Easter is a time of great sadness which turned into tremendous joy! We remember and celebrate both in song. Here is a selection from my scores which you might like to consider for your services. They are in a SET on Musecore.com where they may be heard and down-loaded (free). I started writing new tunes for favourite old hymns and Easter hymns because I felt the words would have a greater impact - so often we know them so well, the words lose their force. I have also added some poems. See the Easter music SET on Musescore here
CHILDREN
It was the little donkey’s very special day (REV)
Tell the world about Jesus REVISED
SONG
Christ is risen said the angel
CHOIR
These may be performed as a whole for a special occasion, or singly during a service. They are from my Cantata: See menu.
INTRODUCTION TO EASTER
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW (PART TWO 2019)
9. Behold the Lamb of God. Tenor solo
14. Jesus said to Nicodemus
16. Palms and Hosannas
EASTER
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW (PART THREE 2019)
18. The Crucifixion
19. The empty tomb
20. Jesus speaks to his disciples
22. The road to Emmaus
24. The Ascension
EASTER HYMNS
There is a green hill far away
Jesus I my cross have taken
All hail the power of Jesus name
O for a thousand tongue to sing
Jesus Christ is risen today Hallelujah
Praise him, Praise him
It is a thing most wonderful
When I survey the wondrous cross
And can it be that I should gain
My hope is built on nothing less
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord
Crown him with many crowns (2)
Crown him with many crowns.
Rock of Ages clef for me
Christ the Lord is risen today
To God be the glory
Amazing grace
Blessed Assurance
It is a thing most wonderful
Rejoice the Lord is King!
Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow
Man of sorrows – what a name
O sacred head now wounded
Jesus, keep me near the cross
Wounded for me, Wounded for me
Beneath the cross of Jesus
Just as I am without one plea (REV)
All glory, laud and honour
-------------------------------------------------------
Note, there are many more hymns in the set
SINGING SCRIPTURE
God so loved the world REV
Christ Jesus who being in the form
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain REV
I am the light of the world REV 18
Jesus said,I am the resurrection REV
I am the way the truth and the life
God so loved REV
If you then were raised with Christ (2019)
It is appointed to men once to die
To him who loved us (2020)
Father the hour is come (2020)
There is therefore now no condemnation (2020)
Do this in remembrance of me (2020)
I am the good shepherd REV
That which was from the beginning
EASTER POEMS
These poems are from my collected poems, THE HARP’S TOP STRING, and have appeared in many American Christian magazines.(See Menu for free download).
PLAQUES
walking in Paris
I noticed
many enamelled plaques
on walls
in most unlikely places
small plaques
each with a name
was she carrying
information
about the foe?
was he creeping
across the bridge
hidden by the dark?
was he helping
a Jew escape?
I will never know
but those who do
hang flowers
near these plaques
which say
so starkly
killed
and give the date
and some
so young
to lose
their lives
for liberation
these plaques
more poignant
than all the
pomp and glory
of splendid monuments
and on a
cosmic scale
you came –
to suffer
liberate
reclaim
THE CARPENTER
in Nazareth
there were houses
with doors
made by him
people sat
at tables
made by him
and perhaps stacked
pots on shelves
made by him
he was a carpenter
an artisan
not an artist
not for him
the carved statue
the painted pomegranate
the frieze
above the lintel
he who made
the lilies of the field
the sea, the gulls
the might of mountains
humbled himself
became flesh
and lived with us
a carpenter
I am the door
he said
and died for us
FIRE LILIES BLOOM ON DEVIL’S PEAK
Fire Lilies
crimson as the fire
which last week
scarred the mountain
charred the green
and after
so brief a visit
left ash and soot
to blacken cloud and city
Fire Lilies
thrusting strong
green stems
crimson crocus flowers
bloom bright and big
above the black
recalling rainbow
rebirth resurrection
Fire Lilies
bloom only
after fire
HOGSBACK
on Sunday we walked
in the forest
and saw
berries
red, orange
plump plum coloured ones
we saw
redwoods
from America
here
in the middle of Africa
straight
amid twisted jungle
we saw
the church
on the hill
and the child
on a horse
and the hikers
huddled in tents
and we walked
and talked
and did you?
I did
I thought
of a hill and a man and a tree
These are poems from A CHRISTIAN IN LONDOND AND PARIS. See menu for free download.
CHRIST BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST
CHRIST BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST
Honthorst’s
famous painting
I saw it
again
in the National Gallery
its size –
huge –
always surprises me
its simplicity
too
somber browns
and reds
men looming
from shadows
and in the
center a
candle flares
its light
falling on the
High Priest
who sits
his elbow
resting on
a table
his arm raised
his index finger
pointing up
light falls
on the open
Book
before him
it falls
too
on Christ
standing
head
slightly bent
it seems
as if the
High Priest
is saying
don’t you know
God’s Word
says
and the
Word
the Light
of the world
looks at him
in pity
I saw it
in a room
hanging
on a side wall
later
walking into
another room
at right angles
to the first
I saw it
through and arch
at the center
of the far end
forming the focus
of that room
it was
as if
light fell
on me
heedless
of all the
other paintings
in that room
I hurried
to have
another look
crying
silently
Christ
my center
my focal point!
I’ll never
hang
you
on a side wall
again!
PLAQUES
walking in Paris
I noticed
many enameled plaques
on walls
in most unlikely places
small plaques
each with a name
was she carrying
information
about the foe?
was he creeping
across the bridge
hidden by the dark?
was he helping
a Jew escape?
