03Apr 2012 by Ray No Comments

Reconciliation: Matthew West – Only Grace

Music Ministry, Music Reviews
Happy Holy Week! I was at morning mass today and thought about this song by Matthew West.  There were a couple of interesting things about the readings and sermon that made me think about it.  Let's start with the reading from Isaiah 49:1-6. Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the…
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11Feb 2012 by Ray No Comments

New Translation – Mass of Praise by Ray Martin

Music Ministry, Music Reviews, Original Music
Download Audio and Sheet Music                       Download Sheet Music Only [mp3-jplayer list="n" tracks="Glory to God@01-Glory-to-God.mp3, Alleluia@02-Alleluia.mp3, Holy Holy Holy@03-Holy-Holy-Holy.mp3, Memorial Acclamaition@Memorial-Acclamation-Rev.mp3, Amen@05-Amen.mp3, Lamb of God@06-Lamb-of-God.mp3, Kyrie Eleison@Kyrie-Eleison-Mixdown.mp3, Lenten Gospel Acclamation@Lenten-Gospel-Acclamation-Mixdown.mp3"] I talked about the new English translation of the Catholic prayers and mass music in my review of Matt Maher's Mass of Communion.  This is my setting of the new mass parts with the revised text for a Praise and Worship band.  I'll run through a few brief notes about the different movements.  Overall, I tried to avoid getting above a D in the treble clef because that gets pretty high for the congregation.  I wanted there to be a lot of continuity between the different parts and so you'll see and…
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08Feb 2012 by Ray 1 Comment

How He Loves – Live Variables

Music Ministry, Music Reviews
There are some great songs out there that don't always translate exactly the same for a worship service as the recordings.  How He Loves is one of my favorite songs these days.  I love John Mark McMillan's lyrics and I have a man crush on David Crowder.  How could you not?!?  When leading this for a congregation though your goal is to help them pray and sing along.  The second verse is tricky.  Here's how we led it last Sunday during communion: Verse 1 with just piano and one vocalist. Instrumental riff with electric guitar Repeat verse 1 with other vocals joining and bass Chorus 1 "Oh, how he loves us so..." Instrumental riff again Verse 2- we go almost completely out here and take this way down to just piano…
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03Feb 2012 by Ray 12 Comments

Review- Matt Maher’s Mass of Communion

Music Reviews
In the fall of 2011 the Catholic Church implemented a new English translation of the prayers that are spoken and sung during the mass to more accurately match the traditional Latin.  That has forced composers to write or rearrange the service music we refer to as mass parts.  Matt Maher has been a long time Lifeteen worship leader from Mesa, AZ.  He and Ike Ndolo released their new Mass of Communion with the new translation and the band I participate in here in KC recently started using this setting and have been teaching it to our congregation. This is my review from the perspective of both a musician who has played it as well as a composer who has taken on the challenge of setting this revised text. I'm going…
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