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Alive!

A collection of recordings made by the Catholic Church group "Alive"

E-mail: ra@richandrews.co.uk

This was (in the 1980s - 2004) the core guitar based choir from the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Gt. Missenden, Bucks featuring:

• Cathy Waters
• Richard Andrews
• Nigel Hughes

Cathy Waters, (nee Andrews) started playing "folk" masses at Great Missenden Catholic Church in the mid 1970s. Her Brother Richard joined in with his clarinet, and later vocals and guitar. The quality of musical output improved considerably with the addition to the group of Nigel Hughes, and over the years there were calls to make a recording. The catalyst for the first album came with the arrival of Paul Inwood's "Gathering Mass", dedicated to the diocese of Northampton in which Great Missenden resides.

"Alive in Great Missenden" was recorded one Saturday in the Church, (mid 1980s) with the choir and many members of the congregation. At the end of the session, Cathy and Richard stepped up to the microphone, and to Nigel's expert guitaring recorded "Listen" and "I Thank My God". When this first "album" was released on cassette tape, it was realised that the last two tracks recorded stood out from the rest.

"Alive Again" We've always believed that music in church should be "for the people, by the people and with the people". Music at Mass should usually be inclusive, and not a performance per se. However for the recordings, a more pleasing result was certainly to be had with a small group in a studio. Therefore, the second album, "Alive Again" was made partly in the Church, and partly in a small recording studio. This compilation drew partly from the newly discovered wealth of wonderful music being written for the Taize religeous community in France .

Parishioner Daryl Hardman had regular business in Moscow, and on one such visit she left behind one of our tapes. Soon the music was being passed around a group of friends who are members of Moscow's Russian Orthodox community. As a result, we were invited to Moscow, and so 20 members of choir and congregation visited the city in July 1991. The reception was indescribably warm and enthusiastic, and led to "Lifeline Moscow", an operation to drive much needed supplies of school and medical hardware direct to the heart of Moscow in articulated lorries lent free of charge by a local haulage firm. (At the end of the visit, as the group flew out the tanks literally rolled into Moscow. )

Turning up to volunteer on the lorry-loading workforce one day, Gerry Waters found himself a new community of Christian friends - and won the heart of Cathy Andrews to boot! (Come to the Waters!)

"Alive in Prayer" started as a more ambitions project, with over-dubbing and studio trickery. In the end, most of this was thrown out, and the tape was made during a home visit for the now globe-trotting Richard.

"All Alive" brought the Alive music up to date in CD format. "All Alive" is a compilation of tracks from the first three tapes, mixed from the original studio masters. At the same time as commissioning this CD, Richard had all the earlier recordings re-mastered onto CD.

Anne Roberts was a parishioner on the original Moscow trip, and following her tragically untimely death from cancer, a project was set up in her name to provide some relief to victims, specifically children of victims of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. "Anne's House" (in Belarus) has since provided comfort for thousands of people, and continues to thrive under its new name: "Friends of the Belarusian Children's Hospice".

After ten wonderful years of marriage, Cathy's chronic health problems were added to with the curse of Cancer. It was time to get back behind a microphone, and we were only just in time. The last work, "Alive In Spirit" was recorded in the spring of 2004.

Just a few weeks later, having failed to secure a CD for himself, the Good Lord took Cathy to him. Nigel and I are hoping he can manage without the harmonies for the time being at least!

We have now organised the back catalogue of the works of the group that came to be known as "Alive".

Alive In Great Missenden –

Contains the full “Gathering Mass”

A useful guide and reference to modern music for the Mass.

Features enthusiastic contributions from the congregation.

Now Available on CD

Here I Am Lord Daniel L Schutte

Kyrie Paul Inwood

Gloria Paul Inwood

Listen Aniceto Nazareth

Abba, Abba Father Carey Landry

Sanctus Paul Inwood

Do Not Be Afraid Gerald Markland

Acclamation Paul Inwood

Doxology and Great Amen Paul Inwood

Our Father Weiner

Agnus Dei Paul Inwood

Be Still and Know Anon

Hosea (Come Back to Me) Gregory Norbet

This Is What Yahweh Asks Mary McGann

I thank My God

Blest Be The Lord Daniel L Schutte

Yahweh I Know You Are Near Daniel L Schutte

Come To The Water John Foley

Ubi Caritas Jacques Berthier

I Watch The Sunrise Colin Murphy

Surexit Christus Jacques Berthier

I am The Bread Of Life Suzanne Toolan

On Eagles Wings Michael Joncas

Bless The Lord My Soul Jacques Berthier

Adoramus te Domine Jacques Berthier

Lord Make Me A Means Of Your Peace John Foley

My Peace I Leave You

Alive Again In Great Missenden –

Offers a more refined sound quality

An introduction to some music from Taize, and also the Monks of the Western Priory.

All these tracks have been very popular in celebrations of the Liturgy.

Now available on CD

Be Still David J Evans

Take And Eat

The Cry Of The Poor John B Foley

Sing Of The Lord’s Goodness Ernest Sands*

Create In Me

All I Ask Of You

I Found A Treasure

To You Yahweh

Alive In Prayer –

The first “Studio” Album

Popular tracks for the Liturgy and Prayer Groups.

Praise God while Ironing or Gardening etc.

Take the stress out of driving!

Now available on CD

Listen Aniceto Nazareth

Do Not Be Afraid Gerald Markland

I Thank My God

Blest Be The Lord Daniel L Schutte

Come To The Water

Surexit Christus Jacques Berthier

I am The Bread Of Life Suzanne Toolan

On Eagles Wings Michael Joncas

Bless The Lord My Soul Jacques Berthier

Adoramus te Domine Jacques Berthier

Lord Make Me A Means Of Your Peace John Foley

Be Still David J Evans

The Cry Of The Poor John Foley

Sing Of The Lord’s Goodness Ernest Sands

Create In Me

I Found A Treasure

My Peace I Leave You

The Original Compilation CD

A Pick of 17 of the best tracks from earlier albums.

Now Re-Issued

Sample Track "Blest Be The Lord"

Sample Track "Come To The Water"

Let Nothing Trouble You Bernadette Farrell

There Is A Longing Anne Quigley

Bread Of Life Bernadette Farrell

Behold The Wood Dan Schutte

Christ Be Our Light Bernadette Farrell

Only This I Want Dan Schutte

Ave Maria Gounod

The Latest Original CD

Featuring Cathy’s “Ave Maria”, sung at the wedding of Richard to Penny

Sample Track "Let Nothing Trouble You "

Sample Track "Only This I Want"

E-mail: ra@richandrews.co.uk
for information and to place an order.

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