The Ne Plus Ultras

The Ne Plus Ultras – Songs of a Christian

A classical music album composed for violin, soprano, tenor and piano.

At the start of this project, I decided to give my utmost for His Highest. Even from the inception my subconscious had a concept of perfection: Christianity. This meant it would be artistic and intelligent, drawing on my unique imagination, and, if you like, the mind of Christ – which I have as a Christian. Hence, The Ne Plus Ultras.

This vocal chamber music collection was composed over six months:

December 2023 to May 2024. All the Christian words for these songs are my arrangements from my poems of the same name.

I envisage performances of my music in concert halls and venues nationally and internationally. In the near future, hopefully, I will be very pleased to find a record company who will record this truly other album and share with special people the excellent musical art and poetry. If you are such a company, please respond.

Breadth of content

The album’s narrative begins with the beginning of the beginnings, visiting Jesus as the person God, the terror Old Testament priests faced when they were making atonement in the temple, the post crucifixion ascension, passionate romantic love, Jesus’ peace, comedy in Bethlehem, God’s death angel, elements of God’s wrath when Jesus returns, a quirky – but interestingly blasé – song about Jesus destroying death and ushering in eternity with an uplifting anthem.

Track list as follows:

GOD CREATES
He Is The Image
TORN
The Star in the East!
Shulamite
You Are My Peace
The Alternative Three Wise Men!
The Slayer
The Return of Christ
The Destruction of Death

GOD CREATES

Power, power, power, power (x2)

The 1st Day

God said
“Let there be light
Call the light day
Call the darkness night
See that the light is good”

The 2nd Day

God said
“Let there be sky
Let there be water
Let there be dry ground
See that it is good”

The 3rd Day

God said
“Let there be days and years
And seasons
Let there also be stars
See that it is good”

The 4th Day

God said
“Let there be creatures in the sea
And let birds fly across the sky
See that it is good”

The 5th Day

God said
“Let there be creatures on the ground
Let there be animals
See that it is good”

The 6th Day

Then God said (x 3)
“Let us create man
in our image
See that this is all very good”

Click here for GOD CREATES on SoundCloud

He Is The Image – This Is My Jesus

1st Chorus

He is glorious
All so beautiful
Yet all mine
Shining radiant
Let us worship Him
He is The Image
Worship Him

Verses 1, 2, 3, 4

I say!
He covers and rules all the regions
Whatever the thrones or dominions
He is the ultimate Champion
This is my Jesus!

He sustains your very existence
Loving and caring with such kindness
Works in you and through you to bless, yes!
This is my Jesus!

I say!
The Father out of His good pleasure
Decided all fullness and treasure
To dwell within Him without measure
This is my Jesus!

His blood brings reconciliation
Away from evil thoughts and actions
Presenting you as pure and holy, wahoo!
This is my Jesus!

2nd Chorus

He is The Image
So take your courage
And touch Him
He is glorious
Shining radiant
All so beautiful
Yet all mine
Let us worship Him
Worship Him

This is my Jesus

Click here for He Is The Image on SoundCloud

TORN

Torn! Torn! Torn! Torn!

Torn! Torn! Torn! Torn!

Torn, torn, torn, torn
Torn, torn, torn, torn
In times B. C.
We could not see, see, see
The glory and the wonder of the LORD
The glory and the wonder of the LORD
A curtain in place
We could not see His face, face, face
Only priests dare went to the LORD
Only priests dare went to the LORD
In fear we stayed
Our seeing kept; veiled
Could not go direct to the Father
But now the veil is gone
Torn from top to bottom
Torn from top to bottom
Torn from top to bottom
Torn! Torn! Torn!
And Jesus bids us, us, us, us
But now the veil is gone
Torn from top to bottom
Torn from top to bottom
Torn from top to bottom
Torn! Torn! Torn!
And Jesus bids us
Enter(!)

