New Music for the Psalms

I'm currently working on two Psalm settings. I have finished Psalm 78: Do Not Forget which is the setting for the Feast of the Exalation of the Cross on Sept. 12. And I have finished the refrain for Psalm 25: Remember Your Mercies, O Lord. I'm still deciding on how to proceed with the verse of Psalm 25. I think that I will try to have a metered melody, but that may change if there is no regular phonetic rhythm to follow in the text.

For Psalm 78, I chose to write a simple psalm tone for the verses because they were so irregular in English. Those Latin monks sure knew what they were doing when they invented Psalm tones. They are very useful particularly when one cannot paraphrase the text to fit a particular melodic idea.

Check out my book review at Grapevine Online

Take a minute to check out the Grapevine Online for my book review. It was published back on July 31 so you have to scroll down a few entries to find it.

Jaw Dropping Guitar Work

I have been told time and time again by many music types that the guitar is a limited instrument. Every time I hear that claim I think of this:



and this:



and this:



and this:



Any questions?

Grapevine Online

I have been asked to write for the Grapevine Online magazine. Look to Grapevine Online to keep you updated on all the latest happenings in Catholic music. Check them out here.

Summer Update

After being inactive for the month of July, I will be posting more frequently.

During July I did some travelling to two of the Regional Conventions of the National Pastoral Musicians Association. I will be going to the Western Regional Convention in Los Angles next week. If you are there be sure to check out the International Liturgy Publications booth. The new St. Augustine Hymal is coming very soon. It is a wonderful worship aid that contains many great songs from the past and today. If you would like a free trial copy visit the ILP website.