I will never know
but those who do
hang flowers
near these plaques
which say
so starkly
killed
and give the date
and some
so young
to lose
their lives
for liberation
these plaques
more poignant
than all the
pomp and glory
of splendid monuments
and on a
cosmic scale
you came –
to suffer
liberate
reclaim
CHILDREN
It was the little donkey’s very special day (REV)
Tell the world about Jesus REVISED
SONG
Christ is risen said the angel
CHOIR
These may be performed as a whole for a special occasion, or singly during a service. They are from my Cantata: See menu.
INTRODUCTION TO EASTER
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW (PART TWO 2019)
9. Behold the Lamb of God. Tenor solo
14. Jesus said to Nicodemus
16. Palms and Hosannas
EASTER
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW (PART THREE 2019)
18. The Crucifixion
19. The empty tomb
20. Jesus speaks to his disciples
22. The road to Emmaus
24. The Ascension
EASTER HYMNS
There is a green hill far away
Jesus I my cross have taken
All hail the power of Jesus name
O for a thousand tongue to sing
Jesus Christ is risen today Hallelujah
Praise him, Praise him
It is a thing most wonderful
When I survey the wondrous cross
And can it be that I should gain
My hope is built on nothing less
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord
Crown him with many crowns (2)
Crown him with many crowns.
Rock of Ages clef for me
Christ the Lord is risen today
To God be the glory
Amazing grace
Blessed Assurance
It is a thing most wonderful
Rejoice the Lord is King!
Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow
Man of sorrows – what a name
O sacred head now wounded
Jesus, keep me near the cross
Wounded for me, Wounded for me
Beneath the cross of Jesus
Just as I am without one plea (REV)
All glory, laud and honour
-------------------------------------------------------
Note, there are many more hymns in the set
SINGING SCRIPTURE
God so loved the world REV
Christ Jesus who being in the form
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain REV
I am the light of the world REV 18
Jesus said,I am the resurrection REV
I am the way the truth and the life
God so loved REV
If you then were raised with Christ (2019)
It is appointed to men once to die
To him who loved us (2020)
Father the hour is come (2020)
There is therefore now no condemnation (2020)
Do this in remembrance of me (2020)
I am the good shepherd REV
That which was from the beginning
EASTER POEMS
These poems are from my collected poems, THE HARP’S TOP STRING, and have appeared in many American Christian magazines.(See Menu for free download).
PLAQUES
walking in Paris
I noticed
many enamelled plaques
on walls
in most unlikely places
small plaques
each with a name
was she carrying
information
about the foe?
was he creeping
across the bridge
hidden by the dark?
was he helping
a Jew escape?
I will never know
but those who do
hang flowers
near these plaques
which say
so starkly
killed
and give the date
and some
so young
to lose
their lives
for liberation
these plaques
more poignant
than all the
pomp and glory
of splendid monuments
and on a
cosmic scale
you came –
to suffer
liberate
reclaim
THE CARPENTER
in Nazareth
there were houses
with doors
made by him
people sat
at tables
made by him
and perhaps stacked
pots on shelves
made by him
he was a carpenter
an artisan
not an artist
not for him
the carved statue
the painted pomegranate
the frieze
above the lintel
he who made
the lilies of the field
the sea, the gulls
the might of mountains
humbled himself
became flesh
and lived with us
a carpenter
I am the door
he said
and died for us
FIRE LILIES BLOOM ON DEVIL’S PEAK
Fire Lilies
crimson as the fire
which last week
scarred the mountain
charred the green
and after
so brief a visit
left ash and soot
to blacken cloud and city
Fire Lilies
thrusting strong
green stems
crimson crocus flowers
bloom bright and big
above the black
recalling rainbow
rebirth resurrection
Fire Lilies
bloom only
after fire
HOGSBACK
on Sunday we walked
in the forest
and saw
berries
red, orange
plump plum coloured ones
we saw
redwoods
from America
here
in the middle of Africa
straight
amid twisted jungle
we saw
the church
on the hill
and the child
on a horse
and the hikers
huddled in tents
and we walked
and talked
and did you?
I did
I thought
of a hill and a man and a tree
These are poems from A CHRISTIAN IN LONDOND AND PARIS. See menu for free download.
CHRIST BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST
CHRIST BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST
Honthorst’s
famous painting
I saw it
again
in the National Gallery
its size –
huge –
always surprises me
its simplicity
too
somber browns
and reds
men looming
from shadows
and in the
center a
candle flares
its light
falling on the
High Priest
who sits
his elbow
resting on
a table
his arm raised
his index finger
pointing up
light falls
on the open
Book
before him
it falls
too
on Christ
standing
head
slightly bent
it seems
as if the
High Priest
is saying
don’t you know
God’s Word
says
and the
Word
the Light
of the world
looks at him
in pity
I saw it
in a room
hanging
on a side wall
later
walking into
another room
at right angles
to the first
I saw it
through and arch
at the center
of the far end
forming the focus
of that room
it was
as if
light fell
on me
heedless
of all the
other paintings
in that room
I hurried
to have
another look
crying
silently
Christ
my center
my focal point!
I’ll never
hang
you
on a side wall
again!
PLAQUES
walking in Paris
I noticed
many enameled plaques
on walls
in most unlikely places
small plaques
each with a name
was she carrying
information
about the foe?
was he creeping
across the bridge
hidden by the dark?
was he helping
a Jew escape?
I will never know
but those who do
hang flowers
near these plaques
which say
so starkly
killed
and give the date
and some
so young
to lose
their lives
for liberation
these plaques
more poignant
than all the
pomp and glory
of splendid monuments
and on a
cosmic scale
you came –
to suffer
liberate
reclaim