Held by Love:

The themes of God’s love from Scripture, with highlights from great Christian writers, are illuminated and energized in the contemporary album Held by Love. People of all ages are being moved by this outstanding collection by Songs In His Presence. The powerful lyrics of its songs are deeply prayerful, set in primarily acoustic yet diverse musical styles. Fresh and distinctive for its repeat "listen-ability," it features six excellent solo vocalists, choir, and fifteen instrumentalists collaborating on richly-textured arrangements.

Held by Love opens with three songs of unabashed joy in God’s fatherly love: “So Bless the Lord” from Psalm 103, an ultra-joyful Latin/rock setting of Psalm 63 and the heart-swelling "How Profound Is Your Love" featuring harp, French horn and violin. The mood of the music deepens with the captivating fourth and fifth songs, Deb Mantel’s tender “Around the Throne” (our total worship of God) and Roger Holtz’s gripping choral feature “Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs” (Isaiah’s prophecy of Christ’s Passion and Death) which includes solos by tenor David Fischer. The subsequent four contemplative songs by Ed Conlin convey our response of gratitude and willing surrender of self. “Can It Be, Oh My Soul,” inspired by the writings of St. Therse of Lisieux, describes our astonishment at such a treasure, but its high cost, selfless love. Hushed reverence begins and lights the sparks in “Lord Enkindle Me.” The fire ignites with “Living Flame,” a guitar-based setting of the penetrating poem by the sixteenth century monk, St. John of the Cross, recognizing God in the pain of life and inviting the purification He gives. Love's willingness to share sufferings is symbolized in the CD cover design. Lighter, lilting tin whistle conveys the freedom of given-ness in the Celtic style "Here Is My Life" and Deb Mantel sings her simply beautiful love for the Lord in “You Alone.” The songs of the five composers of Held by Love present a fresh invitation to become humble and open and make a space for Christ. "Abide, O Lord” (an invitation to God to make his home in me) and the album signature song “What Costly Love” (we are changed by God’s love), continue the Held by Love cover theme and are both interpreted through Inez Gavrilides and harmonists. The energy of the CD climbs again with its final two songs, "The House of God" and Amy Righi’s “We Have Been Blest,” both heralding our call to be the Body of Christ, bearing His love to the world.

This is a long-playing CD: fifteen tracks and an entire hour sharing the breadth and length of God’s love, performed by the gifted brother and sister artists of Songs In His Presence. Superbly arranged and edited, Held by Love is among the best uplifting contemporary Christian worship music. You will have a hard time picking just one favorite song or singer on this CD.

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NOTE: Click on the Listen buttons below to listen to any song clip

CONTENTS

Listen So Bless The Lord (Ed Conlin)*

Listen My Mouth Shall Praise You With Joy (Ed Conlin)**

Listen How Profound Is Your Love (Ed Conlin)*

Listen Around The Throne (Deb Mantel)*

Listen Surely He Has Borne Our Grief (Roger Holtz)*

Listen Can It Be, O My Soul (Ed Conlin)**

Listen Lord, Enkindle Me (Ed Conlin)**

Listen Living Flame (Ed Conlin)

Listen Here Is My Life (Ed Conlin)**

Listen You Alone (Deb Mantel)**

Listen Abide, O Lord (Sr. Stacy WHitfield)**

Listen What Costly Love (Ed Conlin)**

Listen The House of God (Ed Conlin)*

Listen We Have Been Blest (Amy Righi)

Here Is My Life; Reprise

Note:
* Songbook includes choral arrangements for these songs
** Songbook includes vocal harmonies for these songs

Taken by Love:

Be drawn to God by this energizing and deep album, Taken by Love. With it find your heart stirred and taken higher toward Love. This intimate yet joyful collection in wide-ranging styles within the Christian worship music tradition is performed by the gifted soloists and artists of Songs In His Presence. Well-crafted woodwinds, strings, guitar, piano, and percussion fittingly render the inspired songwriting of its seven composers. The CD's twelve richly-textured arrangements include seven songs for worship, four Psalms in responsorial style, and an instrumental meditation.

