Worship Pastor / Composer Travis L. Boyd & wife, Cynthia, sharing faith, inspiration, & discipleship resources, plus music & more for worship ministry. * We also provide info about Worship Sounds Music, found at the links to our Publishers & Distributors ~ Choral Anthems * Solos * Orchestrations * Worship Songs * Accompaniment Trax (See blog sidebar)
Archive for the ‘Choral Music from Worship Sounds’ Category
At Worship Sounds Music, there are always new songs in progress.
See the links in our sidebar to publishers and music distributors which offer Travis L. Boyd’s music.
Click this image to go to our Worship Sounds Music website.
Look for:
* New Choral Anthems
* Additional voicings of Anthems * New Anthem Orchestrations (which also work for our Medium Voice Solos)
* New Solo Music (or additional keys for our Solos) * New Accompaniment Tracks for our Anthems and Solos
NOTE: We also plan to add free downloads of Reader’s Theater Scripts to our blog (in PDF format, ready to print) in the near future.
Here’s our YouTube playlist of Video Demos for our Mixed Choir Choral Anthems.
* Video demos of new Anthems are added to this playlist when they are prepared for an Anthem or voicing that is new.
* The playlist includes Anthems in SATB, SSATB, SAB, and 2-part voicings.
* All of our Choral Anthems are in the process of being added to Sheet Music Plus. We’ll let you know when they become available there.
TO VIEW THE PLAYLIST TITLES, CLICK THE ICON BESIDE THE WORD “PLAYLIST” IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE BLACK VIDEO FRAME. THEN, USE THE GRAY TAB ON THE FAR RIGHT OF THE LIST AT TOP TO PULL DOWN AND SCROLL THROUGH TITLES.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE BY CLICKING ON THE PLAYLIST NAME IN THE TOP OF THE BLACK VIDEO FRAME.
Thank you for taking the time to view and hear our Choral video demos.
Blessings to you in your life and ministry as you seek to bring glory to God through music.
Worship Sounds Music Blog Blessings of Faith. Songs of Worship, Life of Joy!
Two of our songs which are available as both Choral Anthems and Vocal Solos are “I Can’t Explain” and “Into His Hands”.
“I Can’t Explain”
“I Can’t Explain” is a worship ballad with a reflective message about the wonder of God’s great love, demonstrated in the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Written by Worship Pastor and composer Travis L. Boyd, this song is available as an SATB Choral Anthem, as heard in this demo, and as a Vocal Solo, in 3 keys for Low, Medium, and High Voice.
The SATB Choral Anthem can be performed with live instruments or with the Anthem Trax heard here, a separate Mp3 download. It could also be sung on Palm Sunday or one of the other Sundays leading up to Easter.
The Vocal Solo versions of “I Can’t Explain” (Low, Medium, and High Voice) each have an Accompaniment Track, which is an Mp3 download, with a PDF lead sheet. In addition Solo Sheet Music is available in each of the 3 keys.
“Into Your Hands”
“Into Your Hands” is a moving power ballad with choral accompaniment. This song is a musical prayer of total surrender to the Lordship of Christ.
There is also an SATB anthem with Solo throughout.
ADDITIONAL ANTHEMS FOR SPRING / EASTER / PALM SUNDAY:
1. “Early in the Morning”
2. Our “Songs of the Cross” playlist of Easter and Palm Sunday Anthems
3. Our “Anthems with Hymn Lyrics” playlist
Thank you for your worship ministry and your interest in Worship Sounds Music. All of our music is designed to be practical for worship ministry, Biblically sound, musically memorable, and lyrically meaningful. Blessings to you in your life and ministry,
Travis L. Boyd, Worship Sounds Music
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In Addition, several of our Published anthems would work very well for Springtime, Easter, or Palm Sunday.
These include:
FROM LORENZ, INCOPORATED (LORENZ MUSIC)
( A ) “Amazing Grace! Eternal Life!” Published by Lorenz (Monarch Division)
An SATB power ballad, this anthem contains a whole gospel message, with a bridge section that is a lyrical paraphrase of John 3:16 & 17. The anthem steadily builds in intensity to the victorious ending.
* Listening link: http://www.lorenz.com/med/sample/10_3228M.mp3
* Sample pages link: http://www.lorenz.com/med/pages/10_3228M.pdf (Use back arrow to return to blog after viewing!)
* A Full Orchestration is available, as heard in the Studio Demo. A Performance/Accompaniment CD is also available.
(NOTE: See the blog post entitled “Blessings Through Worshipping Together” for information about the CD and DVD recordings of this piece by The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, and The Oklahoma Baptist Symphony).
This anthem has also been recorded by the evangelistic group, The Farrells, as the title song of one of their CDs; and many videos can be found on YouTube and Vimeo of this anthem being sung in English, Mandarin, Korean, and Italian. “Amazing Grace! Eternal Life!” has also been published in the Mandarin language in a book for Chinese Choirs.
( B ) “All the Praise”… An upbeat SATB anthem of praise with lyrical verses and a rhythmic chorus:
“Holy, holy, holy
You are God Almighty.
Holy, holy, holy
Holy is Your Name.
Only You are worthy
Worthy of all honor.
All the praise belongs to You!”
