This is, literally, my musical diary–notes fresh from my pen and recorded in a few hours. You can find my finished works elsewhere; here, it's all about capturing the moment!
These two fine folks just celebrated their 50th birthday. Oh, to look so good at such an advanced age!
This bubbly little jazz tune actually started its life as “The Heineken Maneuver,” after a joke that emerged at a jazz cafe the Rienstra and Scheer families have been attending. Shortly after I finished it, Ron and Deb had their 50th birthday bash and I decided to rename it in honor of the event. It was premiered with their son Philip on alto sax.
So get out on the dance floor–you’re never too old for “The 50 Year Shuffle“!
Update 1/11/22: Sheet music for this tune is now available at gregscheer.com.
Now that my book is finished, I have a little more time for creative ventures. The first fruit of that time is a setting of Herman Stuempfle’s text “How Wide the Love of Christ!” I came across the text when searching Hymnary.org for hymns based on Ephesians 3:14-21. I was drawn to this one because it takes “the breadth and length and height and depth” and gives a verse to each word, followed by a doxology. I began with the intention of writing a big festive choral piece with brass, but it started morphing into a more intimate, jazzy setting–a very different feel, but I kind of like it.
Update 12/29/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
A lot of music ministers lament the never-ending grind of planning worship services, week after week, without a break. Yeah, it’s easy to get a little jealous of school teachers with their summer breaks, but frankly I like the challenge each week brings. I enjoy digging into the service’s scriptures, teasing out themes in the music. I especially savor the search for settings of the lectionary Psalm that will fit both the congregation and the day’s music ensemble.*
Which brings us to today’s post. The lectionary called for Psalm 124 in yesterday’s service. You would think that Reformed folk would have lots of songs based on this one, because the Psalm includes the words that often begin Reformed worship: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Alas! There are a few songs based on those words, a few metrical Psalms, and my octavo for choir and narrator. But nothing that fit the Guitarchestra. So I wrote a new one to fit the occasion. The lyrics are below and the PDF leadsheet is downloadable on my website (see link above). In some ways this follows the lead of my recent setting of Psalm 137, using the basic themes and images of the Psalm as clay that is then molded into a somewhat different shape. Still faithful to the Psalm, but taking some creative license.
1. If God had not been on our side, When cornered by our foes;
When there was no place left to hide, To whom could we have gone?
If God had not been on our side, When anger flared like fire;
They would have swallowed us alive, If God had not been on our side.
2. If God had not been on our side, When troubles surged like floods;
We would have watched the water rise, And waves mount up like walls.
If God had not been on our side, We would have had no hope,
been swept away in deadly tides If God had not been on our side.
3. If God had not been on our side, When hunters laid their snares;
Their steely teeth would snap us tight, We wouldn’t have a prayer.
If God had not been on our side, We wouldn’t have escaped;
But our God made the earth and sky, our help is only in his name.
*I know this makes me sound super holy. Don’t feel bad. I get tired of the weekly grind, too.
You may know that I’m writing my second book. With a due date of October 5 (my birthday, in case you’re wondering), I’m spending long stretches of time alone, focused on writing and editing while everyone else frolics outside my window (metaphorically). It reminded me of a song I wrote in 1988 when I was two months into a year of study in Salzburg, Austria. “Heimweh” means “homesick” in German. It’s a song about being alone and far away, wondering how things are changing while you’re away. Writing a book feels a lot like that right about now.
It seems a dream; has it been days or years?
One day I’ll leave, and I’ll come back to you.
The song was recorded in 1993 on an album called “from the hand of…” The mixing leaves a lot to be desired, but the songs still hold up. I think you should listen to the whole album.
Update 3/12/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
My final post from the 9/13/15 COS service is an oldie but goodie, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” A while back I wrote a “Haydnesque” string intro that proved to be a headache for many of our string players. But on this particular Sunday, the string quartet was made up of talented and eager college students, so I made them work a bit! (This is not to say that COS’s other string players are not talented, just not quite as eager.)
I’m a constant musical tinkerer, so I often take a previous idea and build on it, depending on what musicians I have available. On 9/13/15 at COS I had a fine string quartet, so I dug deep into my string archives and pulled out this little string arrangement of the Filipino song, “Father in Heaven.” It’s a lovely song that follows a Trinitarian pattern. Why don’t more people sing this song? Why?
One of my jobs as a music director is to put a multitude of music styles together in one service, then smooth the edges so that it feels natural.
This 9/13/15 medley begins with the choir singing Vivaldi’s “Gratias Agimus Tibi.” I wrote a short fugal transition between the Vivaldi and Thomas Ken’s “Doxology” that just makes me smile. The Doxology’s closing “amen” provides the opening chords of Ron Rienstra’s “The Lord Be with You” communion music. That’s who we roll at COS–a few centuries of music wrapped up in a 4 minute bon bon.
Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.
15 years ago I wrote a “retune” of the hymn “May the Mind of Christ, My Savior.” Of course, in those days we didn’t call them retunes, we called them, “hey I really like this hymn so I wrote some new music for it.” (Retune is catchier.) 15 days ago, I wrote string parts for the song, which we used in the 9/13/15 service at COS. They add a nice little halo to the song. (And be honest; we could all use a nice little halo.)
Update 12/29/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
Last Sunday at Church of the Servant I had the luxury of leading worship with a choir and string quartet. You know I can’t resist fully exploiting an opportunity like that!
The service began with “We Sing the Mighty Power of God,” the perfect opening hymn for a sunny Fall day: “Lord, how your wonders are displayed, wherever we turn our eyes, if we survey the ground we tread or gaze upon the skies.”
I wrote this string arrangement for a worship symposium service a few year ago and I was glad for the opportunity to use it again. KINGSFOLD is a great tune, and I like the way this arrangement brings out its folk character. Add the strings and you’re golden.
If you’re interested in the score/parts, just send me an email.
Update 1/15/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.
A while back I discovered the Brazilian congregational song writing duo of Rubem Amorese and Toninho Zemuner. They produce an astounding number of songs, all of them good. When they found out I had translated “Adoracão” into English, they were kind enough to ask that I sing the English over their instrumental tracks. It is nowhere near as good as the original, but I gave it my best.
