SKU: A0.1267863

A bold, dramatic choral composition depicting the miracle of Jesus walking on the sea.  Music by Kevin G. Pace.  Text by Mary Ann W. Snowball.

Text:
Drained of strength and in despair, disciples rowed all night
In a storm upon the sea, the Sea of Galilee.
Clashing, crashing inverse winds in darkness without light
Brought the Savior from the mount, from the very heights.

Frightened when they saw Him come, perceiving not his form,
Jesus said, “O, it is I.� The boisterous waves were high.
Peering, nearing as He walked right through the raging storm,
Jesus said, “Be not afraid,� though nature then was torn.

Treading on the water’s edge and almost dawn that morn,
Jesus calmed the troubled men; his strength not at an end.
Talking, walking to the boat, disciples still forlorn,
Powers of divinity were seen as newly born.

“Of a truth thou art the Son,� the very Son who shows
Miracles engulf each heart when faith becomes a part.
“Of a truth thou art the Son,� reveals a witness grown.
Walking on the sea became pure testimony known.

SKU: A0.1033158

A haunting setting of Robert Frost's famous poem, this choral work features a tranquil piano accompaniment that suggests the slowly falling snow, and beautiful folk-like choral lines with shimmering but easy-to-learn chord clusters. Perfect for a winter concert or festival, award-winning ASCAP composer Steve Parsons' treatment of the familiar text stands out from the rest, and is sure to be an audience favorite! Approximate performance time: 3'34
For more information, visit steveparsonsmusic.com.

SKU: A0.1490010

Whiter Than the Snow/Eden Reeder Latta  - Henry Southwick Perkins BLESSED BE THE FOUNTAIN
arr. Ken Litton (ASCAP)As an SBC music missionary active in Brazil I quickly discovered the hymns missionaries had taken with them as the work gained impetus from the 1890s when the Bagbys arrived to build on the foundation laid by early pioneers like Solomon Ginsburg. I found myself leading those hymns from the nearly 100 year old Cantor Cristão (Christian Singer) in the strongly attended evening services at the Igreja Batista Rio Doce (Sweet River Baptist Church) in Recife, with people literally leaning in through the windows from outside to sing along. Just a normal p.m. attendance or... curiosity about the missionary leading? No, certainly it was the message of the gospel in these great hymns and in the Brazilians’ creative work as well. I mainly remember holding that small print hymnal in one hand and leading with the other (shaking badly) and singing in Portuguese!
From that kind of congregational participation I vividly remember the hymn Blessed be the Fountain by Eden Reeder Latta (1839 - 1915) and Henry Southwick Perkins (1833 -1914) with it’s energetic dotted eighth and sixteenth rhythm figures and text of confession based on Zechariah 13:1. That text was very important in the lives of disciples in Brazil and in my own heart. Here I have used only the verses of the text and tune, simply smoothing out the rhythm and adjusting the lyric to more modern usage (yet preserving the devotional pronouns Thee, Thy and Thine).
The tune BLESSED BE THE FOUNTAIN is altered in rhythm, tempo and one descending interval from the original.  The arrangement is by me, having built the intro, interlude and key change as well as the ending from the material that constituted the refrain in the origina. As a bridge and additional textual/musical impulse into the key change and final verse I’ve interpolated the refrain from the well-known gospel hymn Whiter than Snow (FISCHER) by James Nicholson and William G. Fischer.
The voices include a wide variety of unison, two-part and four-part passages that are well within the capability of the average church choir. The accompaniment difficulty level is about as minimal as it can be I hope, while still reflecting support for the voices, a measure of variety as well as some real independence.
I certainly think choirs of some ability and their dedicated accompanists will enjoyWhiter Than the Snow as much as I have in developing it.