( C ) “God is Faithful”… SATB with solo throughout
Lorenz product page link for “God is Faithful” http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=10_2978M
* Listening link: http://www.lorenz.com/Med/Sample/10_2978M.mp3
* Sample pages link: http://www.lorenz.com/Med/Pages/10_2978M.pdf (Use back arrow to return to blog after viewing!)
(See our blog post entitled “Blessings Through God’s Faithfulness” for more information about the story of this song & recordings by both The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma and The Sons of Jubal)
* Performance video link: (TTBB arrangement, recorded at a Sons of Jubal concert in September, 2010) http://vimeo.com/15390308
A full orchestration is available for this piece, as heard in the studio demo. A performance/accompaniment CD is also available.
( D ) “Magnificent Praise”… An SATB mix of traditional style and contemporary rhythms, this anthem has a message about giving our best to God as we praise Him and “tell of His excellent ways.”
* Listening link: http://www.lorenz.com/Med/sample/10_3445M.mp3
* Sample pages link: http://www.lorenz.com/Med/Pages/10_3445M.pdf (Use back arrow to return to blog after viewing!)
A Brass & Rhythm Score + parts set is available. A performance/accompaniment CD is also available.
“With all that is in us, we give You magnificent praise!”
( 1 ) “Children of Light”… 2 & 3 part, S(A)B
Here’s a great recording with the full orchestration: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2515.mp3
This youthful, vibrant recording was made by the Pasadena Tabernacle Songsters.
For the story of this group & recording see our blog post entitled “Blessings Through Testimony.”
* The Shawnee Press Studio Demo recording (with rhythm section only) can be heard at this link: http://www.pinelakemusic.com/Results.aspx?search=Travis+Boyd (click listening link for “Children of Light”)
“Children of Light” is still available through several music distributors and from Hal Leonard/Shawnee Press on a print-on-demand basis.
( 2 ) “Give Thanks to the Lord”… SATB
This upbeat, rhythmic song of thanksgiving provides a joyful reminder of many reasons to give thanks.
Be sure to listen for the descant and for the verses, which give a call to thanksgiving for faithful hearts (with a quiet intensity, contrasting the energetic chorus). “Give Thanks to the Lord” was also recorded, in a special TTBB arrangement by Travis, on the “God is Faithful” CD made by The Singing Churchemen of Oklahoma, then under the direction of Dr. Bill Green. (The audio of the TTBB recording can be found in our SoundCloud set of “Recordings made by BGCO groups” (Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma).
Original studio demo of the Choral Anthem by Shawnee Press
( 3 ) “Jesus, My Redeemer”… SATB
*Hear the original studio demo for this beautiful anthem on our Sound Cloud or on our BoydbrainMusic.com HOME PAGE in the red sidebar at left. Just click on the title to hear “Jesus, My Redeemer.”
This anthem utilizes the beautiful hymn tune known as “Slane” (“Be Thou My Vision”) with a completely new text. The lovely, flowing piano accompaniment features a recurring motif. There is a Song Story about this anthem on our Worship Sounds Music blog. (Song Story for “Jesus, My Redeemer”)
( 4 ) “Praise God”… SATB
* “Praise God” features a beautiful new melody and setting for the traditional “Doxology” lyrics, with a portion of the hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” added to this amazing arrangement. You’ll love this inventive and meaningful new tune and setting for the Doxology! Hear the entire studio demo for this majestic anthem on the sound cloud below.
Or, hear a portion of the original studio demo at: http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/praise-god/269877/
( 7 ) “Walking by Faith”… SATB, with Solo
This lovely ballad features a solo and was performed by The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, written for soloist Royce Brown. The original studio demo can be heard at: http://www.jwpepper.com/8065838.item
FROM CHURCH STREET MUSIC(LIFEWAY)
(1) “You Are a Spring”… SATB, with Solo or unison section
This lyrical piece about our need for the refreshing of God’s Spirit is available at:
“You Are a Spring” was recorded on The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma’s CD entitled “The Lord is My Light.” This recording can be found in our Sound Cloud set of BGCO (Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma) Groups recordings. (See the blue Sound Cloud logo on our blog’s sidebar. It is a link to these BGCO group recordings made by The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, and The Oklahoma Baptist Symphony.)
The demo recording for this anthem can be heard below:
There are several additional pieces published by Lifeway in their periodical publications for Childrens Choir, Senior Adult Choir, Adult Choir, and congregational praise. These are listed on our facebook page, along with contact information for re-printing these songa and anthems. http://www.facebook.com/WorshipSoundsMusic
We have not yet tracked down all of the studio demos for these publications but will do so as time permits.
(2) One of the additional Anthems published by Lifeway is “More Than a Cross”
This anthem explores the true significance of the cross, with the lyrics of the refrain stating, “More than love and mercy, life and hope, on a hill called Calvary…More than a cross, it was God reaching out for me.”
“MORE THAN A CROSS” was published in the Winter 2005-06 edition of ‘Glory Songs’ SATB, pages 27 through 32. This anthem can be reprinted with permission from Lifeway. Use this link: http://www.lifeway.com/PermissionsRequest/ to contact Lifeway. Then, choose the option “to use or publish music”. You will then be given the opportunity to enter all pertinent information in order for your request to be sent to the right individual at Lifeway for processing.