(x2)

Click here for TORN on SoundCloud

The Star in the East – Blink to the Moon!

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon
Jesus the Saviour
Is famous for ever

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon
Jesus the Saviour
Is famous for ever
For ever and ever
For every believer

Blink! Blink! Blink!

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon
Resplendent and bright
The dazzling light

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon
Resplendent and bright
The dazzling light
For ever and ever
For every believer

Blink! Blink! Blink!

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon
Encourage your cheer
His rising is here

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon
Encourage your cheer
His rising is here
For ever and ever
For every believer

Blink! Blink! Blink!

His rising
His rising
His rising
His rising

And higher
And higher
And higher
And higher!

The Star in the east

B-link! Blink! Blink!
B-link! Blink! Blink!
B-link! Blink! Blink!
B-link! Blink! Blink!
B-link! Blink! Blink!

B-link! Blink! Blink!

Blink Blink Blink

His rising
His rising
His rising
His rising

And higher
And higher
And higher
And higher!

The Star in the east

Blink, blink
Blink to the Moon

Jesus the Saviour
Is famous for ever
For ever and ever
For every believer
Resplendent and bright
The dazzling light
For ever and ever
For every believer 
Encourage your cheer
His rising is here
For ever and ever
For every believer!

Click here for The Star in the East SoundCloud

Shulamite

Oh, the shells of my heart
Longs for the songs to waft
And see her from the start
Stark songs so sweet and soft

Sing sweetly my Shulamite 
Sing melodies with your King
My treasured one sing tonight
Your King, too, a melody will bring

A first kiss
Kisses one of three
To me
Her touch so soft
Her kiss is so soft
So soft

Number two
Of kisses so true
So true
The softest kiss
With all the sweetness
Sweetness

Number three
Of kisses so free
So free
The tenderness
And all the sweetness
Sweetness

Here comes the chariot
From circling Sun and Moon
The Lion of Judah
Yearns the Shulamite tune

The King, too, sings melodies
The Shulamite so desires
None shall sing until ready
Duets burn like pure fire

Sing sweetly my Shulamite
Your King yearns your offering
My treasured one let us sing tonight
Let us never stop our dancing

Sing sweetly my Shulamite

Sing sweetly my Shulamite

Sing sweetly my Shulamite

Click here for Shulamite on SoundCloud

You Are My Peace

Ooh
 
Ahh
 
Ooh
 
Before my eyes o-pen in the morning
At the instance of emerging from sleep
Even before I am aware of anything external
I experience something so powerful and so deep
 
It is the start of a brand-new day
I rise and prepare for its future
Knowing this peace will not be fazed
Because it is an inexhaustible treasure
 
Sometimes you can see it in my eyes
Or hear it behind my voice
It has some-thing of eternal life in it
And inwardly I choose to rejoice
 
When the day turns into history
And I retire in the evening in peace
I rest sweetly on my cosy pillow
And before long I am fast asleep
 
This peace is from God and it guards me
Jesus left it here two thousand years ago
The first to have it were the Disciples
A special gift you can know
 
Before my eyes open in the morning

Click here for You Are My Peace on SoundCloud

The Alternative Three Wise Men! Humouresque

From all the way in Lapland
To Bethlehem with presents
Came Santa Claus and Rudolf 
Wearing their bright green panties

Santa Claus gave lace up boots
Much bigger than stocking size
He also gave shaving kit
For when Jesus gets baptised

Mr. Spock from the Starship
Came from yonder Galaxy
His gift for the young baby
Was a large tube of Smarties

He also had other gifts
From great planets far and wide
But he lost them all
Oh dear
When the Starship fell over

The third wise man was lanky
He wrote music for the Tsars
Moved from Russia to the States
This Sergei Rachmaninoff

His gift was not all that good
But must be played with left toe
Softly and quietly
A lullaby for a king
A full-size grand piano

Mary is holding You no need for crying

Click here for The Alternative Three Wise Men! on SoundCloud

The Slayer Apocalyptic — with Fugue Form

Soprano, Tenor:

Strings
Strings and trumpets
And trumpets
And trumpets
Strings
Strings and trumpets
And trumpets
And trumpets
Strings
And trumpets
And trumpets
And trum!

