Hey Maize, here's the sacred music thread, post favorites please

[Faith-manor]

Okay, so here goes:

Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

Jesu Bambino

Panis Angelicus

Ode to Joy (Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee)

The Prayer

Pie Jesu

Laudemus Te - Vivaldi

Ave Maria - Schubert

Of Standard Hymns:

Make Me a Blessing

Day by Day

O the Deep Deep Love (I am not certain why it appeals to me. It's hauntingly beautiful, and I love to sing it, love to hear it despite not being invested in the theology.)

O Holy Night

In Excelsis Deo (Angels We Have Heard on High)

Contemporary:

You are My Hiding Place - Selah

You Raise Me Up - Selah

Kyrie - Michael W Smith

 

 

 

 

[maize]

Music, for me, is often tied to specific memories, and the meaning of the music in my heart relates to those memories.

I'm short on time right this moment so will post more later, but here is one:

Stille Nacht (Silent Night in German)

My family lived in Austria for several years, that is where I finished high school and it was where I came home to after I left for college. The first Christmas we lived there my older brother arranged for us siblings to play our string instruments on Christmas Eve at a local nursing home. We played lots of traditional Christmas songs and the residents seemed appreciative but it was when we ended the evening with Silent Night that something special happened; everyone there started singing along, and there was a depth of emotion in that room that I have rarely experienced. This was their song, one that had a great deal of meaning to these men and women who had lived through an awful lot of pain and hardship in their lives. I remember them every time I sing it.

Silent night is only sung on Christmas Eve in Austria.

Edited August 3, 2019 by maize

[Guest]

 

Vivaldi Gloria

The Lord Bless you and keep you, For the Beauty of the Earth-John Rutter

Sheep May Safely Graze

Of the Father’s Love Begotten

Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Now the Green Blade Riseth

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Huron Carol

On this day, Earth Shall Ring 

O hail the power of Jesus’s name (I like the 2nd and third tunes better, but generally like the hymn)

Holy, Holy, Holy

Come, Come Ye Saints (mostly due to being introduced to it by an LDS classmate in a conducting class)

 

 

[Guest]

What I often think about in old hymns is the lyrics. The word choices and syntax are complex and beautiful. Most modern worship music is much more simplistic and, in that sense, not as good. 

In terms of lyrics, Come Thou Fount is one of my favories, and It is Well. 

My favorite Christmas hymn is Oh Holy Night. 

[Laura Corin]

Bach cantatas, particularly 140

Faure requiem

Mozart requiem

Messiah

The Coventry Carol

I'm a life-long atheist.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by Laura Corin

[maize]

Here's another story:

My paternal grandfather passed away about 7 years ago. Grandpa was a quiet man who spent his life as a farmer--a life of grit and hard work; I remember him in his seventies, suffering from hearth disease and diabetes and the early stages of Parkinsons, still going out in the middle of the night to set irrigation siphons for his corn field. He lived in the town his Mormon pioneer grandparents helped settle after making the long trek across the United States to find a place they could live and practice their religion.

Grandpa and Grandma lived lives of work and service and hope. They made sure their kids all went to college so they wouldn't have to struggle with the backbreaking work they had dealt with. They loved people and always invited anyone into their home. Above all they lived their faith day to day.

After Grandpa's funeral we had a family luncheon in the church hall (probably with the infamous funeral potato casserole, though I don't remember :) )and at some point all the grandkids gathered around the piano to sing a hymn in honor of Grandpa. I think it was my oldest cousin who initiated the singing, it hadn't been planned in advance. This is the hymn we sang, a fitting tribute to Grandpa and a sincere expression of much of my own hope in the legacy I received and want to pass on to my children:

 

[sgo95]

This is my favorite right now: 

 

[maize]

2 minutes ago, sgo95 said:

This is my favorite right now: 

 

That is beautiful!

[historically accurate]

I'll share DH's cousin's youtube channel. Andrew records himself playing hymns on the piano - he has recordings of over 3900 hymns. So, if you can think of it, he's probably played it.

His channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6BRCej5GRFLlovfZrNswqw 

His latest work: 

 

[MeaganS]

Some of these are my favorites too. Maize, you reminded me of one of my favorites, Consider the Lillies. My dad died almost 2 years ago and all 6 of his children and any spouses sang it at his funeral by his request, even my littlest brother who was a missionary at the time but was able to come for the week for his funeral. It's always been a favorite.

 

Others of my favorites are:

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

This is the Christ

Abide With Me, Tis Eventide

The Spirit of God

Praise to the Lord, The Almighty

[MeaganS]

4 hours ago, dmmetler said:

 

Come, Come Ye Saints (mostly due to being introduced to it by an LDS classmate in a conducting class)

 

 

 

That's funny to me because I've always found that song somewhat difficult to conduct because it changes time signatures so often. 

[maize]

2 hours ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

 

That's beautiful.  My father was a Navy man, and we sang this at his funeral:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic8zMkYwnq8

  I still sing it to my younger boys when I tuck them in at night.  He died long before my oldest was born, so it's a little way that I can bring him into their lives. 

ETA: Clearly, I don't know how to make a video appear.  Anyone want to share the secret?  