In this case, you would enter the following information:
Glory Sounds, Winter 2005 – 2006
“More Than a Cross” by Travis Boyd
Page numbers 27 through 32
NOTE: There are links to Publishers and Distributors of my music in the right sidebar of this blog. Each link takes you to a page listed all of my Anthems offered by that publisher or distributor.
Worship Sounds Music Blog Blessings of Faith. Songs of Worship, Life of Joy!
“A Christmas Hymn” (subtitled “Christ is Born Today”) is a lovely ballad with meaningful lyrics and a memorable melody, written by Worship Pastor and Composer Travis L. Boyd. The message is a proclamation of Christ’s birth, sharing all He is as the “crowning jewel of God’s great plan”.
“For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given…” ~ Isaiah 9:6a
We decided to make a music video for this song as a way to introduce it and to share the good news of Christ’s birth this Christmas season. The audio for Travis’ demo of the Vocal Solo version has been combined with images of stained glass depictions of the nativity story. He is singing with the Accompaniment track that he created for the song. Feel free to share this video in order to spread the good news.
Click on the photo above to go to our Worship Sounds Music website.
* “A Christmas Hymn” is available as an SATB Choral Anthem, in your choice of Full Page or Octavo format.
* It is also available as a Vocal Solo for male or female Soloist.
* The Accompaniment Track, as heard in this music video, works for either the Choral or Solo version of the Song. It comes as an Mp3 download and also comes with a lead sheet PDF to assist you in learning the melody and lyrics.
“A Christmas Hymn” is available as an SATB Choral and as a Vocal Solo.
There is also a partial orchestration (strings and wood-winds, as heard in the Accompaniment Track on the video demo below). The Orchestration would work for wither the SATB Choral or the Vocal Solo version of the song, which would be especially beautiful with the live instruments.
Below, you will find the music video for “A Christmas Hymn.”
May God bless you and yours this Christmas season, Travis and Cindy Boyd
Worship Sounds Music
“A Christmas Hymn” is dedicated first to the Lord and then in honor of one of our six sons. All six of our boys and our daughter are wonderful blessings with loads of potential and promise. For Logan, Autism makes some of the typical developmental tasks and milestones more challenging. He is a joy, and he knows how to focus on what really matters. Logan is tuned in to those he loves and to music and fun. He works so hard to keep learning. We are thankful for all of our blessings, and Logan reminds us that showing kindness and love are the most important things we will do in this life.
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Do you know someone who is looking for answers?
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
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Worship Sounds Music Blog Blessings of Faith. Songs of Worship, Life of Joy!
“When the fullness of time had come, God reached down and sent His Son.”
Christmas is coming!
Here are some SATB Christmas Anthems from Worship Sounds Music
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“A Christmas Hymn”
(subtitle: Christ is Born Today, SATB)
Written by Worship Pastor and Composer Travis L. Boyd, “A Christmas Hymn” is subtitled “Christ is Born Today”. The message is a proclamation of Christ’s birth, sharing all He came to be as the “crowning jewel of God’s great plan”.
The Accompaniment Track, as heard in this music video, works for either the Choral or Solo version of the Song. “A Christmas Hymn” is available as an SATB Choral and as a Vocal Solo. The mp3 Accompaniment Track also comes with a lead sheet.
“O, Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
MEDIUM DIFFICULTY SATB
A fresh, new arrangement of the well-loved Christmas carol, this anthem features a rhythmic verse section with a new melody in a minor key. The longing for the coming Messiah comes through clearly as the familiar words are heard in their new melodic setting. The traditional refrain is woven into this arrangement, with a special treatment for one of the verses. This anthem is suitable for Adult or Youth Choirs. It would be an excellent anthem for Advent or your Christmas program.
PLEASE VIEW THIS VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
“The Praises of the King”
MEDIUM DIFFICULTY SATB
This anthem is a rhythm, energetic song of praise that will have your choir and congregation rejoicing! It would work well as an opening song or closer for your Christmas program or a wonderful anthem to use during the advent season. Both the introduction and the ending for this anthem feature some of the melody from “For Unto Us a Child is Born”. Some creative options for this anthem include using it as a combined Adult and Student Choir anthem. The 2-Part verses could be sung by the Youth Choir, leading into the full SATB sections where the Adult Choir would join. In addition, the verses could be sung as a male/female duet, with the same duet on both verses or a different pair of singers for each verse. “The Praises of the King” is suitable for Adult or Youth Choirs.
“Glory to the Newborn King”
MODERATELY DIFFICULT SATB
This anthem is a bluesy, rockin’ celebration of Christ’s birth. Your choir will find this one easy to learn and fun to sing, and the joyful message will resonate with your congregation.
“Christmas Joy”
MODERATELY DIFFICULT SATB
This 6/8 anthem is perfect for the Christmas Season. It could be sung by Youth or Adult Choirs or in a combined choir presentation. It’s length and the upbeat style and message make this anthem appropriate for any worship service or Advent program.
“God Reached Down”
MODERATELY DIFFICULT SATB
This anthem is a meaningful and lyrical testimony of God’s love for us as “reached down, and sent His Son”. It features an optional flute descant. Your choir and congregation will be touched by this message about the incredible gift given to us through the birth of Christ.
Below you will find 5 songs with messages about the cross. The music players take a moment to load. If you wait a moment to click “play” until the music players are completely loaded, they will work.