Soprano:

Sing, you choir, loud and clear!
Let your voice be heard
Let it pierce the air
Pierce it once, pierce it twice
Angelic hosts
Angelic hosts
Angelic hosts
Pierce it thrice!

Soprano, Tenor:

Move decisively
Move decisively
Move decisively
Left and right
Dance the dance
Day and night

Tenor:

From the slayer
Lightning flashes!
From his eye
From the slayer
Flash!

Soprano, Tenor:

Move decisively
Move decisively
Move decisively
Left and right
Dance the dance
Day and night

Tenor:

From his eye
Lightning flashes!
A time of war
A time of clashes!

The command has come
Slay! Slay! Slay!
You cannot escape
On that dreaded Day

Soprano:

This high music is for you!
Cue higher music, cue
Let it ring
Clear and clarion!
It is for you and you
It is for you
It is your companion

Tenor:

Move, death angel
To and fro
Let all the people know
Yesterday, tomorrow, today
That you, Lord God
Have come to
Slay! Slay! Slay!

Click here for The Slayer on SoundCloud

The Return of Christ

Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory!
Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory!

Spirit calls
Hungry souls
Angels search

Throughout the World
Throughout the World
A trumpet sound
A trumpet sound
Is heard aloud
Is heard aloud
A trumpet sounds

To Earth He comes
To Earth He comes
Our Lord of bounds
Our Lord abounds
On greater clouds
On greater clouds
Our Lord abounds

Then judgement falls
Then judgement falls
As the Lion roars
As the Lion roars
His tongue projects
His tongue projects
Striking nations

Treading winepress
Treading winepress
Of God‘s anger
Of God’s anger
His enemies
His enemies
Cannot escape

Throughout the World
Throughout the World
A trumpet sound
A trumpet sound
Is heard aloud
Is heard aloud
A trumpet sounds

King and Lord of all,

King and Lord of all

Spirit calls
Spirit calls
Hungry souls
Hungry souls
Angels search
Spirit calls
Spirit calls

Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory!
Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory! Glory!

Click here for The Return of Christ SoundCloud

The Destruction of Death – The Final Enemy

Chorus 
Soprano:
See you later
See you later
Later you see
See you later

Verse 1
Soprano:
So He cocked His weapon, did the Beau
And aimed it straight at the foe
Given it both barrels
Obliterating death in one go

Chorus
Soprano:
See you later
See you later
Later you see
See you later

Verse 1 - variation
Soprano:
So He cocked His weapon did the Beau
Tenor:
You have had your all
Soprano:
And aimed it straight at the foe
Tenor:
And breathed your last breath
Soprano:
Giving it both barrels
Tenor:
Terminate you
Soprano:
Obliterating death in one go

Chorus
Soprano:
See you later
See you later
Later you see
See you later

Verse 2
Soprano:
No longer can it terrorise
Tenor:
Go and take a hike
Soprano:
Making people run in fear
Tenor:
Don’t ever come back
Soprano:
Playing the fear game
Tenor:
Terminate you
Soprano:
Finality and end now the same

Chorus
Soprano:
See you later
See you later
Later you see
See you later

Verse 3
Soprano:
Yanked and thrown off the train of life
Tenor:
Don’t ever call us
Soprano:
Mustering no resistance
Tenor:
And we won’t call you
Soprano:
Destroyed forever
Tenor:
Terminate you
Soprano:
No longer having an existence

Verse 4 — Anthem
Soprano and Tenor
Now life and love and laughter
Embraces fullness and freedom and fraternity
And creativity and comfort and compassion
Lives in excitement and existence for eternity