Music purchases

The seniors' community choir I have begun leading has been great  fun so far.  I am needing to learn many songs that it seems everyone knows but that I have never heard before--never, never, ever.  One of them is, for example:  "Tenderly he watches over me." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aj2OUE4sPU

Where have these songs been all of my life? -- Anyhow.  I also ordered all the Reader's Digest collections, used from sellers at Amazon, such as this one.  The Reader's Digest books are quite recommendable on several fronts:  the arrangements are very good and relatively easy without losing art, the books are sturdy and large with spiral binding.  I am happy to expand my library with this collection of, I think, eight books. They are cheap to buy used but the shipping costs.

I also bought some other collections such as one of Disney songs, and it has brought joy already, too.  Someone was visiting my house, someone who does not go to church and whom I have never heard sing before (except for the national anthem) and we sang the Disney songs, and it turns out the voice and the performance were stellar!  It is kind of nice to see that one can sing together with people who don't sing hymns and you thought who don't sing at all.  It's a good start.  From there one can branch into different directions.

Then, I splurged some more and bought warm-up discs from Susan Anders.  I LOVE them.
http://www.susananders.com/home.cfm  All the warm ups are done with songs such as "The Lion sleeps tonight"  and "Wade in the Water." There is great singing method combined with fun songs.  Very motivating and enjoyable.  (Thank you, Susan Anders!)

While I am confessing, I should say, I also sent away for book A of Concordia's new Hymn Prelude Book series.  It will take 5 years to complete the new series.  There will be 12 books at $50.00, each.  That makes $600.00 by the time we are done, if we live this long.  Ouch!  https://www.cph.org/p-20257-hymn-prelude-library-lutheran-service-book-vol-1-a.aspx