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
Ephesians 1:7
“This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
I John 4:9 – 10
“He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.”
I Peter 2:24
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”
I Peter 3:18
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
John 3:16 – 17
* INFORMATION ABOUT THE MUSIC *
Song 1: “Jesus, My Redeemer” was written by Travis L. Boyd and published as an SATB Choral Anthem by Shawnee Press / Hal Leonard.
(more complete information, including purchasing links, can be found at this link: https://soundcloud.com/#travis-l-boyd/jesus-my-redeemer )
Song 2: “More Than a Cross” was written by Travis L. Boyd and published by Lifeway.
(more complete information, including purchasing info, can be found at this link: https://soundcloud.com/#travis-l-boyd/more-than-a-cross )
Song 3: “He Took Up A Cross” was written by Travis L. Boyd and recorded by The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, then under the direction of Dr. Bill Green, on their CD entitled, “The Lord is My Light”. (The SATB Choral Anthem for “He Took Up a Cross” is available on the Adult Choir page of our Worship Sounds Music website at http://www.worshipsounds.com )
Song 4: “For the Sins of All” was written by Travis L. Boyd and is available as a Vocal Solo and as an SATB Choral Anthem on our Worship Sounds Music website at http://www.worshipsounds.com )
Song 5: “Amazing Grace! Eternal Life!” was written by Travis L. Boyd and published as an SATB Choral Anthem with Full Orchestration available by the Lorenz Corporation.
(More information, including purchasing links, is available at this link: https://soundcloud.com/#travis-l-boyd/amazing-grace-eternal-life )
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Do you know Jesus?
The decision to ask Jesus to come into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior is the best decision you could ever make! The one true God is ready to give you forgiveness and eternal life as soon as you understand your need for Him and believe on the name of His only Son, Jesus, for your salvation. Here’s a blog page link to help you find the answers to your questions about Jesus. http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
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Worship Sounds Music Blog Blessings of Faith. Songs of Worship, Life of Joy!
Look for this identifying thumbnail photo on our Shopping Cart web page.
This anthem features an optional flute descant. It explores the incredible gift given to us through the birth of Christ. MODERATELY DIFFICULT SATB
(PDF Master Copy, $8.00, with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for your Choir)
YOU’LL FIND ALL THREE CHRISTMAS ANTHEMS ON OUR ADULT CHOIR WEBSITE PAGE!
Purchase all 3 for the incredibly low price of $26.00 plus your printing costs!
There’s no shipping fee and no per copy fee. We send you the instructtion for downloading your PDF Master copies by e-mail. It’s the easy, fast, and affordable way to have great new music for Christmas!
The story of Christmas is re-told with joy for your Choir and Congregation!
Two of the most beloved hymns with messages of God’s Creation and His majesty have been combined in this beautiful choral medley (available in both SATB and SSAA voicings), “The Father’s Beautiful World.” Following the sharing of the more contemporary history, you will find the history of the hymns, “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and “This is My Father’s World.” The more contempory story of “The Father’s Beautiful World” began with composer Travis L. Boyd’s desire to honor the life of a very special person and to bring glory to God in a way that she would have loved. My Grandmama, Mary Winonah McCoy White, was a beautiful lady who loved the Lord. She loved her family, her church family, many long-time friends, her students, and everyone she met. She was a very unique individual who left behind a lasting testimony of faith in God, perseverance through trials, and love for others.
Nonah at nineteen
Grandmama was an inspiration to me in so many ways. She graduated in 1919 from Lander College. I have the watch that her parents gave her as a graduation gift. I wore it on the day that Travis and I were married as my ‘something old’; and, many years later, the watch was given to me. After she graduated from college, Nonah (as she preferred to be called) married my Grandfather, Thomas Britton White; and they had four sons. My Dad, Harold, was the third of the four boys. When my Dad was thirteen years old, his father had a heart attack and died. The family owned a farm, and Granddad also worked at a bank. My grandmother had two teen-age sons at the time of T.B.’s death, my Dad and his older brother, Averil. Younger brother Lawrence was a pre-teen; and the oldest brother, Thomas Jr., was a newlywed. Grandmother found a job teaching in an elementary school and did what had to be done in order to keep the family together, hold on to the farm, and provide for her sons. It must have been a very challenging time for her.
Grandmama is holding my hand in her gloved hand to show her watch peeking out from under my sleeve.
Grandmama was always incredibly proud of her four sons and of their wives and families. She kept in touch with everyone and always had news about the latest happenings in the family and extended family. She had a way of welcoming people, making them feel comfortable, and just communicating love that was a rare gift. When she flew to Oklahoma to visit my family, she would always have stories to tell when she got off the plane. Basically, no matter who was seated by my Grandmama, they would find themselves opening up to her and telling her their life story. If there were any confidences shared, Grandmama kept them to herself; but she would tell us about the “dear young woman” or the “nice businessman” who had been her travelling companion, where the new friend lived, and other basic details. She was genuinely interested in people, and people responded to that. I remember that once, when I was a teenager, I was so excited about her upcoming visit that I couldn’t help talking to my friends about her. By the time she arrived, all of my high school friends were eager to meet her. We all had a lovely visit with Grandmama one day after school, and my friends loved her. They all said things like, “I see what you mean. Your Grandma is cool!”
