On this page I will upload some samples of what I’ve been working on. The first project is simply instrumental Catholic/Christian standards as music for meditation to use during Lent and Holy Week.
Were You There? – I can’t imagine Holy Week without Were You There? The simplicity of the melody and the almost childlike repetition makes this song so memorable, yet in it’s simplicity there’s so much that can be done with the harmonies to try to bring out the emotions the song conveys. “Sometimes it causes me to tremble…tremble…tremble.”
What Wondrous Love – I’ve always loved this tune and used to sing it to my daughters as I rocked them at night. I have it listed as the Recessional for my funeral, “And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on. And when from death I’m free I’ll sing on. And when from death I’m free I’ll sing and joyful be, and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on, and through eternity I’ll sing on.” What a statement of belief in the Resurrection!
O Sacred Head Surrounded – Classic. Johann knew how to write them so that the harmonies of the inner voices did the work of bringing out the dynamics on instruments that couldn’t really do dynamics. Lately some hymnals have messed with the lyrics. Don’t do that.
At the Cross, Remember Me – The Stabat Mater is one of the memories of my childhood I hold dear. Every Friday in Lent the whole school went to the church for Stations of the Cross and we sang “At the Cross Her Station Keeping, stood the mournful mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.” The words to it ripped out my heart every time. In this meditation I weave in “Jesus, Remember Me,” which is a favorite of my congregation.
The Church Diva 