SKU: GI.G-CD-474

A thousand ages in your sight, a line from Issac Watt's hymn paraphrase of Psalm 90, provides the inspiration for this celebration of hope with the St. Olaf Cantorei, under the direction of John Ferguson. This gorgeous live recording features impeccable choral singing and festive instrumentation, bringing life to tunes and texts from around the world. Come, All You People, an African hymn, is full of exciting rhythms and beautiful harmonies. The celebration continues with the classic German chorale Lobe den Herren. Versions of O God, Our Help in Ages Past, All Creatures of Our God and King, and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel are just a sample of the many beautiful, innovative arrangements of traditional hymns by John Ferguson on this recording. Music and arrangements by William McKie, Alexander Gondo, William Byrd, Egil Hovland, Joseph W. Clokey, Mark Hayes, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Edward Tyler are also featured. In the spirit of the new millennium, reflections on God and the passing of time are included, as well as a reading of the story of Creation from the Book of Genesis. The CD booklet includes the text of all reflections as well as the text of all songs on the recording. Listening to this recording, you'll want to follow along in the spirit of this joyous hymn festival...you may even want to join the choir in song!

SKU: GI.G-9600

In creating the African American ecumenical hymnal, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism it was imperative to the core committee that the hymnal serve as a needed resource for the many denominations in the African American Church. It was the committee’s strong desire that this hymnal would represent and preserve the rich theological, cultural, and musical heritages of these traditions and offer a full breadth of music representing historical as well as vibrant contemporary worship, while looking toward the future. It was also of utmost importance that this hymnal draw the body of Christ together so that it may be enlarged, enriched, and inspired to live and worship based on what unites us: “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” This hymnal contains selections of diverse styles and genres, including traditional ecumenical hymns, contemporary texts written for the twenty-first-century church, praise and worship selections, music from Taizé, choral responses, responsorial psalmody, traditional and contemporary gospel music, and Negro spirituals. The editors maintained a remarkably high degree of excellence in selecting and presenting this repertoire, and church musicians of all tastes could find this anthology useful either as a reference or as a repository for imaginitive congregational song. Jason Overall, The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, Volume 27, Number 10, December 2018.

SKU: BT.CMP-0316-99-020

Based on the African-American spiritual “Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit”, Feel the Spirit captures the essence of the traditional spiritual. These songs were created by African-Americans oppressed by slavery. A deeply religious people, the slaves would use singing as an expression of both their enthusiastic joy and profound sadness. Feel the Spirit enables you to play a great gospel song with your band.

SKU: GI.G-CD-605

Prayer and praise hymns have become an integral part of the sacred hymnody of the African American religious experience. Twenty years after the Emancipation, the children of the slaves found themselves living in the reality of separateness, and their religious practice turned increasingly inward. A unique body of hymnody grew out of that period, approximately 1885–1925. These are songs of Southern origin, of a rural people working the land. These songs are different from spirituals and Black meter music, yet show their influences. These songs are Bible-based, highly repetitive in accord with the nature of oral tradition, and of anonymous authorship. Wyatt Tee Walker has researched this segment of the history of African American church music more than any other known scholar. His original three paperback volumes have been edited and combined by James Abbington into this clothbound edition worthy of its historical and musical significance. The book now includes a recording of the twenty-four selected “prayer and praise” hymns researched by Rev. Dr. Walker. This exciting CD highlights not only the hymns, but the singing style of the period as well, being faithful to the impromptu harmonies and dissonance brought about by inspired song. A separate songbook for choirs and congregations is also available, making this valuable repertoire accessible for use in Sunday worship.

SKU: HL.44013426

UPC: 888680926120.

After he had survived a heavy sea storm, John Newton (1725-1807), captain of a slave ship, became a priest and from then on he fought for the abolition of slavery. During his tenure he wrote several hymns, of which Amazing Grace certainly is the best known. The melody assumedly derives from a song by the African slaves. Takashi Hoshide has written a compelling arrangement of this beautiful melody.

SKU: AU.9781506496023

ISBN 9781506496023. 8.5 x 11 inches.

This collection of eleven tunes features a rich variety of hymns, old and new, arranged by Mary Howarth in an engaging light jazz style. The South African hymn “God Welcomes All is set in an energetic and rhythmic style while the traditional French carol “’Twas In the Moon of Wintertime is beautifully set in a mysterious dreamy mood.