Once, when Grandmama was interviewed by a reporter for the Camden Chronicle for a series of articles on retired teachers, the reporter noted what became obvious to anyone who was around her for any length of time. The primary word that was used to describe Grandmama in both the article and the title was “serene”. I loved that description. There were many words that the reporter could have chosen. After all, the subject of his article was a very bright, well-read, and lively person, always on the go during her healthy years. Even so, it was impossible to miss the serenity of confident faith in God that was the primary foundation of her life. She visited shut-ins (those who were confined to their homes due to illness or old age) for so many years that most of them were younger than she was. She wrote notes and letters, made visits, memorized scripture, travelled in the United States and in Europe, talked to friends and family on the phone, spent time with her nearby family, and journeyed west every year to visit family in Oklahoma and Arizona. She was often asked to speak or give devotionals, she knew everyone in her apartment complex, she cooked incredible meals in the tiniest kitchen I have ever seen, and she drove her own car until her eyesight failed.
My Grandmama, Mary Winonoah McCoy White
When Travis and I married, Grandmama just loved and adopted him immediately. She was so happy and excited when Travis was called to worship ministry, and she was still able to travel and come to visit us during the early years of Travis’ ministry at his first two churches. She would tell us often, “That’s a great work you’re doing!” We always knew that she was praying for us during those early years and Travis’ seminary years. She signed every letter and card with, “Love and Prayers”. Grandmama called our daughter “dear little Meredith” and just loved her to pieces. After every hug, she’d say, “That was worth a million dollars!”. She always made me feel very greatly loved and highly valued. Grandmama and I wrote letters back and forth for years. I could tell her anything. She kept me updated with family news and continued to write letters even when she had almost no vision left, relying on a machine called a “Visual Tech”, which projected any paper that she was writing on (or book that she was reading) onto a screen, in a bright and greatly magnified form. She actually wrote letters in this manner for several years, and I have kept all of her letters to me.
When Grandmama’s health began to fail, she moved from her apartment to a very nice nursing home. She stayed active as long as possible. One of the things that she did was to participate in a talent show for residents of the nursing home. She won first place with her recitation of the lyrics for the hymn “All Things Bringht and Beautiful”, and I have the trophy that she was given. When Grandmama passed away, our oldest son was one month old. I was glad that my Dad had been in South Carolina visiting relatives at the time of Jared’s birth. He was able to tell Grandmama in person about the birth of her newest Great-Grandson and give her some exciting family news to share in her last month of life.
Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church, my Grandmother’s church, is depicted in this painting of the church’s exterior. The church family still worships in their historic santuary building, built in 1798.
After Grandmama went home to Heaven, Travis told me that he planned to do an arrangement of “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and dedicate it in memory of Grandmama. He wrote a lovely new melody for the hymn lyrics that she knew so well and created an SATB choral arrangement. The “All Things Bright and Beautiful” choral anthem was sung for the first time at my Grandmother’s church, Lyttleton Street United Methodist, in Camden, South Carolina. Their Adult Choir premiered the anthem on Mother’s Day the year after Grandmama’s passing. Since two of Grandmama’s four sons and their families attended the same church, there were many family members in the congregation that day.
The choir loft of Lyttleton Street United Methodist Church in Camden, South Carolina, was the location of the premiere of Travis’ “All Things Bright and Beautiful” choral anthem.
Although a number of churches, including the Lyttleton Street church, have shared Travis’ “All Things Bright and Beautiful” choral anthem many times in worship, it was never published.
A couple of months ago, Travis took a fresh look at “All Things Bright and Beautiful”. He was inspired to create a medley using a portion of that anthem and a portion of the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World.” The new anthem that resulted from his work contains portions of both hymns in a lovely choral medley and is called, “The Father’s Beautiful World”. My Grandmother would be pleased to know that the lyrics which meant so much to her live on in a new arrangement with another of her favorite hymns. We pray that “The Father’s Beautiful World” will touch many hearts with its message of the love and care that God has for His Creation.
NOTE: Following the Anthem information found directly below, you will find histories and photographs related to the stories of both creation hymns, compiled by the author of this post for several websites, as noted.
“The Father’s Beautiful World” Choral PDF Masteris available on our website’s “General Use Anthems” music page in both SATB and SSAA voicing for only $15.00, with NO “per copy” fee!
(You will have permission to make an unlimited number of copies …for your own choir and accompanists only).
Below you will find the video demo for the SATB Choral Anthem. The demo for the SSAA voicing can be found on our website’s “General Use Anthems” page.
Click the photo above to go to our Worship Sounds Music website.
FIND THE VOCAL SOLO MUSIC FOR THIS SONG
There is also a Solo Version of this song, available in 3 keys on our website’s “Vocal Solos” music page. At a cost of only $5.00 for the PDF Solo Master, you are granted permission to make copies for your soloist, accompanists, and rhythm section players.
FIND THE CHORAL VERSIONS OF “The Father’s Beautiful World”
Click the image at right to go straight to the Worship Sounds Music Website’s “General Use Anthems” music page, where you will find the video demos and purchasing links for both the SSAA and for the SATB versions of “The Father’s Beautiful World”.
Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
Refrain (sung as desired between most verses)
[Most hymnals omit the following verse]
The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.