Youtube videos usually show up if I just paste the URL into a post, nothing special like trying to attach it as a link.

A long time friend of mine sings with the Sea Chanters, I think she was in your video though it is hard to tell for sure with the hats shadowing faces; she has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard in person. Listening to her sing O Holy Night remains one of my favorite music memories. Unfortunately I don't have a recording of that one, but she is one of the soloists in this rendition of You Raise Me Up, another hymn I love:

 

[Guest]

Oh-Sine Nomine! 

I also like “I Surrender All” because it is associated with my grandmother, unless I have to play it on alto sax, where it is in C# major! (I played for her funeral at her request, and found that I was much better able to transpose than the church organist was-but it put me in some awful keys, since alto sax reads music up a major 6th plus three sharps...)

[maize]

So much nostalgia for me in this thread. Music, like smells, seems to be a major memory trigger; my life has been such a patchwork of places that songs often take me back somewhere. Here are a few more, and the places/times they tie me to:

O Holy Night--I learned this one in France, I love the song in both French and English. Lots of versions and most are familiar with it so I won't post a link. The third verse is my favorite:

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Mary's Lullaby: this one I learned from my mom when she led a children's choir one year when I was small. It is associated in my mind with the chocolate chip cookies we got to eat after the performance, and takes me back to Christmas as a young child.

 

I Believe in Christ--this one I learned in Guatemala, and we sang it often there and in other Spanish speaking places. I like the song in English as well, but the words feel more powerful to me in Spanish; it is one of my mom's favorite hymns (she also likes the Spanish version best): 

 

God Be With You Till We Meet Again--so, so many farewells. We often sang this song as a congregation when someone was moving away; sometimes that someone was my own family. I frequently hear it in my head in Spanish or French. Singing it always makes me cry.

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by maize

[Faith-manor]

Maize, God Be With You is the closing of the non traditional service - which is really a blended, relaxed service but not particularly contemporary. Pastor and I wrote the arrangement so it would be pretty and lyrical, yet upbeat and joyous to sing. I like the keyboard part I wrote. Except for around specific holidays, it is sung at the end of every non traditional service. People seem to really enjoy it

[Momto6inIN]

I love old hymns, our church does 4 part harmony a Capella as a congregation and it's so beautiful - even with pepple like me who can't carry a tune very well! There are enough who are gifted singers that somehow when we all do it together it works 🙂

It Is Well With My Soul is hauntingly beautiful. Esp singing the verse that says "when sorrows like sea billows roll" knowing that the author wrote those words after losing his family at sea ... 

O Holy Night - I like Johnny Mathis's version best because we always listened to his cd while putting up Christmas decorations when I was a kid and now as an adult it just doesn't seem like Christmas without Johnny. I blame my mother LOL

Holy, Holy, Holy

How Great Thou Art

Amazing Grace 

Old hymns are typically my favorite but I have to say that the line in Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix where it says "when you kissed your little baby, that you kissed the face of God?" gets me right in the feels every. single. time!

And also I Can Only Imagine, because it's awesome to consider dancing in front of Jesus.

[BooksandBoys]

Oh, my heart, I adore sacred music. Favorites:

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, preferably with full organ and choir. 

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel

Day By Day

Bogoroditse Devo 

Once in Royal David’s City 

The Doxology

all the versions of Kyrie in the Lutheran/Episcopalian/Catholic liturgies. I’ll happily sing liturgy all day 🙂

I was raised on contemporary Christian music; hymns were considered too legalistic and lacking in “true belief,” so other than the Christmas hymns and a few unavoidables (eg Amazing Grace), I had almost no exposure to hymns and historical religious music until college. There, I joined the Lutheran chapel choir and our college choir which largely sang religious music. I was immediately aware of how much sacred music spoke to my soul. I love it.

 

 

 

[BooksandBoys]

Maize, I love Stille Nacht. 

[maize]

Just so you all know I plan to spend my Sabbath afternoon tomorrow playing all the music suggested here; some of you have posted music I don't think I have heard before, and others music I have not heard or sung in a long time. I anticipate a pleasant afternoon.

[BooksandBoys]

Just now, maize said:

Just so you all know I plan to spend my Sabbath afternoon tomorrow playing all the music suggested here; some of you have posted music I don't think I have heard before, and others music I have not heard or sung in a long time. I anticipate a pleasant afternoon.

Same. I’m inspired to sing all afternoon tomorrow. 

[MercyA]

 

2 hours ago, Momto6inIN said:

I love old hymns, our church does 4 part harmony a Capella as a congregation and it's so beautiful - even with pepple like me who can't carry a tune very well! There are enough who are gifted singers that somehow when we all do it together it works 🙂

 

Are you Mennonite, by chance? Some of my in-laws are Amish and Mennonite and they love to sing in harmony (and yodel!) whenever they get together. 

I love Anabaptist doctrine but the thought of singing a Capella intimidates me. 🙂 

[MercyA]

In no particular order 🙂:

And Can It Be

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Wonderful Grace of Jesus

Standing on the Promises

To God Be the Glory

Holy, Holy, Holy

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

Be Thou My Vision

Almost all Christmas hymns ❤️

 

[maize]

If I weren't LDS I would probably belong to a liturgical church because I love liturgical music.

