VIRTUAL CHOIR : Love One Another - words of 'Abdu'l-Baha
Love One Another - a simple song where all you need to record is one chorus. There are 4 vocal parts to choose from: Soprano (harmony, not too high), Alto (melody), Tenor (harmony), and Bass (melody - same as the alto part, but in bass range). Starting notes, a count-in, and voices to sing along with are there in your part. Make a video of yourself (in landscape mode - see photo below - on your phone or onto your computer) - instructions for videotaping yourself are below.
Just sing the first chorus, and send it in, and I'll do the rest :) Thanks for joining me!
LYRICS TO THE CHORUS: "The best way to thank God is to love one another!"
Just sing the first chorus, and send it in, and I'll do the rest :) Thanks for joining me!
LYRICS TO THE CHORUS: "The best way to thank God is to love one another!"
Audio Backing Tracks: (to practice, and sing along to as you record)
Soprano
| love_one_another_soprano.pdf |
| love_one_another_soprano.mp3 |
Alto & Bass
| love_one_another_alto___bass.pdf |
| love_one_another_melody__alto_bass_.mp3 |
Tenor
| love_one_another_tenor_.pdf |
| love_one_another_tenor.mp3 |
REMEMBER: YOU ONLY NEED TO RECORD THE FIRST CHORUS, but the whole song is here for you to practice in case we ever get to sing it in person! Also, if you'd like to try a solo verse, please let me know and I'll send you a track with an empty solo track for you to record on.
FIRST CHORUS: The best way to thank God is to love one another (x4) - stop recording when the verse begins
Solo only (no choir): Direct your whole attention towards the happiness of those who are despondent.
Bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy, and glorify the humble.
SECOND CHORUS: The best way to thank God is to love one another (x4)
Solo only (no choir): I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love
THIRD CHORUS: The best way to thank God is to love one another (x6)
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FIRST CHORUS: The best way to thank God is to love one another (x4) - stop recording when the verse begins
Solo only (no choir): Direct your whole attention towards the happiness of those who are despondent.
Bestow food upon the hungry, clothe the needy, and glorify the humble.
SECOND CHORUS: The best way to thank God is to love one another (x4)
Solo only (no choir): I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love
THIRD CHORUS: The best way to thank God is to love one another (x6)
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Step-by-step information for recording:
- The audio backing track
- This is the backing track singers use to guide their singing performance during the recording.
- Use the recording to practice. Sing the song enough that you are able to complete the entire first chorus confidently. You may need to practice this several times before you attempt recording!
- You need two devices: One device to play the backing track.
- Best option: this should be a computer with either headphones or ear buds, or another phone can work (More on that later)
- You need a second device to make the recording - a phone works best, in LANDSCAPE MODE
- Best option: this should be a phone set for selfie-mode video
- Sheet music - if you need it. Probably you don't need it for this chorus! Don't have the sheet music showing in the video.
- Set your “device one” (your computer, phone or tablet) to play the audio file through headphones
- Set your “device two” (best if it’s a phone) to video recording (prop it up against the computer, or secure it somehow so that it records you straight on - not up your nose or below your chin)
- First tap to start recording (device two)
- Second tap/play the audio backing track
- Sing the whole first chorus - LOOK HAPPY all the way through! :)
- Tap stop on the recording when you have finished - wait until the first verse begins before you stop the video (keep smiling)
- Repeat the process if you don’t like the results!
- Share your video to Amy Stephen via email or WeTransfer. Please just email me if you need coaching on this process: stephamy@gmail.com.
BELOW: Photo shows the headphones plugged into the computer, track playing on the computer. Phone is set up in landscape mode, to video the singer, while not getting the sound of the rehearsal track in the video.
OTHER CHORAL SONGS with BAHA'I TEXT
WAVES OF THE SEA: words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, music by Amy Stephen
Pretty simple 2-part song, Voice 1 is melody (lower), Voice 2 is higher harmony.
with an instrumental bit in the middle for anybody to play if they like, on a flute, violin, guitar solo, saxophone, ocarina?? you get the idea. . .