The purple headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
Below, you will find some information about the history of both of the original hymns, with links to further information.
Cecil F. Alexander
The author of the hymn lyrics for “All Things Bright and Beautiful” was Cecil Frances Alexander (1818 – 1895). The lyrics were first published in the book Hymns for Little Children in 1848. Alexander is thought to have written these lyrics at Markree Castle, near Sligo, Ireland. (Further information about this location is provided following the stories of both hymns.)
Cecil Frances Humphreys was born in Dublin, but spent a good part of her later life in Londonderry and Strabane. Her husband, William Alexander, himself a Derry man, was appointed Church of Ireland bishop of that city in 1867. He later became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
Cecil Frances was a keen supporter of the Oxford Movement, and in 1848 published Hymns For Little Children, which includes three of the most popular hymns in the English language: “Once in Royal David’s City,” “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and “There is a Green Hill Far Away.” Charles Gounod, the composer of Faust, said that some of her lyrics “seemed to set themselves to music.”
A further selection of her works – hymns, tracts and poems – was published a year after her death.
The second line of the hymn lyrics was used as the title to James Herriot’s book All Creatures Great and Small, which was centered around a veterinarian practice in 1930’s Yorkshire in Northern England. Subsequently it became the title of the film and television series. Herriot used the rest of the lines of the refrain for titles of the books that followed: “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, “All Things Wise and Wonderful,” and “The Lord God Made Them All.”
The most commonly used hymn tune for “All Things Bright and Beautiful” is known as Royal Oak. It is a 17th Century English melody, which was arranged by Martin F. Shaw (1875 -1958) for use with the hymn text in around 1915. There are several alternate hymn tunes for the “All Things Bright and Beautiful” lyrics.
Bright and Beautiful,
William H. Monk
Gerald,
Ludwig Spohr, 1834
Greystone, by
W. R. Waghorne, published in Songs for Little People (Danielson and Conant: 1905)
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“This is My Father’s World” is a well-known Christian hymn, with lyrics written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1858 – 1901), a minister from New York. Born August 3, 1858, in Syracuse, New York, Maltbie died at age 42 on May 18, 1901, in Naples, Italy. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, New York.
Maltbie D. Babcock
Babcock attended Syracuse University and Auburn Theological Seminary. He ranked high as a student and participated in both athletic and musical activities. Tall, broad shouldered, and muscular, he was president of the baseball team, an expert pitcher, and a good swimmer. He played several musical instruments, directed the school orchestra, and played the organ and composed for it. He was a singer and leader of the glee club. He could do impersonations, was clever at drawing, and had a knack with tools. He was also an avid fisherman. He might have become a professional musician had he not been called into the ministry.
The Niagara Escarpment near Lockport, where Maltbie stood to admire his Father’s world.
His first pastorate was at the First Presbyterian Church, Lockport, New York. While a pastor in Lockport, Babcock liked to hike in an area called “the escarpment,” an ancient upthrust ledge near Lockport. It has a marvelous view of farms, orchards, and Lake Ontario, about 15 miles distant. It is said that those walks in the woods inspired these lyrics. The title recalls an expression Babcock used when starting a walk: “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.” In 1886, he was called to Brown Memorial Church, Baltimore, Maryland, where he often counseled students at Johns Hopkins University. As his fame spread, he was asked to preach at colleges all over America. Babcock was not a great theologian or deep thinker, but he had a talent for presenting spiritual and ethical truths with freshness and effect. In doing this, he was aided by his agile mind, wide range of knowledge, dramatic ability, speech fluency, and magnetic personality.
After almost 14 years in Baltimore, Babcock was called to the prestigious pastorate of the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City, to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Henry Van Dyke. Babcock had been there only 18 months when he made a trip to the Holy Land. While overseas, he died of brucellosis at the age of 42.
Though Babcock published nothing during his life, his wife Catherine collected and published many of his writings after his untimely death. A volume of his poems entitled Thoughts for Every-Day Living contained “This Is My Father’s World”. Babcock, of course, never heard his famous hymn sung.
The poem was set to music by Franklin L. Sheppard, who apparently did not want to call attention to himself and signed using his initials, rearranged as “S.F.L.” Most sources state that Sheppard adapted the music from a traditional English melody.The original poem contained sixteen stanzas of four lines each.
Here is a portion of the beloved hymn lyrics:
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
An instrumental version of “This is My Father’s World” is fittingly used in the Ken Burns documentary film, The National Parks, and the corresponding sponsorship slot for The Park Foundation.
The hymn tune for “This is My Father’s World” is known as “Terra Beata”. It is thought to be a traditional English melody, arranged by Franklin Lawrence Sheppard as a setting for the text. Franklin Lawrence Sheppard was born on August 7, 1852, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sheppard attended William Fewsmith’s Classical School and the University of Pennsylvania (valedictorian, 1872). In 1875, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to take charge of the foundry for his father’s stove and heater manufacturing company. Franklin attended the Zion Protestant Episcopal Church in Boston, but later switched to Presbyterianism. He eventually joined the Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and became president of the Presbyterian Board of Publications and Sabbath-School Work. In 1915, he edited the Presbyterian song book, Alleluia, published in 1915. Sheppard died on February 15, 1930, in Philadelphia,.
