What's New on Unbound
A look at new releases from the Unbound catalog.
We’re in the busy season of preparation for Summer conferences at GIA. Much of my work lately has focused on a new collection Sally Ann Morris tunes. Here’s a sneak peek at the cover:
That collection is why, if you scroll along the “New Releases” carousel on the Unbound page, you will see so many Morris tunes. Stay tuned for a feature post about the book once it is available. Sally will introduce it at the Hymn Society annual conference this July in Princeton, New Jersey.
New Releases
In addition to the new Morris tunes, we have also managed to get some wonderful work by other writers and composers posted in recent months. Here are a few highlights:
You Came to Seek and Save the Lost
You Came to Seek and Save the Lost pairs a previously written text by Delores Dufner, OSB, with a new tune composed by Eddie Cavazos and arranged by his son Josh. The attractive melody is easily learned, and is attractive enough to be incorporated into regular rotation for worship. The Dufner text touches on welcome, healing, and vocation, making it appropriate for frequent use.
Courage
Courage, by Amy Sens, is almost a hymn in miniature. Only six lines of text, it invites repetition and meditation. Consider interspersing it with readings or prayers, and perhaps extending it by having the tune hummed in between the stanzas.
Stir Our Souls to Wrestle
Stir Our Souls to Wrestle features a text by new-to-Unbound writer Jaime Staehle. She skillfully connects the story of Jacob wrestling with God to our own spiritual struggles. While that narrative undergirds the hymn, it can be used for any healing of healing or confession. As always, Benjamin Brody’s contemporary tune feels like an inevitable partner to the text.
Come, Every Anxious Heart
In a similar vein, Chris Shelton’s Come, Every Anxious Heart uses a traditional tune to convey an accessible and soothing message of welcome for those who are suffering.
Gathered Now in Hope and Memory
Alan Hommerding’s Gathered Now in Hope and Memory is intended for interfaith memorial services. Recognizing that such occasions often follow tragedies with multiple victims, the text is presented in both singular and plural forms.
As we enter into Ordinary time in the Church calendar, what topics would you like us to cover in future posts? Let us know in the comments!