We Give Glory

When the choir strikes up the Gloria, we want the whole church to feel that sudden lift of praise. "We Give Glory" does exactly that. Arranged by Chaninomi Joseph, this setting takes the ancient words of the angelic hymn and anchors them to a bright, repeating refrain that the congregation can pick up almost instantly. The repetition of "glory, glory, glory to the Lord" creates a joyful momentum that carries right through the introductory rites of the Mass.

Looking at the score, the first verse cleverly weaves the standard liturgical text with echoes of the refrain, having the choir sing "And on earth peace to men" followed immediately by "glory to the Lord." As the song moves into the later verses, it delivers the rest of the Gloria, praising the Father, crying out to the Son for mercy, and exalting the Holy Spirit in clear, direct stanzas.

This is the kind of piece that works beautifully on a typical Sunday morning. It does not demand overly complex vocal gymnastics from the choir loft, but instead relies on a strong, rhythmic melody to lead the people in worship. By the time the final "Amen, Halleluia" rolls around, the entire parish is ready to enter into the Liturgy of the Word with uplifted hearts.