Communion music on flute?

[mkchen]

Our church choir is on vacation for the summer, and I've been recruited to play something contemplative sounding during communion next Sunday. Any ideas for a suitable tune (trad or not) to be played on a wooden flute (actually it's an 8-key ebonite, but who there is gonna know the difference?)

[an seanduine]

One possibility is to search about and find a simple setting of the Oboe leading line for Jesu,Joy of Man's Desiring. This is the pure melodic line, and sits well on both the simple flute and the recorder. 'Course you'll have to work out acceptable phrasing. . . .Did this once on the uilleann pipes and it was smashing. . . .
Bob

[karl]

How about last of the stars by Brian Finnegan? He taught it to a class of his a few years ago which I was in. It's a beautiful piece. He has now recorded it on the his new CD "The ravishing genius of bones". The ABC is on thesession.org here. Don't know how accurate it is though as I've not played it through. I'm a church leader and I'd have no problem with it being played while I took communion.

[mutepointe]

I play in my Catholic Folk Group. Have for years. There isn't a lot of crossover music between most Protestants and Catholics.

Off the top of my head, songs that would work for either denomination:
1. Be Thou My Vision.
2. The King of Love My Shepherd Is.
3. Amazing Grace
4. Simple Gifts
5. How Can I Keep From Singing

Any song the congregation is familiar with would be nice. If I'm doing a meditation, sometimes I'll start with one song, jump into another without pause, and then finish with the same song. Good Luck. Let us know what you decide and how it goes.

[Doug_Tipple]

I play in my Catholic Folk Group. Have for years. There isn't a lot of crossover music between most Protestants and Catholics.

Off the top of my head, songs that would work for either denomination:
1. Be Thou My Vision.
2. The King of Love My Shepherd Is.
3. Amazing Grace
4. Simple Gifts
5. How Can I Keep From Singing

Any song the congregation is familiar with would be nice. If I'm doing a meditation, sometimes I'll start with one song, jump into another without pause, and then finish with the same song. Good Luck. Let us know what you decide and how it goes.

I have played the last three tunes on the Mute's list (flute or recorder) for church services and funerals. I wouldn't play "When the Saints go marching in".

[mkchen]

Thanks, all, for your input! I'm quite taken with the Finnegan tune, Last of the Stars, and am working at learning it. The transcription on thesession.org doesn't quite match what I'm hearing on the recording, and I think the recorded version is what I'll aim for.

I've already done Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring at church on my hammered dulcimer, and most of the songs mentioned are old hat for the St. Mary's crowd. I'd like to hit 'em with something fresh and new, at least to them.

As it turns out, I've been pre-empted for this weekend by a ukelele player who wants to do both the offertory and communion! But I'll have my chance later this summer.

Ming

[karl]

Thanks, all, for your input! I'm quite taken with the Finnegan tune, Last of the Stars, and am working at learning it. The transcription on thesession.org doesn't quite match what I'm hearing on the recording, and I think the recorded version is what I'll aim for.
Ming

Hey, glad you like it. It's a beautiful tune. Just a bit of background on the tune I got from Brian - The tune was wrote for his Granny who's surname was Starr. She was the last one of the family to have that surname, hence last of the stars.

Don't worry too much about getting it "right". Brian changes the way he plays it (same underlying melody though). The recording is different than when he taught it. When someone was trying to nail one of his tunes he told her to make it her own. Yes the melody should be the same but add your own interpretation, make it your own. That was Brian's advice anyway.

Karl.

[Steve Bliven]

As it turns out, I've been pre-empted for this weekend by a ukelele player who wants to do both the offertory and communion! But I'll have my chance later this summer.

Now you've done it. I have this image of Tiny Tim playing church music that I just can't get out of my head...



Best wishes.

Steve

[Denny]

not easy living with a head like that

[Steve Bliven]

not easy living with a head like that

No, no it's not easy at all.....

Best wishes.

Steve

[Rob Sharer]

Communion tune......


How about "Come Together" from the Right Reverend Lennon?


Rob

[MTGuru]

Or maybe the theme from "Communion":



Then again, the only soundtrack listing on IMDB is "Puttin' On the Ritz". So maybe not ...

[mutepointe]

That must be some special place you have there. Have you considered a duet with the ukelele player?

[Harry]

What about the old piping jig, "I Buried my Wife and... on the Third Day She Rose Again"?

Regards,

H.

[JSCWhistler]

Thanks, all, for your input! I'm quite taken with the Finnegan tune, Last of the Stars, and am working at learning it. The transcription on thesession.org doesn't quite match what I'm hearing on the recording, and I think the recorded version is what I'll aim for.

I've already done Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring at church on my hammered dulcimer, and most of the songs mentioned are old hat for the St. Mary's crowd. I'd like to hit 'em with something fresh and new, at least to them.

As it turns out, I've been pre-empted for this weekend by a ukelele player who wants to do both the offertory and communion! But I'll have my chance later this summer.

Ming

I was actually just about to say "Last of the Starrs", as I've actually played it for offertory once before with a phenomenal pianist from our church. I'm the one who put that transcription up on thesession, but Brian plays the tune a bit differently now, but I took that from a recording I found from '07, I think.

I once played Brian's tune "If Only a Little" as well, played after "My Father's World", which work well together.