Pretty simple 2-part song, Voice 1 is melody (lower), Voice 2 is higher harmony.
with an instrumental bit in the middle for anybody to play if they like, on a flute, violin, guitar solo, saxophone, ocarina?? you get the idea. . .
| waves_of_the_sea.pdf |
O Lord God! Make us as waves of the sea.
As flowers of the garden, united, agreed
Through the bounties of Thy love. (repeat)
O Lord! Make these faces radiant,
O make these races radiant
Through the light, through the light of Thy oneness.
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha
As flowers of the garden, united, agreed
Through the bounties of Thy love. (repeat)
O Lord! Make these faces radiant,
O make these races radiant
Through the light, through the light of Thy oneness.
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha
RELY UPON GOD - words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, music based on a melody from the Baha'is of Papua New Guinea (as taught to me by Carren Bough). This song also has a harp accompaniment added.
| rely_upon_god_-_score.pdf |
| rely_upon_god_full_choir__online-audio-converter.com_.mp3 |
| rely_upon_god_part_2_melody.mp3 |
| rely_upon_god_part_1_high_harmony.mp3 |
| rely_upon_god_part_3_lower_harmony.mp3 |
| rely_upon_god_harp_only.mp3 |
| rely_upon_god_a_cappella.mp3 |
Rely upon God. Trust in Him. Praise Him, and call Him continually to mind.
He, verily, turneth trouble into ease, and sorrow into solace, and toil into utter peace.
He, verily, hath dominion over all things. ~ The Bab
He, verily, turneth trouble into ease, and sorrow into solace, and toil into utter peace.
He, verily, hath dominion over all things. ~ The Bab
NAKUTONDA: from the Hidden Words (Arabic No. 22), music by Mutebi Hannington (Uganda). For a cappella performance.
| nakutonda.pdf |
Ai om wa na w'o mo yo
Na ku ton da ngo li mu kun gu
Na ye gwe ne we feb ya
Na ye gwe ne we feb ya
Ka le ko lo ko ke la mwe tcho
E tcha ku ton de wa
Ka le ko lo ko ke la mwe tcho
E tcha ku ton de wa
Na ku ton da ngo li mu kun gu
Na ye gwe ne we feb ya
Na ye gwe ne we feb ya
Ka le ko lo ko ke la mwe tcho
E tcha ku ton de wa
Ka le ko lo ko ke la mwe tcho
E tcha ku ton de wa
From Baha'u'llah Hidden Words. Translation: "O Son of Spirit! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created."
BLESSED IS THE SPOT (SATB) - A Prayer of Baha'u'llah, arr. Russell Garcia (rehearsal tracks coming soon)
You can listen to a nice version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQ3P8p86c0
You can listen to a nice version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQ3P8p86c0
| blessed_is_the_spot.pdf |
Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain,
and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow
where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified. ~ Baha'u'llah
and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow
where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified. ~ Baha'u'llah
PHOENIX OF LOVE: from the Hidden Words, music by Amy Stephen
Voice 3 is Bass & Tenor (first to sing, sings first page up to "renounce thyself" 4X), Voice 2 is Alto (comes in next, sings first page 3X), Voice 1 is Soprano (comes in last, sings first page 2X). "Renounce thyself" is sung 4X, then last page, then there is an instrumental section which can be an improvised solo (live we have had Persian vocalist Amir Haghighi, also an instrumentalist, and even both - the solo section, live, can be as long or as short as you want). After the solo, whole piece starts again, same format, and ends with final ending. Hope that's clear :D
Voice 3 is Bass & Tenor (first to sing, sings first page up to "renounce thyself" 4X), Voice 2 is Alto (comes in next, sings first page 3X), Voice 1 is Soprano (comes in last, sings first page 2X). "Renounce thyself" is sung 4X, then last page, then there is an instrumental section which can be an improvised solo (live we have had Persian vocalist Amir Haghighi, also an instrumentalist, and even both - the solo section, live, can be as long or as short as you want). After the solo, whole piece starts again, same format, and ends with final ending. Hope that's clear :D
| phoenix_of_love-2.pdf |
Bass/Tenor: Burst thy cage asunder
Altos: Even as the phoenix of love
Sopranos: Soar into the firmament of holiness
ALL: Renounce thyself (X4)
And filled with the spirit of mercy, and filled with the spirit of mercy
Abide in the realm of celestial sanctity
From Baha'u'llah's Hidden Words.
