Tag: look what I made

An Arab Love-Song

Byartsyhonker October 31, 2017 0 Comments
This is one of the pieces from the Musical Hat Draw. I really enjoyed that project, but it didn't result in a single sale of music! So I've decided to release the pieces as I normally would, through Patreon, instead. This text was suggested by TJA Thurman, but written by Francis Thompson. It's for a small or flexible choir, with piano accompaniment. An Arab Love-Song Francis Thompson (1859-1907)...

Hilltop 55 54 D

Byartsyhonker September 29, 2017 0 Comments
Another hymn tune! This one, I think, might be suitable for Harvest, though the Revd Ally Barrett based it on the theology behind the gospel story about tax: ‘render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s; render to God that which belongs to God’. You can read some more of her hymns on her website and there is also information there about permission to use the text in worship. Here we are giving,...

Winter Stars

Byartsyhonker August 31, 2017 1 Comment
It's not winter yet! But here's a winter poem, by Sara Teasdale, which I've set to music: I went out at night alone; The young blood flowing beyond the sea Seemed to have drenched my spirit’s wings— I bore my sorrow heavily. But when I lifted up my head From shadows shaken on the snow, I saw Orion in the east Burn steadily as long ago. From windows in my father’s house, Dreaming my dreams...

Double Chant in E minor

Byartsyhonker July 31, 2017 1 Comment
I've just spent a week singing Evensong in Lincoln Cathedral, with the guest choir for the week: the Cathedral Singers of Ontario. We had a lovely welcome from the cathedral and indeed the city of Lincoln had much to offer, without being overwhelming. I always enjoy singing with CSO, and learn a lot. In addition, my mother is here to visit from Canada, and we have been having some time catching...

Finsbury Park

Byartsyhonker July 7, 2017 0 Comments
This text by the Revd Ally Barrett was written shortly after the Orlando shooting in 2016, and then drawn to my attention again in 2017 after the Manchester attack. And since then there have been more terrorist attacks. I've called it "Finsbury Park" because the attack on the mosque there was in the news while I was writing this, and because there wasn't already a hymn tune of that name in the...

Round Me Falls the Night

Byartsyhonker May 31, 2017 0 Comments
I've long enjoyed William Romanis's hymn text, "Round Me Falls the Night" -- so I decided to set it as an anthem. Originally I used TTBB voicing, but on balance, I like the SATB version better. I think it could be just the thing for a quieter Evensong service, or for Compline. Robot clarionets: PDF Round Me Falls the Night SATB Round me falls the night; Saviour, be my Light: Through the hours in...

O Sweet and Blessed Country

Byartsyhonker March 30, 2017 0 Comments
Another short piece, really just an SATB setting (with some light divisi) of one verse of a hymn, Jerusalem the Golden (not to be confused with Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, which is also beautiful). But it's a verse which is often changed in modern hymnals, which I think a great shame: O sweet and blessèd country, Shall I ever see thy face? O sweet and blessèd country, Shall I ever win thy grace?...

Art House: a hymn for Easter

Byartsyhonker March 7, 2017 1 Comment
I know, I know, it isn't Easter yet, we've only just started Lent, and it's probably too late for most people to use this hymn this year. But I liked the text, by Ally Barrett, very much: Life comes to an upper room, 
breaking through the fear and gloom;
 walls and door-locks are no bar: 
Jesus meets us where we are. 
Life dispels the doubt of grief 
bringing hope and new belief;...

Footdee

Byartsyhonker February 3, 2017 0 Comments
This is a hymn I wrote last time I was in Aberdeen; or was it last time but one? I'm not sure; but I know I was looking at the sea when I wrote it. I've used a paraphrase of verses from Psalm 107 (the bit that starts" they that go down to the sea in ships") by Isaac Watts, but of course as with any hymn tune you could use a different set of Long Metre words and they'd fit. PDF with text of first...

Talvilaulu — Song of the Winter

Byartsyhonker December 21, 2016 0 Comments
In 2015, I had the enjoyable experience of attending the Anglo Nordic Baltic Theological Conference, in Turku, Finland. Participants presented informal papers by day, and in the evening there was food, sauna, talk and not a little bit of wine. One thing led to another, and I ended up asking Rupert Moreton, of Lingua Fennica, whether there was any public domain poetry he'd like to translate and...