Category: Arrangement

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Global

Arabic Lord’s Prayer, piano arrangement

One of the songs I arranged for Global Songs for Worship was the Arabic Lord’s Prayer (aka “Abana Alathi Fi Ssama,” also know as “Abana in Heaven”) from Egypt. For a song that I was told “would never be sung in North American churches,” it’s done pretty well for itself, appearing in Psalms for All Seasons, the forthcoming Lift Up Your Hearts, and churches and conferences across the country.

For those collections I arranged it with a drone that made the haunting melody sound even more, well, haunting. But Egyptians are more likely to sing it accompanied and in more of a folk style, so I decided to write a piano arrangement along those lines. We sang it a few weeks ago at COS, and it went swimmingly. Because this version has a stronger rhythmic backbone, it helps the congregation stay together. Take a listen: MP3. If you’re interested in seeing the music, just email me.

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Arrangement Quirky

Spring Cleaning: Camp-of-the-Woods Grace

I told you I was going to air some dirty laundry. Here it is: an early iteration of The Choir of Gregs. In this instance, we’re singing a song that I assume is called “Grace.” We sang it before every meal at Camp-of-the-Woods, where I worked for three summers. At some point, I wrote a barbershop arrangement of it for some of the male waiters to sing, and I later recorded it on my little Fostex four track cassette recorder.

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Arrangement Congregational Songs Finale demo Global

Soft Rains of Spring (Korea)

I am neck deep in the Holy Week flood of services and feeling pretty overwhelmed. What does Greg do when he’s feeling burned out and cranky? He writes music.

Today I was reading through a packet of Korean songs given to me by Paul Huh, and I came across this beautiful tune written by Paul and Seung Nam Kim. I wasn’t satisfied by the arrangement that accompanied the tune–though it was written by a composer with a far greater reputation than me–and so I wrote a new one. Although my version may not look especially simple on the page, it takes a direct, chordal approach to accompanying the melody, whereas the other one was quite “noodly.” To my ear this clarifies and strengthens the beauty of the melody. Added bonus: it will sound good with guitar, too.

This is part of a project that Paul and I are working on to translate and arrange some of the core repertoire of the Korean church.

Look. Listen.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 125: All Those Who Trust

Update: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

A while back, I was looking for a musical setting of Psalm 125 to fit with our church’s series on the Psalms of Ascent. Like any good researcher, I went to YouTube. There, I found a video of two Brazilians playing a song called Proteção. I had no context for the music, but I couldn’t get the song out of my mind.

A little poking around brought me to a treasure trove of newly composed songs in Portuguese, written primarily by Rubem Amorese, but often co-written with others, most notably the other man in the video, Toninho Zemuner. Toninho has also recorded many of these songs. The man has golden ears and works with extremely talented musicians! You can hear the studio recording of Proteção at Amorese’s website or at their church’s website.

I wasn’t able to finish a translation in time for the sermon series that first led me to the song, but recently returned to it. A few days ago I completed a translation and piano score, and yesterday recorded a demo.

I hope to work with more of these songs in the future, and have been dropping hints at the CICW that a trip to Brazil would be an appropriate–no, necessary–part of my work. For now I’ll have to settle for this being a long distance collaboration, bringing more of Rubem’s songs to English speakers and making my presence in Brazil felt only through “Povo do senhor,” the Portuguese translation of my song “People of the Lord.”

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Live

WALY WALY: O Blessed Spring

I’ve loved the folk tune WALY WALY for years. I used to sing “The Water Is Wide” with guitar and violin back in my coffeehouse days. I’ve annoyed congregation members by using the tune with the text “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” (It’s a better pairing, but people don’t seem to care about the facts when it comes to church music.) More recently I arranged the tune for piano and used it with the text “As Moses Raised the Serpent Up.”

But my favorite so far is Susa Palo Cherwein’s text “O Blessed Spring.” The wistfulness of WALY WALY brings out the seasons-of-life theme of Cherwein’s text beautifully. The added strings and Erin De Young’s solo are icing on the cake. If you can listen to it without crying, you need a heart transplant.

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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Live

Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed

This Lent, Church of the Servant is using a different version of Isaac Watts’ text “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed” each Sunday. Kauflin, Benedict, Governor–we’re doing them all. My own humble contribution to the collection is an arrangement of the traditional tune MARTYRDOM. Check it out.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs

SALVATION

What’s with all the songs in D minor?

I’m still stuck on the tune SALVATION. It’s a Kentucky Harmony tune that’s not used nearly as much as some other early American tunes. And that’s a shame. I am trying to single-handedly right this imbalance by using it every other week at my church. This time it’s paired with the Herman Stuempfle text “You Strode into the Temple, Lord,” and accompanied by the COS Guitarchestra. Take a listen to the MP3. Of course, the problem is that I’ve used the tune so much that now people in my church are beginning to ask,

“What’s with all the songs in D minor?”

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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Psalms

Revenge of the Killer Bs: Psalm 133, How Very Good

I added verses to Barbara Boertje’s “How Good It Is,” but I’ve never posted a recording of the full choral arrangement. Until now.

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Arrangement Choir Church Psalms

Revenge of the Killer B’s: Psalm 23, The King of Love

Update 10/2/20: Sheet music for this song and arrangement can be downloaded here.

Hands down, one of my favorite hymns is “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” I wrote an SSA arrangement of this which found a home in the Augsburg Choirbook for Women. More recently I re-arranged it for SATB choir. Here is is: MP3.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Live Retuned hymn

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty/Praise the Lord, O My Soul

I found an MP3 on my computer the other day, and to tell you the truth I don’t know what it’s from. It’s my arrangement of “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” that includes the added refrain “Praise the Lord, O My Soul.” I’m pretty sure it’s played by Church of the Servant’s Guitarchestra, because it features the soulful accordion stylings of Kurt Schaefer. But is it a service recording? Something I recorded during rehearsal? I really don’t know.

But I liked its relaxed vibe, so I thought I’d share it: MP3

You can find a list of my hymn arrangements here. I’m in the process of uploading the whole lot to hymnary.org, but I will accept email requests in the meantime.