OYH Selects: "From Ashes to the Living Font"

Alan Hommerding

It’s our Lenten kick-off episode! To commemorate the start of the season, we are re-releasing our conversation with Alan Hommerding from February, 2017. You’ll hear the same great interview, but with added features like the OYH Playlist segment.

Join Zack Stachowski and Matt Reichert as they chat with composer and text-writer Alan Hommerding. They discuss the way metrical hymns works, the "evaporating pool" of hymn tunes in American parishes, and the need for a moratorium on the tune BEACH SPRING (no, not really). Whether you know a lot about hymns, are new to hymns, or think you don't like hymns (you're wrong, by the way), you'll learn something new in this episode. 

So, please open your hymnal to "From Ashes to the Living Font."

Episode links

For more information about Alan Hommerding and his other compositions, visit his composer page at World Library Publications. You can read the blog post Alan mentions at PrayTell.

You can purchase a copy of the score from World Library Publications. By following these links, you can also purchase the other song recordings you heard in the episode: "O Sacred Head Surrounded" (J.S. Bach/Leo Hassler), “The Quiet Center” (Shirley Erena Murray/Zack Stachowski), “The Thorn Tree” (S. Genevieve Glen/Scot Crandal), “In the Arms of Jesus” (Alan Hommerding/John Angotti), “Loving and Forgiving” (Scott Soper), and “Your Love, O Lord” (Alan Hommerding/Ed Eicker).

You can purchase the organ instrumental recording of ST. FLAVIAN and the piano instrumental recording of LAND OF REST on iTunes. The piano instrumental recordings of BEECHER and BEACH SPRING were recorded by Fr. Robert Koopmann, OSB, on the album "Sacred Improvisations."

You can view the video of comedian Andy Andrews singing the text of "Amazing Grace" to different tunes on YouTube.

You can view video of the conversation with Dr. Lynn Trapp and Dr. Jennifer Pascuale, "The Hymns Every Parish Should Know," in the NPM digital media library. It can be accessed through NPM's website, www.npm.org. NOTE: You must be a member to access the video content. Sign up today!

You can visit the Hymnary website at www.hymnary.org.

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