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!

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Demos

Come to Me

As you know, I’m a song maven. I search high and low for good songs, and when I find them I make a point of creating accessible arrangements/editions and telling everyone I know about them. Here’s my latest find:

“Come to Me” (PDF, MP3) is a song that began it’s life at the turn of the last century when a woman by the name of Lizzie Akers wrote words for a hymn set to music by J.M. Black (best known for “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder”). 109 years later Michael Bleecker and some folks at The Village Church in Texas wrote new music for Akers’ text and added a chorus.

It’s a simple song, and that’s one of the things I like most about it. Too many modern worship songs are difficult for churches who don’t rely on a praise team exclusively. This one is well-crafted and singable by a wide range of churches. It’s also heartfelt, but substantial. The Church needs more songs that combine the heart and mind.

I arranged the song in a four-part hymn-style. Nothing fancy–just enough to help the song jump the world of chord charts and enter into new church territory.

Categories
Choir Church Congregational Songs Live Psalms

One Generation in Vancouver

My friend Herbert Tsang and the stellar folks at Church Music Ministry of Canada held a Psalmfest in Vancouver late last year which included the orchestrated version of “One Generation Calls to the Next.”

Lucky for us, he recorded it. Check it out: MP3

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Finale demo

All of My Heart – piano score

Update 1/15/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Has it really been a month since I last posted something to my blog? Shame on me!

I hope the slower rhythms of summer soon kick in, but for now all I have time for is a quick post. Follow the link above for a piano accompaniment for “All of My Heart.” I’m really pleased that my congregation loves this song. We’ll be singing it throughout the summer months.

And here is a link to the composers leading the song in Brazil recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCQJlrPNeNU

Categories
Art Music Church Finale demo Hallel Psalms

Hallel Postlude

With a Hallel rehearsal looming in my near future, it’s about time I wrapped this thing up. And nothing wraps up a piece of music like a postlude, eh?

MP3, PDF

Categories
Psalms

2013 Spring Cleaning: Psalm 126

Once again, spring cleaning can unveil some ugly dust bunnies.

This version of Psalm 126 isn’t exactly an ugly dust bunny, but as I listen to it I hear a half dozen things I would change if I were doing it today. Okay, a dozen. But what’s done is done. Let me point out the interesting thing about the song: the verse and chorus sound like two different song parts (and they are) but then–voila!–they come together in perfect harmony.

I was quite proud of this contrapuntal trickery at the time, but I remember Dr. Gibbs, my composition teacher, becoming exasperated after seeing minute changes to the song three weeks in a row. He finally told me that we were done with this song and I was to bring in something new the following week.

Take a listen, won’t you?

Categories
Demos Rock and/or Roll

2013 Spring Cleaning: Prayer (God in Heaven Above)

During college, I had a long season of doubt. On Sunday December 6, 1989 at 10:13pm of that season, I wrote this song. What I think is especially interesting in hindsight is that I wrote my song of doubt in the form of a prayer!

Listen to the MP3 while reading the lyrics below:

God in heaven above (or in my heart below)
why keep me waiting for love?

If I were to see you would I know you?
If I were to know you would I love you?
If I were to love you would you love me too?

If I were to strike you woul it hurt you?
If I were to leave you would you follow me?
If I were to hate you what would you do?

God in heaven above (or in my heart below)
why keep me waiting for love?

If you think of me keep me in your prayers —
I need some help with things down here

If you would approach me I’d be listening
When you’re passing by me you can stop with me
When my heart is hungry maybe that is you after all.

If you’re feeling lonely you can talk to me.
I know just how lonesome one can feel.
If you really knew me would you still love me, after the fall?

God in heaven above (or in my heart below)
why keep me waiting for love?

If you think of me keep me in your prayers —
I need some help with things down here.

Categories
Art Music Choir Church Live Psalms

2013 Spring Cleaning: Open for Me the Gates of Righteousness

Before I became the music director at Bellefield Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, I was just a lowly grad student in the composition program at Pitt. But the people of Bellefield were took pity and asked me to compose a choral anthem for a sanctuary rededication. I chose Psalm 118:19 as my text and wrote an extremely difficult anthem. Bellefielders must also be long-suffering folks; if I were the choir director, I would have pulled the plug on this after one read-through. I’m glad they didn’t, though, because it ended up sounding pretty good: MP3

Categories
Art Music

2013 Spring Cleaning: Jig (Daedalus Quartet)

They say that any piece can get a premiere, but you know you’ve been truly successful if you get a second performance. By that standard, Jig for string quartet is a resounding success. Here it’s played by the Daedalus String Quartet: MP3

Categories
Choir Church Demos Psalms

2013 Spring Cleaning: I Cry Aloud to the Lord

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

Sometimes spring cleaning can get downright dirty. In this case, my men’s choir composition based on Psalm 142, “I Cry Aloud to the Lord,” is sung by Greg, Greg, Greg, and Greg. I apologize in advance. On the other hand, it’s pretty fun to hear what I did 20 years ago when I got a hold of a 4 track cassette recorder.

Listen to the MP3. You may want to look at the score to have any idea of what the piece is supposed to sound like!