If I had thought about it sooner, I would have posted this on Holy Thursday…
Music for the Triduum/Easter season:
Good Friday:
Traditional hymns: “O Sacred Head Now Wounded,” “At the Cross Her Station Keeping,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” & “Were You There?”
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion or St. John Passion
Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri
Contemporary: Matt Maher’s “You Were on the Cross,” “Jars of Clay’s “O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile,” and Bruce Carroll’s “Driving Nails”
Holy Saturday/Easter Sunday:
Contemporary: Carman’s “Sunday’s On Its Way”–and for the young at heart, here’s a fun video:
Easter Sunday/Easter Season:
Traditional hymns: “Christ Arose”, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”, “Alleluia! Alleluia!” [Ode to Joy tune]
Classical: Bach’s Easter Oratorio & Widor’s Toccata from the Fifth Organ Symphony in F, Op 42 #1–Here’s a wonderful performance:
Contemporary:
Anthem: Matt Maher’s “Christ is Risen” (backing vocals by Audrey Assad); nice concept video done by a fan:
Worship & praise: Adam Young (a.k.a. Owl City)’s cover of “In Christ Alone (I Stand)”
Contemporary hymn: “Easter Song” (Keith Green performance, although the 2nd Chapter of Acts is good, too)
Anthem: James Ward’s “Death is Ended”
Vintage anthems: Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive” & Dallas Holm’s “Rise Again”
Finally, I would be remiss to not include at least a few other year-round favorites that come to mind about the grace of God at work in our lives:
Bach’s Halellujah Chorus
Rich Mullin’s “Step by Step”
Audrey Assad’s “O Happy Fault,” “Sparrow,” & “Breaking Through”
U2’s “Magnificent” & “Pride”
Matt Maher’s “New State of Mind,” “Alive Again,” “His Grace is Enough”
Eleanor Farjeon’s “Morning Has Broken”
Johnny Cash’s “When the Man Comes Around”
Contemporary hymn: “You Are Mine”
Randy Travis’ “Three Wooden Crosses”
Any musical setting and/or performer for “Ave Maria,” although I’m especially fond of Andrea Bocelli and Perry Como’s versions.
Be You Very Well 