Author Archives: sara-garrard

flowers ~

Posted by sara-garrard
first flowers

Kind of on a roll after Cloud Smiles … Earlier I finished up a piece that I’m not posting quite yet as it might be part of something bigger, and then I did a couple of ‘warm up’ sketches. This is one of them arranged two ways, with the FFVII soundfont again. (Yes, exactly like Aerith’s Theme and Flower Blooming in the Church.)

sea of flowers

Cloud Smiles

Posted by sara-garrard

An honorary addition to my FFVII Remake Demakes series… This piece, ‘Cloud Smiles’, plays at the end of the Final Fantasy VII Advent Children movie from 2005. I transcribed it and put it on the original 1997 sounds.

I guess people may wonder why I would do such a thing… mainly just because I want to, but I guess 1) because I enjoy the ‘warmth’ of the old sound samples, and this is a project to make the newer tracks ‘fit’ in the old game 2) it’s practise transcribing and quite a nice way to really get to know a piece and pick up some arrangement/orchestration tips !

I’ve been realising with the Remake Demakes and also I’ve been making some sheet music of Taylor Swift songs, been doing more transcribing/arranging lately — if I think back to ten years ago how much more confident I’ve got with it..! yay!

Winkworth on ukulele again

Posted by sara-garrard

EVEN MORE Catherine Winkworth songs, and even more Catherine Winkworth songs on ukulele, someone stop me (don’t, I’m having fun even if no one else is.) These are actually re records of some of the ones I drafted last month. I’ve been experimenting with a couple simple things with the arrangement/recording —

Burning Love, Holy Flame

A bunch of vocal harmonies, in this kind of light/breathy style.

From God shall naught divide me

I think this is my first song to feature whistling.

The Stronghold

This one’s just a live recording, nothing fancy 🙂

and on the night

Posted by sara-garrard

An updated arrangement and recording of song I wrote last year! I like how it sounds a good deal.

And on the night before this blessed morn
A troop of Angels unto Shepherds told,
Where in a stable he was poorly born,
Whom nor the earth nor heaven of heavens can hold,        
Through Bethlehem rung.    
This news at their return ;        
Yea, Angels sung,    
That God with us was born
And they made mirth, because we should not mourn.

This favour Christ has given for our sake :
To buy us thrones he in a manger lay ;
Our weakness he took, that we his strength might take,
And was disrob’d, that he might us array :        
Our flesh he wore,    
Our sin to wear away :        
Our curse he bore,    
That we escape it may ;
And wept for us, that we might sing for aye

words (adapted slightly) George Wither

Back to Winkworth

Posted by sara-garrard

I started to fear I was going to run out of suitable Catherine Winkworth material, but then I had a proper look at Christian Singers of Germany, her book of biographical sketches of Luther and others around the same time together with hymn translations, not all of which I’d seen elsewhere. Hooray!

Today I sketched out five songs, all on ukulele. One of them is actually……….. very famous. Ein feste Burg / A Mighty Fortress is our God………… The translation is a bit different than the most used English one, and I’ve taken a very different direction than Bach here however.

Excerpts from five songs

…As Thy beloved, soothe the sick and weeping, And bid the prisoner lose his griefs in sleeping; Widows and orphans we to Thee commend them, Do Thou, do Thou befriend them. (Evening Hymn – Bohemian Brethren)

…The world around is passing With all its pomp and pride; What men are here amassing Can never long abide; We die–and it is gone. But fear not, Christian sleeper, God is our mighty Keeper, And we shall wake anon…. (From God shall nought divide me – Louis Helmboldt)

…And were the world with devils filled, All eager to devour us, Our souls to fear should little yield, They cannot overpower us. Their dreaded Prince no more Can harm us as of yore; Look grim as e’er he may, Doomed is his ancient sway; A word can overthrow him… (Stronghold – Martin Luther)

…Ah Jesus Christ, my Lord! So meek in deed and word, Didst Thou not die to save us, Because Thou fain wouldst have us, After this life of sadness, Heirs of Thy heavenly gladness?… (In God my faithful God – Sigismund Weingartner)

…Ah! never can I praise enough The mercy Thou hast shown! When days were dark and storms were rough Thou mad’st Thy kindness known, Thy miracles of goodness then Thou sufferedst me to see; O Bread of Life! my heart again Cries, let me cling to Thee!…. (Burning Love, holy Flame – Anon.)