Wellspring
More Hymns and Spiritual Songs by Thomas Pavlechko

Hymn collection

Composer Thomas Pavlechko
Released August 2005
Catalog no. 125-040 (Spiral-bound, 56 pp.)
Price $16 (U.S.)

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From the Foreword by Russell Schulz-Widmar
"Singing through this book, you will find that Thom Pavlechko is an imaginative musician with plenty of good ideas. He can work them out with skill and facility and can produce something that is enjoyable and meaningful to the consumers--that crowd of random musical histories and tastes we call a congregation. They are the ultimate authority on hymn-singing, and I predict that they will give thanks for the work of Thom Pavlechko."

Read Pavlechko's Introduction

Description
A new collection of hymns by Thomas Pavlechko. In 2002 his first collection of hymns, Radiant City, was published by Selah. In the meantime, a number of Pavlechko's hymns have already been published in other supplements and hymnals.

These hymns cover the church year and all times of worship, and show Pavlechko's fine sense of melody that makes them singable and memorable to congregations. They include texts by Mary Louise Bringle, John Core, Ruth duck, Richard leach, Renée Miller, Shirley Erena Murray, Herbert O'Driscoll, John Thornburg, and Rae E. Whitney, as well as two texts by Pavlechko himself.

It is a worthwhile collection to add to your library and use as a resource of quality new hymns for worship.

Introduction
Wellspring is the name of an educational offering at Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tennessee. It is an experience of the Christian Faith as it is reflected in the life experiences of real people. Biblical passages with water images steer the topics, demonstrating how God nourishes, restores, and strengthens us every day of our lives.

My intention with this collection is to offer a wellspring of new sounds that may enrich both the singer and the listener with hope and healing, while offering opportunities for centering prayer and praise.

While some traditional writing has been included in this collection, new compositions reflect an emerging style that is greatly influenced by Calvary’s summer evening worship services. At these informal meditative services, guest musicians offer their talents in jazz, blues, and gospel, with musical influences from Africa, South America, the Mediterranean and the Orient. These styles of music, textures of sound, and varieties of instruments have influenced the flavor of a great majority of my hymns and songs since the summer of 2002. Some tunes of a more military style, with texts of war and peace, stem from the current world situation.

Composing this collection has brought with it an appreciation of the centering hymn. CALM SEAS, which is included in my first collection, Radiant City, was the first I had composed in this genre. It is the only tune from that collection which is repeated here, both because of its connection with the new centering hymns, and because of its new text.

Played simply and quietly on a piano, these centering hymns, plus the hymns found in the Evening and Blessing sections of this collection, can create an atmosphere of peace for a quiet worship service or walking the labyrinth. Hymn no. 26, "Walk the Way of Ancient Wisdom," is a text written specifically for walking the labyrinth. The repetition of each tune several times assists in the centering.

As my tunes often emerge directly from the texts, I again credit the text writers whose words have had such a profound impact on my writing.

I thank the Spirit for guiding my creativity daily.

Thomas Pavlechko
Memphis, Tennessee
April 2005