[MercyA]

7 hours ago, maize said:

He lived in the town his Mormon pioneer grandparents helped settle after making the long trek across the United States to find a place they could live and practice their religion.

Some of my ancestors made that trip, too. We have copies of their letters from the wagon train, which are cool to read. Our Mormon ancestry has helped out my genealogy-buff mom. 🙂

[DesertBlossom]

I have yet to tire of this arrangement of Amazing Grace. 

 

[Liz CA]

Dona nobis pacem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXDA21pVnM4

 

Adeste Fidelis - really any version but the Westminster Abbey one is good.

[Momto6inIN]

8 hours ago, MercyA said:

 

 

Are you Mennonite, by chance? Some of my in-laws are Amish and Mennonite and they love to sing in harmony (and yodel!) whenever they get together. 

I love Anabaptist doctrine but the thought of singing a Capella intimidates me. 🙂 

We are Anabaptist but not Mennonite. Lots of the same doctrine and traditions of Mennonites, an offshoot at some point, a very small denomination called Apostolic Christian Church of America. I didn't grow up in this faith, my DH did, so the a Capella is not my comfort zone either 🙂 I stumble along and sing soprano/the melody - mostly in tune except for the really high parts when I just mouth the words and pretend I'm singing LOL! My voice is probably more of an alto, but I just do not have an ear for singing the alto part and can't follow it even when I sit next to someone who sings a strong alto.

[Momto6inIN]

I forgot about this one! Our whole family sings this one together all the time!

 

[MercyA]

6 hours ago, Momto6inIN said:

We are Anabaptist but not Mennonite. Lots of the same doctrine and traditions of Mennonites, an offshoot at some point, a very small denomination called Apostolic Christian Church of America.

Yes! I live in Indiana and am familiar with the Apostolic Christian Church. I have two friends in the local congregation. I really like what I know about the church. 🙂 

[Momto6inIN]

1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Yes! I live in Indiana and am familiar with the Apostolic Christian Church. I have two friends in the local congregation. I really like what I know about the church. 🙂 

That's amazing! No one has ever heard of my church before! 🙂

Whereabouts in Indiana (if you don't mind me being nosy)? Pm me if you'd prefer

[Momto6inIN]

19 hours ago, BooksandBoys said:

I was raised on contemporary Christian music; hymns were considered too legalistic and lacking in “true belief,” so other than the Christmas hymns and a few unavoidables (eg Amazing Grace), I had almost no exposure to hymns and historical religious music until college. 

 

 

 

That is so interesting! Most people in my own church say just the oposite - that anything other than hymns aren't reverent enough and the repeated lyrics of contemporary Christian songs have little to no deep meaning other than to stir up emotions. This is not our doctrine, btw, just what a lot of members think. I wasn't raised in this church so I don't agree, I see beauty and meaning in many different types of worship music. But it is very very interesting to me that your church or family held the opposite position! 

[MercyA]

2 hours ago, Momto6inIN said:

That's amazing! No one has ever heard of my church before! 🙂

Whereabouts in Indiana (if you don't mind me being nosy)? Pm me if you'd prefer

Actually, it gets even stranger than that! The church I went to in high school was previously an Apostolic Church. It split into two non-denominational churches and one new Apostolic church, which my two friends now attend. Even though the split happened years before I started attending (so, probably 40-50 years ago), our youth group would still get together in Illinois with people with links to the church! And when I started wearing a head covering as an adult, at least one of the older ladies in my childhood church said that they also wore coverings when they were still Apostolic. I'll PM you my location! 🙂 

[Cecropia]

What Wondrous Love Is This

Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Unless a Grain of Wheat (Hurd)

Shepherd Me, O God (Haugen)

The Cry of the Poor (Foley)

Give Me Jesus

How Great Thou Art

Ave Maria (Schubert)

Tantum Ergo Sacramentum

O Come O Come Emmanuel

Coventry Carol

Wir Christenleut (Bach) https://web.archive.org/web/20081221183220/http://christmassongbook.net/s2055f-deutsch.asp

What Child is This

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

O Holy Night

Requiem (Mozart) especially Kyrie eleison and Lacrimosa

Louange à l'immortalité de Jésus (Messiaen)

[JennyD]

Great thread!  A few favorites:

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Go Down Moses

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Avinu Malkeinu

(FWIW, I am Jewish.)

[Junie]

I like so many of the songs y'all have shared.

[saw]

On 8/4/2019 at 5:05 AM, Liz CA said:

 

Adeste Fidelis - really any version but the Westminster Abbey one is good.

 

Here's a good version of the Abbey's Adeste Fideles from a few years ago, when DS was in the choir. 

[Maus]

On 8/3/2019 at 11:43 AM, maize said:

Music, for me, is often tied to specific memories, and the meaning of the music in my heart relates to those memories.

Me, too!  Three that leave me bawling like a baby because of the circumstances when they became meaningful to me are:

How Firm a Foundation

Come, Thou Fount

If the Way Be Full of Trial