This album has taken many by surprise... from trade shows to nationwide radio, people stop and listen. “I can’t get away from this music... there is something about it that draws me.” The prayerful surrender of each songwriter and singer to Christ and the collaborative aspect of its recording process come out powerfully and infectiously. With Zack Stachowski’s masterful violin and Inez Gavrilides's first words of Ed Conlin’s “Our Hearts Will Rise,” so will your heart rise. Following the energizing worship of that first track you are drawn into Ed’s setting of the contemplative "Prayer of Augustine" interpreted by Adam Plomaritas of the band “Christopher Adam.” Your journey soars with Sr. Stacy Whitfield’s majestic “Psalm 42: Like a Deer” then steps lightly to “In Your Light” by John Keating. A contemporary Israeli-style setting of “Psalm 16: You are My Inheritance” by Mike Giszczak invites celebration with soloist, choir, klezmer clarinet and tambourine. Taken by Love often hints toward Advent (e.g., "Like a Son of Man"), expressing our heart's longings for the coming of Christ and of Heaven, our home, themes to inspire at any time of year. Soloists and choir lend to the excitement of the Incarnation with “His Name Will Be Called” and “Glory Cry the Angel Choirs.” In the opening minute of that piece, a flock of angels in ethereal chant gather above the Christ Child. Heavenly choirs reverberate again in the “Hymn of Heaven,” tenderly introduced by Christina Thomashefski. The album nears its end with the jubilant gospel-style “Psalm 122: Let Us Go Rejoicing” proclaimed by Amy Righi, David White and choir. The closing instrumental meditation features oboe, guitar, and cello.

Taken by Love appeals to a trans-generational and trans-denominational audience, even touching hearts unfamiliar with the Love it conveys. A piano/guitar/vocal songbook and octavos are also available, making its unique songs accessible both in recorded and printed forms.

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NOTE: Click on the Listen buttons below to listen to any song clip

CONTENTS

Listen Our Hearts Will Rise (Ed Conlin)*

Listen Prayer of Augustine (Ed Conlin)

Listen Psaml 42: Like a Deer (Sr. Stacy Whitfield)

Listen In Your Light (John Keating)

Listen Psalm 16: You are My Inheritance (Mike Giszczak)

Listen Psalm 123: Our Eyes are Fixed on the Lord (Roger Holtz)

Listen Like a Son of Man (Sr. Stacy Whitfield)

Listen His Name Will Be Called (Roger Holtz)

Listen Glory Cry the Angel Choirs (Ed Conlin)

Listen Hymn of Heaven (Sr. Sarah Burdick)

Listen Psalm 122: Let Us Go Rejoicing (Jane Terwilliger)*

Taken By Thee (instrumental)

Note:
* Songbook includes SATB refrains for these songs

"Trust Him," with Brian Blum:

From Song of Song’s “fountain sealed,” through the “dark night” and into joyful praise and worship, many graces are given to “Trust Him” as we grow into His likeness. Two humble musical talents powerfully convey the mystery and breadth of our meeting with Christ.

Let all fall more deeply in love with Christ! Through the warm and rich voice of tenor Brian Blum, this contemporary album of praise and prayer features primarily the Spirit-inspired writing of song bard Ed Conlin. All of Ed's titles that we offer were composed by him (and recorded by us) during the early years of Ed's 15+ years of discipline and repentance, and profoundly communicate the breadth and depths of God's love and mercy. They are based on scripture and the writings of the saints. The appreciation for Ed’s deep texts and stirring music has spread around the world. This is the 3rd album by Songs In His Presence including his songs. Conlin’s energizing “Rise, O People Called to Worship,” “We Enter In” and “Join with Us” beckon us to enter the Father’s courts in profound and joyful worship. You will smile at Brian Blum’s rendition of “My Portion, My Treasure,” a toe-tapping setting of Psalm 16. Ed’s songs “Come, Ye Winds” based on Song of Songs Ch. 4, “Trust Him (Psalm 62)” and his plaintive ballad “According to Your Word” express our emptiness and the costs of discipleship and love. “How Profound is Your Love” is a rich and deeply-textured worship piece adapted from Augustine’s Confessions Book 10, Ch. 6. The simply-styled “Song of Peter (Lord, You Know)” conveys that disciple’s love for Christ and his grief at his own denial of Jesus. Cover tunes are track #2, “You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up)” first recorded by popular artist Josh Groban, track #11, a contemporary “Anima Christi” (“My Lord, My King” by Ann Berger) and the orchestral #12, "The Lord's Prayer" by Alfred Malotte. Every song is a new facet of our meeting with Christ, purely conveyed through Brian’s astounding but humbly-offered vocal gift. Trust Him draws us to love God deeply, and to bear His love for the world.