Markree Castle, the likely place of inspiration for “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, is located in Collooney, County Sligo, Ireland and is the ancestral seat of the Cooper family, partially moated by the River Unshin. According to some sources, Cecil F. Alexander wrote her famous hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful, while a guest at Markree in 1848.
In 1830, Col. Edward Joshua Cooper MP (1798-1863) eldest son of Edward Synge Cooper MP, and Ann, daughter of Henry Vansittart, Governor of Bengal, set up Markree Observatory in the castle grounds. For a number of years Cooper’s telescope was the largest in the world.
“The Observatory of Mr Cooper of Markree Castle was undoubtedly the most richly furnished private observatory known and was worked by Mr Cooper himself and by his very able assistant, Mr Andrew Graham.” (Royal Astronomical Society, 1851)
The observatory remained active until the death of Edward Henry Cooper MP in 1902.
The castle, as it exists today, dates from 1802, with exterior changes by the architect Francis Johnston and with some changes made, mainly to the interior, in 1896. Today, Markree Castle operates as a hotel run by Charles and Mary Cooper, the 10th generation of the family to live there.
The 300-acre (1.2 km2) estate holds an array of wild life; from red squirrels, to otters, to kingfishers.
Pasture land with the Niagara Escarpement in the background
The Niagara Escarpment, the place of inspiration for “This is My Father’s World”, is the most prominent of several escarpments formed in the bedrock of the Great Lakes basin. From its easternmost point near Watertown, New York, the escarpment shapes in part the individual basins and landforms of Lakes Ontario, Huron, and Michigan. In Rochester, New York, there are three waterfalls over the escarpment where the Genesee River flows through the city. The escarpment then runs westward to the Niagara River, forming a deep gorge north of Niagara Falls, which itself cascades over the escarpment. In southern Ontario, the escarpment spans the Niagara Peninsula, closely following the Lake Ontario shore through the cities of St. Catharines, Hamilton, and Dundas, where it takes a sharp turn north in the town of Milton toward Georgian Bay. It then follows the Georgian Bay shore northwestwards to form the spine of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island, as well as several smaller islands located in northern Lake Huron, where it turns westwards into the Upper Peninsula of northern Michigan, south of Sault Ste. Marie. It then extends southwards into Wisconsin, following the Door Peninsula through the Bayshore Blufflands, and then more inland from the western coast of Lake Michigan and Milwaukee, ending northwest of Chicago near the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
The Niagara Escarpment stretches 450 miles from Wisconsin through Canada to Rochester and is most famous for Niagara Falls and the Niagara Gorge. Its unique rock formations, shaped by sedimentary deposits and erosion, result in ecosystems that vary from deciduous maple forests and oak-hickory forests, to wetlands with cottonwoods and willows, to streams and waterfalls overlooked by cliff faces.
Lockport, where Maltbie Babcok lived when he took walks along the escarpment and was inspired to write the poem, “My Father’s World”, is a city in Niagara County, in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. It is the county seat. The community was named for the Erie Canal locks still in evidence here.
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MORE INFORMATION ON BOOKS RELATED TO THE TWO HYMNS
(A)All Things Bright and Beautiful
You can view the entire book of poems by Cecil Frances Alexander, entitled “Hymns for Little Children,” in which the poem that became the hymn lyrics for “All Things Bright and Beautiful” was first printed, at this link: http://archive.org/details/hymnsforlittlech00alex
Note: Select the “Read Online” option. You can turn pages using the arrows at the bottom right hand corner of the screen. “All Things Bright and Beautiful” can be found on pages 27 and 28, pictured below, along with the inside title page.
This is a photo of the inside cover page of “Hymns for Little Children,” in which “All Things Bright and Beautiful” was first published.
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(B) This is my Father’s World
The spoken words, poems, letters, sermons, and other writings of Maltbie Davenport Babcock, which include the poem “My Father’s World” (later serving as the hymn lyrics for “This is My Father’s World”), were collected, edited, and printed in 1902 in the book Thoughts for Every-day Living. Babcock’s widow, Katherine Tallman Babcock, who compiled the volume, wrote that it was “printed in loving memory of one who lived what he taught.”
The inside title page of the book is below, as are pages 180 and 181, which contain the first 11 stanza’s of Babcock’s poem, “My Father’s World”. Unfortunately, there was an error made in the photocopying of page 182, which contains the remaining stanzas. The page is twisted, making the words unreadable. You can access the book online in its entirety at http://archive.org/details/thoughtsforever00babcgoog
Note: Select the “Read Online” option. You can turn pages using the arrows at the bottom right hand corner of the screen. “All Things Bright and Beautiful” can be found on pages 27 and 28, pictured below, along with the inside title page.
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(C) The book, “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, written by James Herriot, which was made into a movie and TV series, is still available on Amazon. Herriot borrowed lines from the poem as titles to his books about a veterinarian in Yorkshire. Here is the description of this particular book:
“The world’s most beloved animal doctor delightfully continues where he left off in All Creatures Great and Small with new adventures through the Yorkshire dales– and a whole new menagerie of memorable patients.
Young James, now married and working as a small-town vet, encounters a cast of extraordinary characters as he makes his way through the Yorkshire countryside tending to sick cattle, pregnant ewes, ailing dogs– and their eccentric owners. As always, Herriot’s warmth, humor, and singular view of life make us laugh and cry, as we marvel at the everyday miracles he creates.”
