The Zeal Music Blog

A new setting of The Beatitudes 

Delores Dufner and I have collaborated on a new setting of The Beatitudes titled "Rejoice in the Promise of Jesus". She's penned a rather striking text and I've structured the music with haunting verses in E minor followed by a joyous refrain in G major. Topics and use include All Saints, ordinations, communion, funerals, and general use. Would love to know what you think! Click to hear a recording and find out more.

New Website! 

We are pleased to make our new website available. It features fast, easy navigation and a clean look that makes it simple to browse the site. Let us know what you think! We want to make sure everything is running smoothly before the launch of TLCA 2017.

More thoughts about The Living Church Acclaims (TLCA) 

From new TLCA enthusiast, Michael Geiger

"In addition to my work as Contemporary Worship Leader at San Francisco Solano Church in Ranch Santa Margarita, I am a classical musician, guitarist and opera/classical concert and session singer in the greater Los Angeles area.

During the first year of my work at Solano, I discovered that after building a song repertoire with my team, the ongoing pressure was to find good settings of the psalms and Gospel acclamations. I was constantly biting my nails about this. Most of the settings I was finding were dated in their prosody and harmonic language. I grew up in the post Vatican II 'guitar-mass' movement and really, anything that reminded me of that was an immediate turn-off. Sadly, I was getting turned-off a lot. I muddled through the first year and a half until last July when I found The Living Church Acclaims.

I was able to see on the website that the settings were up-to-date in their harmonic language and rhythmic feel and the prosody was so well done. Scot has made it possible for the words to get off the page and into the sanctuary with an ease I have not yet encountered other than, perhaps, chant. I like also the fact that his good sensibilities are apparent as he gives instruction to render the psalm verses in either of two ways, as written, with the rhythms adhered to OR in a 'cola voce' recitative manner. There is a freedom there which allows for anyone to make just the right musical choices for their particular situation.
 
I am very impressed and want to add my voice to the many who probably feel, as I do, that Scot is using his gifts as God would have us all do.
 
Thank you so much for your efforts."

-Michael Geiger
Contemporary Worship Leader at San Francisco Solano Catholic Church, Orange County, CA

More feedback 

"To pastoral musicians... Consider The Living Church Acclaims by Scot Crandal for psalms and Alleluia verses...
Scot has done a terrific job with these contemporary settings and provides an affordable approach for you to incorporate this in your church.
Highly recommended to complement the worship in your church..."
Teresa Yoder, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Williamsburg, Virginia

New quote 

"Congratulations! I have looked at your work and have been really impressed - as a pretty basic keyboard guy, I think it's a really original step beyond chant tones."
- Glenn Byer, Liturgy Expert