Altos: Even as the phoenix of love
Sopranos: Soar into the firmament of holiness
ALL: Renounce thyself (X4)
And filled with the spirit of mercy, and filled with the spirit of mercy
Abide in the realm of celestial sanctity
From Baha'u'llah's Hidden Words.
FREE THYSELF by Azeen Tashakkor - you can listen to the original here, slightly different form than I have for our performance but still gives you a good idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B6a7jo91oU
Voice 1 is the melody (lower), Voice 2 is the harmony (higher). Soon to come: separate rehearsal tracks and Persian pronunciation guide (both English and Persian are the same Hidden Word).
Voice 1 is the melody (lower), Voice 2 is the harmony (higher). Soon to come: separate rehearsal tracks and Persian pronunciation guide (both English and Persian are the same Hidden Word).
| free_thyself.pdf |
Free thyself from the fetters of this world
and loose thy soul from the prison of self.
Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more.
Farsi verse:
Az bandeh molk khodraa rahaaee baksh
Vaz habseh nafs khodraa aazaad kon
Vaght raa ghaneemat sheemor zeeraa
Keh een vaght raa deegar na beenee
Va een zamaan raa hargez nayaabee
Final ending: Ey bandeyeh man
From Baha'u'llah's Hidden Words
TROUBLE INTO EASE - words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, music by Anisa Barraquias (arr. Amy Stephen). For a cappella performance. The first time through the song is a SOLO, with response from unison Sopranos and Altos only. Full SATB comes in the second time through the song (Altos carry the melody all the way through), and then the first section is repeated, with a slow-down on the "toil into utter peace" ending.
| trouble_into_ease.pdf |
LOVE IS NOT : words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, music by Nadia, Zaynab, Fritz & Earl (Baha'i Blog)
Voice 1 is melody and is LOW, Voice 2 is upper harmony, Voice 3 is a middle harmony (that I invented - its not in the original) that moves around. The original singers do some fancy things with their voices, I took those out to make it easier in a choral situation, but you can listen to them singing so beautifully on the Baha'i Blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jFOJ4-zKgc
Voice 1 is melody and is LOW, Voice 2 is upper harmony, Voice 3 is a middle harmony (that I invented - its not in the original) that moves around. The original singers do some fancy things with their voices, I took those out to make it easier in a choral situation, but you can listen to them singing so beautifully on the Baha'i Blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jFOJ4-zKgc
| love_is_not.pdf |
CHORUS: Love is not of the body, but completely of the soul
V1: And those souls whose inner being is lit by the love of God, by the love of God,
are even as spreading rays of light by the love of God.
V2: For true love, real love is the love for God
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha
V1: And those souls whose inner being is lit by the love of God, by the love of God,
are even as spreading rays of light by the love of God.
V2: For true love, real love is the love for God
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha
TO SERVE / LOVE EVERYBODY (2 short songs together): words of 'Abdu'l-Baha (new compilation on service), music by Amy Stephen. Parts are pretty clear, there is a solo being sung over the second song of the piece - give it a try anybody who wants a solo!! Your own style is perfect :)
| to_serve_the_cause_of_god.pdf |
| love_everybody_bak.pdf |
To Serve . Love Everybody Soprano
TO SERVE:
In this day, to serve the Cause of God is to engender love,
to engender love and fellowship, fellowship amongst His friends.
Let us associate with one another
with the utmost selfnessness and evanescence
With radiance of spirit, wth meekness and humility
With radiance of spirit, with faithfulness, with faithfulness.
LOVE EVERYBODY:
Love everybody, serve everybody (repeated)
SOLO V1: All are the servants of God, God has created all
Therefore must be we kind, therefore must we be kind
Therefore must we be kind to all, to all
Love everybody, serve everybody (repeated)
SOLO V2: He provideth for all, He is kind to all
Therefore must be we kind, therefore must we be kind
Therefore must we be kind to all, to all
` 'Abdu'l-Baha