Extras

Vocal Works

Extras

A Word of Explanation

Since starting Vocal Works around 2002, I have undertaken many projects which I have shared only with friends and members of the churches where I sing. I have also collected a lot of material about soloing in CS churches. On the chance that some of these projects and materials may be of interest to users of this site, I've set up this "Extras" feature. Hope you'll find at least some of what I'm sharing to be interesting and useful. - Dick Frantzreb

Added 2/27/24: Recordings from Psalms on Safety and Security

This hour-long collection of readings and incidental music gives a comforting, strengthening sense of God's power and desire to protect man from danger, from malice, and from evil of every sort. Click here for an explanation of the background of this project, along with links to the full audio presentation and to 4- to 5-minute segments.

Added 8/6/23: Recordings of 8 Translations of The Sermon on the Mount

In her Message to The Mother Church for 1901, Mary Baker Eddy wrote: "To my sense the Sermon on the Mount, read each Sunday without comment and obeyed throughout the week, would be enough for Christian practice" ('01 11:16-19). And Mrs. Eddy had much more to say about the Sermon on the Mount throughout her writings.

Many years ago, it occurred to me that it might be helpful to record a number of different versions of the Sermon, so that I could listen to them and perhaps get fresh insights by comparing them. Perhaps you, too, might find this an interesting way to approach the Sermon on the Mount. Click here to access recordings of 8 different translations of the Sermon.

Added 5/27/23: Music Workshop by Dr. Thomas Richner, Feb. 3, 1979

"Music in a Church of Christ, Scientist" is the title of a workshop given by Dr. Thomas Richner, then Organist of The Mother Church at First Church, San Francisco on February 3, 1979. I don't recall how it came to me, but I acquired what is either a transcript or very detailed notes of this workshop. Click here to open the 3-page document in a new window, and see if might offer some useful "food for thought."

Richner briefly cites what Mrs. Eddy says about church music in Message to The Mother Church for 1900 on page 11. It begins, "Beloved brethren, have no discord over music."

Added 3/13/23: The Wonderful Works of Christ Jesus

In 2013, it occurred to me that there might be value in creating a reading of all the works of Christ Jesus as recorded in the King James Version of the gospels. I asked my friend Tom Barr to select various adagios to serve as a continuous musical background. Then over a few weeks, we had all the material recorded, and I published it as an on-demand CD.

Not surprisingly, there wasn't much "demand," but it still feels like a worthy effort. Click here to access the recording, along with a more detailed explanation of the project.

Added 12/26/22: Hymn Sings to Celebrate the 1932 Christian Science Hymnal

Many churches are undertaking hymn sings to familiarize their congregations with the new music in the 2017 Christian Science Hymnal. But there's a lot to learn about the 1932 Hymnal or at least about the composers and lyricists who contributed to that hymnal.

A dozen years ago, with my congregation having learned the new hymns in the 2008 Hymnal Supplement, it occurred to me how little I knew of some of the most prolific contributors to the 1932 Hymnal. So I designed a series of 14 hymn sings to learn more about key composers and lyricists. Click here to explore the plans for these hymn sings.

Added 11/5/22: Healing Thoughts...with Time to Think

Many of us have had the experience of reading to another who was unable to read for themselves ─ sharing especially texts from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, from the Bible and from other inspirational material. I've felt uncomfortable about this because reading sentence after sentence, page after page, wasn't giving the other person time to think about what they were hearing. About Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy herself has written, "...never believe that you can absorb the whole meaning of [this] Science by a simple perusal of this book. The book needs to be studied..." (S&H 147:15-17).

After a reading session with my mother about 15 years ago, the idea came to me for a CD that could be played anytime and give "time to think." Click here to see how this thought unfolded.

Added 10/31/22: New Words for "Nearer, My God, to Thee"

The words to this traditional hymn have always seemed archaic and uninspiring to me. So many years ago I wrote words that seemed to me to be more Scientific, and they have been enthusiastically received in church hymn sings that I've led. Click here to open the hymn in a new window.