Song Suggestions...

A few Sundays ago, on Corpus Christi, we decided to introduce "O Saving Lamb" by my good, good friend Tom Booth as a second communion song. I've always known it was a nice setting; we've just never gotten around to using it. If you don't know this piece...PLEASE check it out here: O Saving Lamb (Booth)   This is one of these songs that takes something very traditional and marries it with something new. In this case, Tom has used both the melody and the English translation of "O Salutaris Hostia" as the verses of the song. He then composed a new Refrain, music and text. The Refrain (to me) fits beautifully with the verses, creating a nice lift while adding simple 3 part harmony. It sounds great and the assembly jumps right in! It's very simple, very beautiful, and very appropriate in multiple settings.

We sang this at the teen mass on this particular Sunday. I remember saying to the teens, "If you don't know the melody of this verse...well...you should.  It's a very important part of our Catholic tradition. And, if you haven't heard it here before...well, that's my fault.  So let's sing it together."  (or something like that)

"O Saving Lamb" is a good example of combining a well-known traditional hymn (text and melody) with new music and text. There are other examples of incorporating traditional music in a contemporary style as well. Chris Tomlin did the same thing with his arrangements of "Take My Life" (and let it be) and "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)."  David Crowder took "All Creatures of Our God and King" and put a contemporary spin to the performance. It's essentially the same song, just repackaged in a different style.  I kind of went a different route and just used the text to "At the Name of Jesus" by Caroline Maria Noel.  I set it to my own original music and added a refrain as well. At the Name of Jesus (Face of God CD)

I encourage you to seek out these arrangements if you haven't already. I've found that once we've introduced them in a more contemporary style, they are just as well-received when played traditionally, or unaccompanied...the way they were originally written.

Good songs: it always comes down to the text and melody.