Category: VOCAL MUSIC

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Christmas Wish List Ideas

Trying to find a great music gift for someone in your life?

Here are just a few favorites:

Audio music:

A Victorian Sunday  Amazon
Old-Tyme Gospel Hymns and Sacred Solos: Edison Records, Alexander, and Rodeheaver by Caleb Garraway
Artisans in Brass: Psalms, Hymns, & Spiritual Songs   Amazon     Product Website    Musical Innovations
Nursery Bible Songs by A Beka Book  (great for children)  (I own this CD and personally do not recommend the updated CD versions.)

Digital audio music:

In God We Trust, In God Alone   Amazon

Intermediate piano:

Play Hymns 3  – fantastic!  This book has amazing piano arrangements of well-known and loved songs (such as “It Is Well,” “Trust and Obey”)  Amazon

Famous and Fun Christmas 3 – another “go-to” book; great book!  It has Christmas favorites such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (outstanding optional teacher duet included)    Amazon      SMP

Hymnal (Don’t laugh!  I know several individuals who would love to receive one.)  Several popular ones:  Majesty  Great Hymns of the Faith  Living Hymns  Living Hymns Updated

Late intermediate/Early advanced piano:

How Great Thou Art  Link
Be Still My Soul  Link
Nearer, Still Nearer  Link
–

Spanish:

CD –Grabaciones de Selecciones de Himnos de la iglesia – I thoroughly enjoy hearing familiar hymns (and sung a Capella also)   Link
Hymnal – Celebremos Su Gloria (definitely not all songs are conservative)  Link  —

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Children’s Song – Wordless Book Chorus/My Heart Was Dark with Sin

The Wordless Book – some ministries use this tool frequently.  It can be a way of putting a lot of information into a succinct packet.

This song likewise puts a lot of information into a small packet.  It reminds me of the passage in I Cor. 15:

“…Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that He was buried,
and that He rose again the third day…” (I Cor. 15:3-4)

The gospel in a nutshell!  This song likewise has much in a small amount of lyrics:

      • We are sinners
      • Jesus’ blood cleanses our sin
      • We can be forgiven “white as snow”
      • God’s Word is source of truth
      • New Christians grow by reading God’s Word and praying

 

Where to find:

Salvation Songs Favorites – published by CEF – song #60
CEF website   RBP website   Amazon (higher price)

(This book also contains other song favorites such as “Zacchaeus”; “Oh Be Careful”; “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego”; and “Only a Boy Named David.”)

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Choir Pieces in the Spanish Language

Looking for pieces for your choir in the Spanish language?  Here are a few favorites:

(If you are not a Spanish choir, these could be used for a missions’ conference or during a mission trip.)

“Al Señor Seamos Fieles” (“May the Lord Find Us Faithful”)  Product page audio sample (educational purposes only)

“Los Pasos Del Justo”  (“The Steps of a Good Man”) Product page

“Fue Por Mí”  (“It Was For Me”)  Product page   Audio sample (also below)   English sample

Siervos de Jesus (choir book)  digital product   Lorenz website   Sample CD

 

In addition, Majesty Music offers choir music in the Spanish language. Link

 

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Thanksgiving Songs – Newer Selections – for Choir

Here are some choir pieces with which you may be unfamiliar, yet are great modern-day compositions.

Even just listening to them is a blessing!

“We Thank You, Lord”   Product page    Audio avail.    JWPepper
Incredible!  Tune is Finlandia.  (Same tune as “Be Still My Soul.”)  Wonderful piece.

“Praise to God, Immortal Praise”  arr. by Patti Drennan  Audio   Product page    Digital score
You will love the words of praise to God through this song!  Reminds me of Psalm 136.  Tune is familiar.  Amazing piece!

“We Thank Thee” by Ron & Shelly Hamilton  (in Majesty Hymns – hymn #449)
Great words to this piece of music.  Easy for your choir to sing.  Can also be used as a youth choir work.

“With a Heart of Thanks” by Victor Johnson  Sheet music    Digital music
Some of you may enjoy this piece.  It is a reflective piece; not necessarily deep theologically, but communicates giving thanks to God.

 

“Come Glory in His Name”  Tune  tune Diademata  (for those of you with handbells, this has a handbell score available for purchase)  Sheet music

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Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart – Bible Verses Put to Music

Ps. 119:11: a familiar verse for most of us.  My mother even wrote this verse in the first Bible she gave me (as approximately a 4 year old!).  I still remember this passage and her handwriting of the verse.

How powerful is the truth presented in this short passage.  The song aptly communicated the message presented in this verse.

This works well as a song for Jr./Children’s Church, for Christian dayschool classrooms, for use in your home, etc.

The tune was written by E.O. Sellers.

Thy Word have I hid in my heart,
that I might not sin against Thee;
That I might not sin, that I might not sin,
Thy Word have I hid in my heart.

Where to find:

Desert Praise (my favorite source for this song)  Direct company link       Amazon link
Sing Unto the Lord  (p.55)  Direct link to company   Amazon link

**This is part of a series – Scriptures put to music.  To see the other postings, follow the links below.

Behold, Behold
Wordless Book Chorus/My Heart Was Dark with Sin
Blessed Is the Man
Behold What Manner of Love

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He Was Wounded for Our Transgressions – song similar to Isaiah 53 theme

Today at the nursing home, one of our church members sang a special of the song “He Was Wounded for Our Transgressions.”  Wow!!!  If you have never heard the song or looked at the words, you have missed something!  Our hymnal incorporates the first, second, and fourth verses in its score, which are the verses I recommend.

The devotional today was Isaiah 53, and this song incorporates many of the themes of that passage.  Have a look at some of the words written by Thomas Chisholm:

“He was wounded for our trangressions,
He bore our sins in His body on the tree;
For our guilt He gave us peace,
From our bondage gave release,
And with His stripes, and with His stripes,
And with His stripes our souls are healed.”

“He was numbered among transgressors,
We did esteem Him forsaken by His God;
As our sacrifice He died,
That the law be satisfied,
And all our sin, and all our sin,
And all our sin was laid on Him.”

Amazing words, right?

Where to find:

Many hymnals contain this song.

Living Hymns #165
Great Hymns of the Faith #117

If wish to hear an audio of song, here is a link for educational purposes.

FYI – The author also wrote other familiar songs such as “O To Be Like Thee” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”