Voices Found

  Voices Found for The Great Vigil Voices Found #121 Come sing the joys of Miriam, for she has seen dry land. Come dance with her as now we join  this grateful, glorious band. Words: Edith Sinclair Downing (1922-2026) Music: Azmon, Carl G. Glaser (1784-1829) This spiritual, "O Mary Don't you weep," along with  Voices Found # 2 , "O wind that blows" (Jocheved's Song), and"  People,  Chantez" from the cantata Le Passage de la Mer Rouge by Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, (1664-1731), and Maria Magdalena et Altera Maria by Sulpitia Cesis, (1610)  are included on the album "Magdalene and the Other Mary," published by Church Publishing, Inc. All would be appropriate to celebrate women of Salvation and   Resurrection during Eastertide. Voices Found #122 (chorus) O Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn, O Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn, Pharoah's army got drowned, O Mary don't you weep. Words: traditional Music: Ne...

  Voices Found #16 verse 2 With Mary we will wait when even hope seems dead when others rush down roads they say we may not tread. And waiting strong and still  through all our grief and pain we hear the whisper of God's will  we hear our name. Words: Janet Wooton Music: Leoni, Hebrew melody, Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1875, alt. Then he (Joseph) rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed.  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there sitting before the tomb. Matthew 17:60-61, tr. Gafney In her notes to the lessons appointed for Holy Saturday, the author points out that on this day we experience our own mortality as Jesus did in the tomb.  She states, "We hold all these things in our hearts as we wrestle with implications, sitting, watching and waiting with Miriam, Mary of Migdala and another woman who also bears the name of Israel's first prophet.  They knew not for what they waited. Though we know, we keep vigil with them.

   Voices Found # 49 There is a green hill far away, outside a city wall, where our dear lord was crucified who died to save us all.  O dearly, dearly has he loved! we must love him too, and trust in his redeeming blood, and try his works to do. Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) Music: Emma Lou Diemer (1927-2024)

  Voices Found #15 Miriam the prophet took the timbrel in her hand and all the women followed her  just as she had planned. And Miriam raised her voice in song, she sang with praise and might: "We've just lived through a miracle, we're going to dance tonight." And the women dancing with their timbrels followed Miriam as she sang her song. Sing a song to the one whom we've exalted  Miriam and the women danced and danced the whole night long. Words and music: Deborah Lynn Friedman (1951-2011) Exodus 15:11-21, Hebrews 11:23-28, and Matthew 26-17-56 are appointed for Maundy Thursday in the Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church These lessons emphasize the leadership and salvation by women in the  Exodus.  Jocheved, Moses's mother hid him when he was born and then set him afloat in the Nile, followed by his sister Miriam,  saving him from execution by Pharaoh.  Later,  Miriam, the prophet, joined her brother to  lead the Hebrews through the ...

                                                                Kassia Voices Found #40 A manuscript of Kassias's  Hymn for Holy Wednesday from a collection of Hymns and Canons,   Eastern Mediterranean, 16th center Kassia, Abbess, 810-865, "The Hymn of the Repentant Woman "  Voices Found #40 Kassia’s words O Lord God, The woman who had fallen into many sins, Having perceived Thy Divinity. Received the rank of ointment bearer, O ff ering Thee spices before Thy burial, Wailing and crying, Woe is me , For the love of adultery and sin hath given me a dark and lightless night; Accept the fountains of my tears, Thou who draws the waters of the sea by the clouds; Incline Thou to the sighing of my heart, O thou who didst bend the heavens by Thine in apprehensible condescension. I will kiss Thy pure feet and I wil...

  Voices Found # 69 We praise you, Lord, for Jesus Christ  who died and rose again; he lives to break the power of sin, and over death to reign. We praise you, Lord, for Jesus Christ; he loves this child we bring: he frees, forgives, and heals us all, he lives and reigns as King. Words: Judith Beatrice O'Neill Music: Marsh Chapel, Max B. Miller Judith Beatrice O'Neill is an Australian hymnist who is published in hymnals of multiple Christian denominations.  She wrote this piece to sing at Baptism, for which it  is is most appropriate.  However, the Scriptural  texts appointed for Holy Tuesday in WLWC emphasize Jesus's love of and respect for all children, rowdy as they might be, even in the Temple. O'Neill's hymn could be sung during Holy Week as  a reminder of our Baptismal covenant and our renewal in Christ. And they came to him in the temple, those who were blind and disabled, and he cured them.  Now when the chief priests and th...

                                                                                Nard flower            Voices Found #137 She poured the perfume lavishly, a precious pound of nard, anointing tenderly the feet  that nails too soon would pierce. With fragrance sweet the house was filled,  with scent of loving deed. Words: Delored Dufner, OSB Music: Sancta Civitas (1619), Herbert Howells (1892-1983) Author Delores Dufner, a member of the Sisters of the Order St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota,  writes that, "Love is the only adequate response to the magnanimous love of God in Christ." In John's Gospel here, it is Mary, sister to Martha and sister to the...

 Liturgy of the Palms 117 Laudate Dominum 1 Praise the Lord, all you nations; * laud him, all you peoples. 2 For his loving-kindness toward us is great, * and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Hallelujah! Voices Found #52 Come, Great Creator!   Come Great Creator! Come Life Giver!  Come to this sacred place! Come and be with us.  Welcome cousins from the East! And bring your gifts, Rising sun and gentle waters, Soaring Eagle, new vision. Come Great Creator! Come Life Giver!  Come to this sacred place! Come and be with us.    Welcome cousins from the South! And bring your gifts Our rich mother earth, innocence and love! Come Great Creator! Come Life Giver!  Come to this sacred place! Come and be with us.  Welcome cousins from the West! And bring your gifts Thunder drum and wind, oceans and strong hearts. Come Great Creator! Come Life Giver!  Come to this sacred place! Come and be with us.  Welcome cousins from th...

  Hildegard's Kyrie is the first piece I found when I began to search  the Bryn Mawr/ Haverford Libraries  for liturgical music  by women composers. There I was  astonished to find the very first musical setting of the Eucharistic Liturgy by a woman, Hildegard of Bingen, Abbess. I made a copy and brought it to St. Mark's Philadelphia to share with the priest, Paulette Schiff, and a women's group.  Paulette sang the Kyrie (that I had transcribed into current notation) for an evening Eucharist where newly authorized inclusive language texts were used. Soon,  Bishop Allen Bartlett of the Diocese of Pennsylvania became interested. The Diocese helped me share my work more broadly.  As a result, my transcription of Hildegard's Kyrie is published by Church Publishing, Inc. in the second hymnal supplement of the Episcopal Church, Wonder Love and Praise.  In addition to the transcription, I wrote  a simplified arrangement that is easy for...