Albums & Songbooks

 

Music at the Service of God and People

 

Music articulates the prayers of many people. And the songs and musical genres services people from all walks of life. Each album that JMM produces leads people to pray, and inspires others to deepen their faith in the Lord. The albums produced here answers the needs of many. From liturgical music for mass, to inspirational songs for upliftment, to instrumental music for meditation and quiet, these albums hopefully help people become closer to God.

From June 2004-2005, the Jesuit Music Ministry continued to produce albums. Hangad came up with The Easter Journey, a collection of 23 Lenten and Easter songs in various musical styles. Accompanying this album is a songbook containing the music scores of the songs in the Easter Journey album. Jay Gomez on the flute and Bong Rosario on the guitar, they returned with a Christmas album, Vespers 4: The Work of Christmas, which invites people to celebrate the Christ Child who became one like us. Shortly after Vespers 4, Fr. Arnel dC. Aquino, produced his Lauds 7: Take My Handsalbum in the genre of Lauds 3, a meditative piano music of songs of the past, that marked our childhood faith. In collaboration with Koro Viannista from St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Cagayan de Oro City, JMM produced its first album in Visayan to help the Church in the South, Himayà Kanimo (Praise to You). It featured classical Visayan liturgical pieces such as Fr. Rudy Villanueva and Narcisa Fernandez. Himig Heswita collaborated with them in songs like “Way Sukod ang Pagmahal” (Love without Measure) composed by Fr. Rudy Villanueva. Uplifting melodies that characterize the pastoral scenery of the south such as Narcisa Fernandez’s Huni sa Kinabuhi, gives the album its unique cultural flavor. And finally, BukasPalad produced its latest album, God of Silence, containing songs about God’s faithful love.

In 2006, JMM produced, Believe, a compilation of songs from different albums which merit artistic attention. Himig Heswita produced a healing album taken from a concert repertoire intended for the sick. The album, Stand By Me Still, has been launched at the Church of the Gesu, and was highly received. Recently, two albums were released. A CD sampler of JMM series, Humayo’t Ihayag, containing the most popular songs of BukasPalad, Hangad, Himig Heswita, Vespers, Lauds and Matins. A Wish For Christmasis the most interesting album. It is actually a Christmas card with a CD of three Hangad Christmas songs.Raymond’s Lullaby is haunting: it tells the story of Raymond, afflicted with autism, who has to be brought to the provinces on Christmas because he is very sensitive to noise. Raymond’s Lullaby is composed by Marchan, a volunteer of L’Arche Philippines, an NGO who cares for autistic children. Hopefully, another album will be released before the end of the Christmas season, Vespers 5, a collection of celebratory melodies for meditation in flute and guitar.

Our songbook, Dakilang Pag-ibig, is a Tribute to Fr. Honti. It contains instrumental arrangements for string quartet, and new chorale arrangements for Hontiveros classics.

Our latest songbook contains the songs from the albums, Prayer from the Upper Room and Sing of Him. Please check our albums and its contents at our website, http://jescom.ph. Each song has a liturgical note explaining the content of the song and when and where it could be sung in the liturgy. It will be out in the market on the 3rd Week of September, at Tanging Yaman stores in Gateway Mall, Cubao; SM Megamall (outside of the chapel, 5th floor); and Loyola House of Studies and the Jescom building at the Ateneo de Manila University. This is the main coverpage.