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”; here’s a 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”
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.
NB–I originally posted this five years ago so feel free to add more recent offerings and/or your personal favorites in the comments.
Be You Very Well 