TWO Major Releases
I am pleased to draw your attention to TWO recent releases: Tantum Ergo (II) and More Love to Thee, O Christ!
More Love to Thee, O Christ! has been patiently waiting in the wings since 2024. This piece was originally written for a diaconal ordination at St. Augustine Cathedral and was conceived with a two goals in mind:
It needed to be beautiful
It needed to be easy enough to learn quickly!
Since ordinations are always occasions for “Diocesan Choirs” (which is to say, guest singers from all over the diocese who are not in the regular habit of singing together) ease of learning and mastery was of primary importance. In this regard, I believe the work hits the mark.
Verses 1, 2 & 4 are all sung in unison (Women, Men, All) and only Verse 3 features part singing, which is itself straightforward. Mercifully, the sum of the whole is greater than its parts, and this piece has been well-received by all who have sung it, and has been requested more than once since its debut. The following recording was taken live during ordination Mass in 2024:
(As usual, a suite of practice tracks is available to help your singers learn the middle [verse 3] section.)
The text is a modern-day prayer of Job, written by Elizabeth Prentiss after she lost a child; it is profound in both its depth and its simplicity, and it is fitting for nearly any time of the liturgical year:
“More love to Thee, O Christ,
More love to Thee!
Hear thou the prayer I make
On bended knee;
This is my earnest plea,
More love to Thee;
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee.
Once earthly joy I craved,
Sought peace and rest;
Now, Thee alone I seek,
Give what is best;
This all my prayer shall be,
More love to Thee;
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee.
Let sorrow do its work,
Send grief and pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers,
Sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me:
More love to Thee;
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee.
Then shall my latest breath
Whisper Thy praise,
This be the parting cry
My heart shall raise;
This still [my] prayer shall be,
More love to Thee;
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee!”
You can purchase the score here.
Next up is a “new” setting of the Tantum Ergo, unimaginatively titled Tantum Ergo (II) — not to be confused, of course, with the popular Tantum Ergo in Ab.
This setting actually recycles some music originally conceived for another text, however it occurred to me suddenly that it was a perfect fit for the Tantum Ergo. (I will be quick to observe here that many composers have repurposed their own music in multiple ways, perhaps most notably JS Bach!)
Like so many of my choral works, this piece has modest forces in mind. While the masterworks of the great composers are truly marvels, they tend to be difficult to implement in “normal” parishes. This is why I compose with modest choirs in mind.
As with More Love to Thee, comprehensive SATB practice tracks are available here.
This is a perfect communion motet and can be sung any time of the year. As an added bonus for those who purchase a copy, the alternate (original) text is also included:
“Lord, for these, and all Thy tender mercies,
heartfelt thanks we Thee outpour.
Day by day on us Thou sendèst
blessings from Thy bounteous store.
Thine be all the praise and glory,
Thine, both now, and forevermore.”
You can purchase the score here.
As always, thank you to everyone who supports this ministry and shares my compositions. I am terribly grateful to you all, and humbled by the reach my web presence has managed to achieve (through no merit of my own!). To all my music director / organist colleagues, if you see things on this site which attract you, please share them on social media! This helps tremendously.
Pax, and happy summer—
James
