Category: Congregational Songs

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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs

Prepare the Way, O Zion – two ways

Last year I was re-introduced to the Advent hymn “Prepare the Way, O Zion” (BEREDEN VÄG FÖR HERRAN) through the great recording Proclaim the Bridegroom Near by Chicago Metro Presbytery Music. (An unwieldy name, but one of my new favorite Christmas CDs.)

This year I decided to include the carol in Church of the Servant’s Lessons & Carols service. (It’s next Sunday at 6pm if you’re in Grand Rapids.) However, I knew I needed to make some adjustments to make it work for our musicians. What resulted was two arrangements: a fairly straight ahead 4-part version of the tune in its original 6/4 meter, and a 4/4 swing leadsheet for jazz combo.

I don’t have recordings yet, but wanted to make it available anyway, as some of you still might be able to use the music this year. For now, you’ll just have to enjoy Chicago Metro’s version.

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Categories
Church Congregational Songs Hymn tunes Live Quirky Retuned hymn

Blest Is the Man Whose Bowels Move

What this world needs is more hymns about digestive regularity, don’t you agree? Well, wait no longer, world, because Isaac Watts and Greg have you covered.

Two decades ago, a friend of mine showed me the Isaac Watts’ text “Blest Is the Man Whose Bowels Move.” We had a good laugh over it. Then, two summers ago the folks at Hymnary.org and I led a “Weird Hymn Sing” featuring many of the quirky jewels we found as we added historic hymnals to our database. I seized the opportunity to write a new tune for this timeless Watts’ text. I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of this musical accomplishment.

Last week I had the chance to lead it again, and this time it was captured on a recording. You may want to read the music while listening to the MP3, because it all breaks down into laughter in the second verse. It’s also worth taking a look at the music because there are abundant humorous scatological references throughout.

If you’re interested in hearing the whole program, “Hymns that Time Forgot,” you can check out the MP3 (it’s large) and the program. Maybe you want to bring the quirkiest hymn sing on the planet to your town?…

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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Psalms

As The Deer (Augsburg Fortress)

I just got the Lent, Easter, Spring 2014 new music sampler from Augsburg Fortress, and my anthem “As the Deer” was first on the list. (The list is alphabetical, so it was simply fortuitous placement rather than them highlighting my octavo.)

You can listen to their demo, or even better, head on over to their website and buy a bunch of copies for your choir.

 

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Global Live

At the Throne of Our God, orchestra

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

A few weeks ago, I posted a Korean song I translated into English with the help of some friends. This week, I revisited the song, adding a piano accompaniment, instrumental parts, and a smooth-as-butter descant for strings and flute. Love it.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Live

DIX Intro (For the Beauty)

Update 1/20/22: Sheet music for this arrangement is now available at gregscheer.com.

When the Joyful Noise Orchestra leads worship at Church of the Servant, I try to give them a little something to sink their teeth into. Yesterday, it was a short little introduction I wrote for the tune DIX. This tune is usually associated with the text “For the Beauty of the Earth,” but yesterday we sang it with a version of Psalm 67, “God of Mercy, God of Grace.”

I feel like I was just beginning to explore this tune’s possibilities, so hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to work it into a bona fide orchestral arrangement at some point in the future.

MP3

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs

De Young Covers Scheer

You know you’ve arrived when people start covering your tunes. And when the person doing the covers just happens to be Grand Rapids’ preeminent octave mandolin player, it’s total street cred.

Listen to Scott De Young play As the Deer and May the Mind of Christ.

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Church Congregational Songs Global Live

At the Throne of Our God

As you know, I consider myself a song maven, scouring the world for songs, employing my impeccable taste to discern the cream, and then showering the best of the best on the eager masses. This, at least, is how I like to picture the situation.

My latest discovery comes from Korea. 우리 보좌앞에 모였네 (Vision) is a praise song by Hyung-won Koh based on Revelation 7:9-10. It’s a lovely song, and representative of the tuneful, heartfelt worship songs that the Korean church sings. With the help of James Ju and Paul Han, I translated it into English and introduced it to the congregation this Sunday with the help of the Guitarchestra: MP3.

Wondering if the Guitarchestra looks as good as they sound? Wonder no more:

Categories
Art Music Church Congregational Songs Hallel Psalms Live Psalms

Everlasting to Everlasting premiere

trinity_hallelOn Saturday night, an encouraging number of people showed up to play, hear and sing my new cantata, Everlasting to Everlasting. Thanks to everyone who came out, but especially to The Choral Scholars, who sounded brilliant as always, and the hastily named Grand Rapids Hallel Ensemble, who walked my musical tightrope with style and grace.

We’ll perform the cantata again in its entirety at the Calvin Worship Symposium (Jan 30-Feb 1, 2014) as part of the Vesper services on Thursday and Friday night. After that, we will be accepting invitations to exotic locales for further performances. Book it now. Seriously.

In the meantime, here’s an excerpt: MP3. Movement 9, “All You Nations” (Psalm 117), dovetails with the instrumental “All Nations Hallel.”

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

One Take Terror: The Heavens Tell the Story

Fearful

Update 10/6/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

When I worked at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, we did a preaching series on Romans. I committed to studying Romans and writing a new song each week.

No one noticed.

But don’t cry for me, Tallahassee. Some of the songs turned out quite nicely. Two were included in Singing the New Testament: “Faith, First and Last” and “Grace and Peace to You.”

Here’s a third, based on Romans 1:18-32: MP3 (see link above for sheet music)

Categories
Congregational Songs

The Greg Scheer Songbook

Where have I been this summer? Indeed.

Sadly, the creation of music is balanced by the business of music. (Anyone interested in becoming my full-time business manager?) One of my goals for the summer is to make my whole back catalog available online. The first, a CD of praise songs that I recorded in 1999, The Greg Scheer Songbook is now available on iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify, etc.

Check it out. Write a review. Tell your friends. Kick it old school by purchasing a copy of the CD at www.gregscheer.com or CDBaby.

And stay tuned for more!