Sunday, April 3, 2011

Song: Friday Lament

Introducing new music on Good Friday is a fraught undertaking. People generally take some weeks to be singing new songs with confidence, and introducing Friday themes earlier in the week is not ideal.

Friday Lament is a hauntingly simple song with a highly accessible, accompaniment. In the style of a folk ballad the song begins as a solo and unaccompanied. If you wish you may introduce the simple bass ostinato consisting of just four notes in the first verse. The treble ostinato can be introduced on piano from verse 2 or 3. A simple drum may be played in verses 2, 3, 4 and 6 and the bass part (bass guitar, or on a piano an octave lower than written) throughout. There is to be no other accompaniment.

The soloist sings the first three verses, by which time the gathered community should be able to join in verses 4, 7 and 8.

Friday Lament may be used freely for worship with acknowledgement.
Please let me know if you make use of it.

Print Friday Lament (music)
Print Friday Lament (words)

Check out more seasonal resources

2 comments:

Christine Longhurst said...

Just came across your blog and am enjoying it very much. I especially appreciate your "Friday Lament" and have mentioned it on my blog Re:Worship (http://re-worship.blogspot.com/). Thanks for making it available!

Lucy Graham said...

Hi Christine, Thanks for the encouragement. I too have had a peek at your blog, and have added it to my links list.Cheers,
Lucy