The Musical Diary of Greg Scheer – Page 86 – 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!

Before the Cross

One of my favorite hymn tunes is O WALY WALY (often associated with the song “The Water Is Wide”) and one of my favorite hymn texts is “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” I often put them together, to the annoyance of those in the pews, but this Lent I decided to do something a little different. I paired Marie J. Post’s text “As Moses Raise the Serpent Up” with the tune O WALY WALY and put it in a medley with “When I Survey” paired with HAMBURG. Then I added a new refrain to wrap it all together into a meaty Lenten sandwich. Listen to the sinfully cheesy demo, or download a side of music score.

Rock and/or Roll

Bones and Ashes

With Ash Wednesday quickly approaching, it seems appropriate that I post a song about the fleeting nature of our earthly existence.

I remember having the idea for “Bones and Ashes” while taking a walk during one of my summers working at Camp-of-the-Woods in Speculator, NY (1984-86). I can’t remember when I finished it, but in the end I included it in my 1993 recording from the hand of…

For any of you who want to “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” here is Bones and Ashes.

Demos Rock and/or Roll

Happy Valentine’s Day, Amy!

Post author By Greg Scheer
Post date February 13, 2009
1 Comment on Happy Valentine’s Day, Amy!

In 33 minutes it will be Valentine’s Day. And what better way to express my love to my wife of 15 years than with a song? “This House is Lonely” was written the first time Amy went away for a weekend. We had been married for a year or two and it just seemed so strange after living for 26 years without her that I’d miss her so much after just a few days away. I couldn’t sleep, so I stayed up and wrote this song.

Church Contests Psalms

People of the Lord

“People of the Lord” began it’s life in spring of 2006 when the CRCNA issued a call for songs to usher in its Sesquicentennial celebrations. I wrote a song for each of the three Psalms that shaped that event: “One Generation” (Psalm 145) got an honorable mention in that contest, and was recently included in Faith Alive’s Contemporary Songs for Worship. “Deeper than the Sea” (Psalm 36) was also included in Contemporary Songs for Worship and has recently been released as a choral anthem by GIA on their LeavenSong series (G-7309). “People of the Lord” (Psalm 78) was the runt of the litter. It’s easy to understand why it didn’t attract much attention: who wants to sing a Genevan-style metrical Psalm in 7/8 meter?

A year later a few friends tipped me off to a song contest that was being held by the Calvin09 organization. They were looking for a song fitting for Calvin’s 500th birthday. It needed to be something with a connection to Calvin’s worship practice that could be sung by modern reformed churches all over the world. I decided to dust off “People of the Lord” and give it one more chance. This time I added a keyboard accompaniment that gave a stronger backbone to the 7/8 rhythm.

I was shocked when I received an email telling me it had won the contest, and I continue to be amazed at the way the song is traveling throughout the world. It has been translated into a half dozen languages. I got an email from Argentina saying “This, we can sing!” A Dutch blogger has translated and promoted the hymn. It will be included in the worship journal of the Church of Scotland. I recently met a woman from Germany who told me her church had sung the song a week before, while a German man emailed some new musical settings of the text he had composed. This is the last song I would have expected to be my “big hit.”

Even though a hymn in 7/8 meter seems a bit esoteric, it is actually quite easy to sing. The rhythm remains consistent throughout, and the echo can be used as a way to teach the song quickly. The song can effectively be sung a cappella accompanied by light percussion (hand drum, tambourine, triangle) or with the keyboard accompaniment. I would jump at the opportunity to arrange it for woodwind quintet.

One of the things I worked the longest on was deciding what to call the hymn’s tune, and one of the things that didn’t occur to me at all until someone pointed it out is that I had just written a setting of Psalm 78 in 7/8 time. But that’s typical of life when you’re a composer–things take on a mysterious life of their own once they leave your pen.

Download the PDF of the song, check out the new organ-friendly version, listen to a recording of the COS choir singing it, or peruse a number of translations here.