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“Spectacular... this recording shines!  Brian Blum

CONTENTS

Listen Come Ye Winds (Ed Conlin and Jane Terwilliger)

Listen You Are Loved(Don't Give Up) (Thomas Salter)

Listen Trust Him (Psalm 62) (Ed Conlin)

Listen Join With Us (Ed Conlin)

Listen My Portion, My Treasure (Psalm 16) (Ed Conlin)

Listen We Enter In (Ed Conlin)

Listen According to Your Word (Ed Conlin and Jane Terwilliger)

Listen How Profound is Your Love (Ed Conlin)

Listen Rise, O People, Called to Worship (Ed Conlin)

Listen Song of Peter (Lord, You Know) (Ed Conlin and Jane Terwilliger)

Listen My Lord, My King (Ann Berger)

Listen The Lord's Prayer (Albert Hay Malotte)

Psalms:

Psalms expresses our hearts, our own loneliness and sorrows, yet also a deeper hope: a faith, gratitude, love and awe. From texts of Sacred Scripture, twelve original contemporary Psalm settings beautifully communicate the timeless prayers of the Bible in responsorial style. We are drawn into the message of each Psalm through the prayerful sensitivity of the composers and artists, accompanied by acoustic instruments including piano, guitar, cello, oboe, flute and others. Inspiring graphics complement the CD’s many musical highlights.

This album was the precursor to the complete series of responsorial psalms, "Psalms In His Presence," published by www.ilpmusic.org. The twelve recordings below have been remastered with the additional of choral sections, and placed in their designated Sunday or Feastday within the extensive "Psalms In His Presence" collection. Printed PIHP songbooks now include 4 sets of 4 editions each: Accompaniment, Vocal/Guitar, Choral/Guitar, and Choral Refrain. The printed music and recordings facilitate the use of these beautiful Lectionary psalms settings in American churches. Any of the double-cd sets or individual downloads also provide personal or family spiritual refreshment and inspiration. The "Psalms In His Presence" recordings are also available as whole-album or individual downloads from www.ilpmusic.org or the major e-commerce music distributors.

Refreshingly varied contemporary and contemplative arrangements make Psalms a uniquely uplifting CD. We encourage you to listen to and/or purchase online the Psalms In His Presence quality remixes of these 12 Psalms, and the many others in the 3-year sets..
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                 [This CD is available only as an MP3 download]          

NOTE: Click on the Listen buttons below to listen to any song clip

CONTENTS

Listen Psalm 63: My Soul is Thirsting (Donald Fishel)

Listen Psalm 90: If Today You Hear His Voice/In Every Age Fill Us with Your Love (Amy Righi)

Listen Psalm 139: I Praise You (Roger Holtz)

Listen Psalm 69: Lord, In Your Great Love (Roger Holtz)

Listen Psalm 22: My God My God (Donald Fishel)

Listen Psalm 45: The Queen Stands (Amy Righi)

Listen Psalm 118: Give Thanks to the Lord (Jane Terwilliger)

Listen Psalm 34: The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor (Jane Terwilliger)

Listen Psalm 29: The Lord Will Bless His People With Peace (Jane Terwilliger)

Listen Psalm 32: I Turn to You (Donald Fishel)

Listen Psalm 145: The Lord is Near to All (Donald Fishel)

Listen Psalm 19: Their Message Goes Out (Roger Holtz)

Questions? Send us an email at info@SongsInHisPresence.com, or call us at
(734) 507-1604.

Our product line also includes a music video on DVD:

"His Name Will Be Called"

His Name Will be Called:

Stunningly photographed and directed 5-minute Music Video. The story line builds energy as it shows contemporary individuals being transformed by Christ's coming, accompanied by  "His Name Will Be Called" from our "Taken by Love"  CD.  

This DVD is excellent media for catechesis. It is touching and inspiring for youth groups, church functions and home use.  

This is an affordably priced DVD to help share Christ as the "Reason for the Season" it's appeal will be felt any time of the year. 

Questions? Send us an email at info@SongsInHisPresence.com, or call us at (734) 507-1604.