was just a fresh-faced lad attending the University of Rhode Island, I wrote a piano piece called “River.” I had the good fortune of living in a very small state, so it was chosen to be performed the following year at the Rhode Island Composers Festival at URI and Brown. The main thing I remember about the performance is that I was very excited and felt a bit like a real composer. I also remember that in one of the performances the page-turner turned a page too early, but the pianist Arlene Cole flipped it back without missing a note. I thought that was pretty impressive.
So here on its 20 year anniversary is a recording of River.
I just received a recording of my choral composition “Spring and Fall: to a young child” which was performed at the Iowa Choral Directors Association in July. It’s being performed again today in Bettendorf, Iowa by the Chamber Singers and University Chorale of St. Ambrose University under the direction of Keith Haan. So send out your good vibes to Maestro Haan and take a listen to the MP3 while reading the text below.
SPRING AND FALL:
to a young child
Márgarét, are you gríeving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leáves, líke the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Àh! ás the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you wíll weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sórrow’s spríngs áre the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It ís the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.
-Gerard Manley Hopkins
As I finally get serious about putting together Christmas music at the church, I came across a recording from Christmas past. On this recording Charlotte Kerce and the men from the Wildwood church choir sing “Peace in the Valley.” It’s a beautiful song that fits perfectly with the traditional Lessons and Carols reading from Isaiah 11:1-9. Charlotte is not only unique in her ability to wrap her rich alto voice around this lovely melody, but also bears the distinction of being the only person I know who has run over her own foot with her car.
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The Story of 6
For a couple of years now, rhythm has consumed me.
It all started when I got involved in the African Drumming Ensemble at the University of Pittsburgh. Slowly a new way of thinking about rhythm evolved as my mind began to comprehend what it heard my hands doing. I couldn’t shake the rhythms from my head: I’d find myself walking down the street tapping out threes with my fingers against the twos my feet made on the pavement, or I’d curtail doing the dishes to tap on a particularly resonant portion of the sink, or I’d annoy everyone around me by breaking from my work at random intervals to play the bongos.
I decided that I’d better put some of these rhythms on paper before they ate me alive.
I began with a three-movement piece for orchestra and conga called Inventions which was premiered by The University of Pittsburgh Orchestra under the direction of Roger Zahab. Next, I wrote 12 for Evan and Catherine Pillsbury, a viola and cello duo from Boston. And now comes 6 for string quartet.
The Chagall String Quartet had been playing a piece of mine called Jig on their concerts and when they found themselves with some extra money at the end of the year they asked me if I’d write something new for them. Since I was in the middle of getting together a rock and roll string quartet I thought it would be a great chance to combine my enthusiasm for string quartet with my ongoing exploration of rhythm. And what came out was a piece in 6/8 meter that bristles with rhythm: 6.
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Trip to Russia
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P&W Greatest Hits
Paul Ryan at the CICW is editing a songbook of Praise and Worship songs to be published by Faith Alive. He asked me to make suggestions for songs that could be added to the collection. Below is a short list of songs that I think are the best of the genre, but which don’t often get included in Top 100 lists. You can hear a quick demo of each song by downloading this MP3 file. (Watch out, it’s 25 megs!)
THE CREAM (praise songs that I stand behind musically and theologically–it’s a short list!)
Amazing Love – Graham Kendrick
I know it’s a bit dated, but I think it’s a solid song theologically and could have some musical longevity.
Give Thanks to the Lord – John H. Morton
I picked this up from a weird song collection from Lorenz. This song is joyful, but not trite.
Holy Lord – Steve Bell
I’ve used this at COS for our “Guitarchestra” day. It’s a nice combination of upbeat folk and liturgical text.
I Will Hide Your Word Inside My Heart – Paul Field
Paul Field has a great kids praise CD. This is one we’ve used at COS frequently. I stack this guy up against fellow Brit Keith Getty any day.
Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer – Becker/Getty
Speaking of Getty, here’s one that bears his trademark Celtic feel, but it hasn’t been overplayed on radio and in congregations.
Kadosh – Elisheva Shamron
Don’t know anything about the composer, but a Dutch student introduced me to the song and I love it. It’s mesmerizing.
Nearer than Before – Jim Crowan
I’ve used this over and over, and it always works. It’s got a classic melody in the lines of Seek Ye First, and the words have a simple sincerity.
Purify My Heart – Jeff Nelson
You probably know this one. I think it’s better than the “other” Purify My Heart. It makes a great confession song.
Ready My Heart – Lois Shuford
I love this song! Shuford is virtually unknown, but this song is a gem. And where else can you find a true Advent song in the P&W repertoire?
Restore My Soul – Andi Rozier
The first part is based on the tune “The Water Is Wide.” Great song of confession and dedication.
Salvation Belongs to Our God – Adrian Howard and Pat Turner
I think this one is under-rated. I wrote a new arrangement for the New Testament Songbook to bring out the classic rock anthem feel that I hear in it. It was getting overplayed 10 years ago, but I think it’s ready for a revival.
The First Place – Matthew Westerholm
I would stack this up against anything by Getty or Tomlin. It’s a fantastic song. Added bonus: serious Reformed theology.
Throw Down Your Crowns – Glenn Kaiser
The singer from Rez Band did an acoustic worship album. I’ve always like this one. It may need some finessing with the piano arrangement to make it work in a hymnal context, but I think it’s worth considering.
What the Lord Has Done in Me – Reuben Morgan
I don’t know that he meant to do this but he wrote a really good baptismal song. We used it at COS a few weeks ago during the confession on a baptism Sunday, with confession readings scattered throughout.
SONGS I’VE USED TO GOOD EFFECT
Build Your Fire – Eltzroth: nothing earth-shaking, but it’s a good dedication song along the lines of “In My Life Lord Be Glorified.”
I Will Sing Praise
Psalm-like language in a rockin’ package.
My Soul Finds Rest – Dan McGowan
This was extracted from a choral anthem. I’ve used the chorus (My soul finds rest) as a sung response with a reading from Psalm 72 (?). It’s kind of the pop answer to the Taize chorus.
Omega
They used to use this at the close of every student-led Sunday Eve P&W service at Northwestern, like “My Friends” is used at LOFT. It’s simple, but it never really ends, which lends it well to repeated singing.
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Mr. March
I’m sure most of you have read the press release by now, verifying yours truly as the award winning composer of the Illinois Central College’s fight song “We Are the Cougars.” This got me to thinking about other fight songs and marches I’ve written in the past. I don’t really think of myself as much of a march person, but the fact is that I’ve written a number of other songs in the style. One could categorize me as “nipping at Sousa’s heels.” Or maybe not…
In any case, let’s take a tour of songs leading up to “We Are the Cougars.” First came “Interesting Thing” (MP3, PDF) in 1995. It became somewhat of a theme song for the Rascals, Rogues & Rapscallions, and each year I added new verses based on presentations that had been given throughout the year. They will mean nothing to you if you weren’t there–perhaps even if you were. After that came “The Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club Fight Song” (MP3, PDF) composed at the request of Dan Morrision in 2000 to honor the rich history of The Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club. One could even argue that the 1st and 3rd movements of my Brass Quintet, written in 1987, were just elaborate deconstructions of marches. Or one could opine, with my wife Amy, that “all marches sound the same.” All I know is that I’m $1000 richer, and I can now fulfill a lifelong dream of adding “composer of a college fight song” to my resume.