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
Click the photo above to go directly to our WorshipSounds Music website!
Travis has added a new orchestration to the WorshipSounds Music website! The Director of a large choral group which is singing Travis’ modern hymn and choral arrangement of “A Prayer for the Saints” in TTBB voicing requested a full orchestration for his group. The new orchestration for “A Prayer for the Saints” was added to our website this morning. Like all of Travis’ orchestrations, it is written to be practical for church orchestras as far as difficulty level and to work well with Church Orchestras with varying instrumentation. Travis is always very careful to make sure that the instrumental parts complement the choral arrangement well without covering up the choir. He has had more than one Director remark about the fact that his Orchestrations are very well written in that they enhance the choral parts without overwhelming them.
The Sons of Jubal in concert at First Baptist Church of Lilburn, Georgia, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan
“A Prayer for the Saints” is a through composed modern hymn that voices a prayer of longing to draw near to the Lord. It essentially puts into words the desires of the heart for every Christian who wants to walk more closely with the Lord and live in a way that glorifies Him. The TTBB anthem arrangement was selected by Sons of Jubal Director, Dr. Jon Duncan, as the theme song for this year’s annual Sons of Jubal retreat in January, 2012. “A Prayer for the Saints” is also in the current repertoire of The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, directed by Dr. Randy Lind. On our website, we currently have available the anthem arrangment of this hymn in SATB and TTBB Voicings, the full Orchestration, and a Worship Pak, which includes hymnal or bulletin size reproducible hymn sheets, a Vocal Solo/congregational arrangment with piano accompaniment, and lead sheets for rhythm section.
Look for this identifying thumbnail photo on the website. It will help you locate the song more quickly on the Adult Choir page. Additionally, each of the items associated with this anthem on our shopping cart page have the same identifying photo.
Worship Sounds Music Blog Blessings of Faith. Songs of Worship, Life of Joy!
“But I trust in You. O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” Psalm 31:14
At WorshipSounds Music,
we are introducing the powerful new SATB Anthem and Modern Hymn, called “A Prayer for the Saints” !
This incredible message has been brilliantly arranged for your choir. You’ll love the recurring motif in the piano accompaniment and marvel at the smooth harmonic transition in the second modulation. Even more importantly, the lyric content is a profound prayer, expressing the heart cry of every Christian who longs to grow closer to God and to become more like Jesus.
The melody is beautiful and singable, making this modern hymn very appropriate for congregational worship. As a result, “A Prayer for the Saints” is currently available in two formats on our Boydbrain Music website:
** The powerful SATB Anthem PDF is available for $15.00, with permission to make an unlimited number of copies (for your choir and accompanists only).
** A Worship Pak for “A Prayer for the Saints” is available for $10.00. It includes a lead sheet for rhythm section, a reproducible hymn sheet (bulletin or hymnal size), and a Vocal/Piano score.
Subtitled “Your Saving Grace,” “A Prayer for the Saints” is in the current repertoire of The Sons of Jubal, a large mens’ choral group sponsored by the Georgia Baptist Convention and consisting primarily of Ministers of Music and Worship (and others who faithfully participate in local church worship ministry) from all over the state of Georgia. The Sons of Jubal Director, Dr. Jon K. Duncan, chose “A Prayer for the Saints” as the theme for the group’s annual Rehearsal & Renewal Retreat in early January, 2012. The men in this amazing choral group will be sharing this anthem in monthly concerts throughout the year, and the piece will be included in the concert repertoire for a trip to Korea (not South!) in a April. The Sons of Jubal have been invited as a featured group at a large choral festival. Prayers for this endeavor are greatly appreciated!
Ministers of Music and Worship from all over the state of Georgia, who have heard “A Prayer for the Saints” as a result of their involvement in The Sons of Jubal, have ordered this powerful prayer anthem for their choirs. At our home church, Travis introduced it first as a Vocal Solo. Our wonderful Adult Choir has also sung the SATB anthem version of “A Prayer for the Saints,” and our congregation has shared in this message as a worship hymn. In the local church environment, many of our members have commented on the lyrics of this Kingdom message. Our prayer is that this piece could have an impact all over the world, expressing the deepest longings of God’s people everywhere.
Your Choir could begin learning “A Prayer for the Saints” at your next rehearsal. Or, if you do not have a choral group at your church, you can introduce this modern prayer hymn as a Vocal Solo and then use it for congregational worship. Our Worship Pak contains everything that you will need (reproducible hymnal or bulletin size song sheet, reproducible lead sheet, and Vocal/Piano Score).
To see and hear the music, you can view the Video Demo for “A Prayer for the Saints”, go to our WorshipSounds Music website. You’ll find “A Prayer for the Saints” on our “Adult Choir” music page. Here’s the link to the website: http://www.worshipsounds.com
ALTERNATE VOICING AVAILABLE! The TTBB arrangement, as sung by The Sons of Jubal, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan, and The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, under the direction of Dr. Randy Lind, is also on our website.
A Full Orchestrationis also available for this anthem!
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jeusu?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/ Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
Worship Sounds Music Blog Blessings of Faith. Songs of Worship, Life of Joy!
Worship Sounds Music 