As the number of songs published and recorded increases, I thought it might be helpful to have a page here where all of the choral demos of CWM hymns could be found in once place. Thus, I’ve published the “Choral Demos” page at MTC. There may be a few there you’ve not yet heard, including the following newly released pieces:
Holy, Mighty, Worthy (MP3 / SATB arrangement coming) was recently arranged by my friend Dan Forrest. That’s all you need to know. :) The song has a special place in my heart, as it was the first Greg Habegger and I wrote together, and really my first attempt at poetry of any kind. Dan’s arrangement is gorgeous, especially the finale, in which the congregation joins the choir to sing “Glory, glory, glory! We, Thy church, adore Thee!”
A Triune Prayer (MP3 / SATB Arrangement) is a new piece I wrote with my friend Molly Ijames, a gifted composer. It’s also the first I’ve published with Beckenhorst Press. Craig Courtney directed the demo, which includes a string orchestration by another friend, Rick Nichols. The piece absolutely explodes on the last verse: “May Your promised kingdom come!” I love it. It’s also available on the new SoundForth CD, Beyond All Praising.
My Jesus, Fair (MP3 / TTBB Arrangement coming / SATB Arrangement) is, I think, the second hymn published by Greg Habegger and me. He arranged it for SATB for ChurchWorksMedia.com and now SoundForth has re-voiced it for TTBB. (Thanks, Larry Carrier!) I praise the Lord for Greg, who just doesn’t miss. This is a lovely piece, and the one that really got CWM going. “Abhorring all my sin. Adoring only Him.”
How Far Is It to Bethlehem (MP3 / SSA Arrangement coming) isn’t mine. It’s a poem by Frances Chesterton that I discovered a while ago. I asked Molly Ijames to do a “quick-and-dirty” arrangement for my 4 daughters to sing at Tri-County Bible Church, where I pastor. Well, Molly doesn’t do “quick-and-dirty.” She asked me to adjust the text just a bit, which I did, then she wrote a beautiful piece, which she dedicated to Rebekah, Rachel, Esther, and Grace. Thanks for that, Molly!
Grace!