Demos Rock and/or Roll

For You

A long time ago, there was this 23 year old who was trying to figure out life. He was a Christian, but he was also a musician–and he couldn’t figure out how the two went together. He was studying music composition, but led a double life writing rock music. One weekend he ended up at a big outdoor Christian festival in New England and he got to play play at a coffee house. All the other people at the coffee house did inspiring songs of faith, accompanied by guitar, but this 23 year old sang songs like “Sometimes I Feel Like I Don’t Know” and “Psycho Killer” accompanied by his electric bass. He caught the ear of Dan Russell, a Boston-are producer who had worked with Robin Lane, Andy Pratt and Mark Heard. He was invited to send the big city producer a demo, and the rest is history.

No really, it’s history. The 23 year old was me, and I totally misjudged what a big city producer would want to hear. I worked up some demos that I thought would fit with some of the people Dan Russell worked with. At the time I was particularly enamored with Maria Mckee of Lone Justice, so I sent him a cassette (remember those?) with a few songs including this one, “For You.” At the time I thought it would fit her perfectly, but Dan’s reaction was something like, “Huh?” It turns out that he was more interested in me as a songwriter/performer than as a songwriter for any singers he worked with. Oh well…

“For You” is sung by Shoshana Feinstein, who appears to be going strong after all these years. Keys and production are by my good friend Jim DeFrancesco. Hey, it was 80s and I was trying to write the perfect pop hit. Cut me a little slack!

Church Demos Retuned hymn

Jesus Calls

Jack Roeda is preaching on the calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-10), Philip, and Nathanael (John 1:43-51) next week. As I was searching for songs to fit the theme, I came across the hymn “Jesus Calls O’er the Tumult” in the Hymnary. I liked the text, but wasn’t convinced by the tune that accompanied it in the Psalter Hymnal. So I wrote a new one and took the opportunity to learn more about Logic Studio by recording a demo of it. Here it is: Greg, the band of Greg, and the Greg choir performing “Jesus Calls.”

Choir Church Finale demo

Oh Holy Night

On Christmas Eve we’ll sing my brand spanking new arrangement of “O Holy Night.” To help the musicians prepare, here’s an MP3, score and parts (choir/piano, strings, brass, percussion). Strings–get cracking on that high part in the refrain!

Choir Church

Every Valley

Last night at Church of the Servant we had our Lessons & Carols service. (You can read more about the service at the COS worship blog.) One of the songs the choir sang was my composition “Every Valley.” This is one that I’ve done before, but it was great to do it again, especially because Jordan Clegg was singing the solo part. He rocked, as did Carol and “The Little Choir that Could.”

Every Valley is part of a set of pieces tentatively titled The Christmas Canticles that are written for solo, choir, piano, rhythm section and horns. I’ve already completed Every Valley, Blessed Be, and My Soul Will Magniy the Lord. Someday I hope to complete the canticles with a Gloria and Nunc Dimittis, but it will have to wait until some imaginative and well-endowed choir commissions me. (Hint, hint)

Until then, take a listen to Jordan Clegg, the COS Choir and Carol Rienstra (piano) performing Every Valley.

Congregational Songs Live Retuned hymn

The King Shall Come

Last week at gregscheer.com I introduced the Advent song “The King Shall Come.” Actually, it was a reintroduction, as the song has been available at my site for a few years, but I recently made substantial changes to the lyrics (what we call improvements in the business) and wrote a piano accompaniment. Of course, the whole thing is based on a hymn by John Brownlie written in 1907, making it a re-reintroduction. (And Brownlie is said to have based it on a Greek Orthodox hymn, which would make it a re-re-reintroduction, but I digress…)

Hurry! There are only two more weeks in Advent to enjoy The King Shall Come.

Colin

Candle in the Window

This thing is a hit waiting to happen. Am I right or am I right? (You know the answer in your heart of hearts.) Check out the PDF or listen to the MP3.