listener--Sacred Harp is not a stringed instrument--it is the human voice and the name of the most popular songbook for the first truly American music. It originated in New England in the late 18th Century and became largely standardized in the early 19th Century. As memory serves me the song book of that name was first published in 1840. The music (and its method of teaching sight-singing) spread south and west from New England; it died out in the North and in cities by the time of the Civil War and was preserved in the rural South. Since the 1970's or so it has spread out of the South. Here are some YouTube videos; the more singers and the louder, the better:
It looks like a good social activity; it is for participation rather than performance, and was intended in the first place for people who did not have formal musical education.
P.S.: One can search around YouTube and find examples of the same song [e.g. "Blow Ye The Trumpet"] sung by church choirs and by Sacred Harp groups; the Sacred Harp versions are WAY better--they're ALIVE!
A Tribune columnist said yesterday morning, "The debate is Trump's to lose." Meaning that Hillary faced an impossible job in trying to win people's trust while Trump, with a much lower bar, only needed to act like a normal human being. He didn't quite manage that.
listener--Sacred Harp is not a stringed instrument--it is the human voice and the name of the most popular songbook for the first truly American music. It originated in New England in the late 18th Century and became largely standardized in the early 19th Century. As memory serves me the song book of that name was first published in 1840. The music (and its method of teaching sight-singing) spread south and west from New England; it died out in the North and in cities by the time of the Civil War and was preserved in the rural South. Since the 1970's or so it has spread out of the South. Here are some YouTube videos; the more singers and the louder, the better:
ReplyDeleteSacred Harp in Vermont [Click]
Sacred Harp in Alabama [Click]
Sacred Harp in Ireland [Click]
Movie Trailer [Click]
It looks like a good social activity; it is for participation rather than performance, and was intended in the first place for people who did not have formal musical education.
--Alan
P.S.: One can search around YouTube and find examples of the same song [e.g. "Blow Ye The Trumpet"] sung by church choirs and by Sacred Harp groups; the Sacred Harp versions are WAY better--they're ALIVE!
Delete--Alan
Oh, I see, now. One of the older forms of a cappella singing, apparently. Good for you taking it up!
DeleteI gather from this morning's nooz that HRC did what she needed to do, and Dumpster didn't.
ReplyDeleteAlan
That about sizes it up, Alan.
ReplyDeleteA Tribune columnist said yesterday morning, "The debate is Trump's to lose." Meaning that Hillary faced an impossible job in trying to win people's trust while Trump, with a much lower bar, only needed to act like a normal human being. He didn't quite manage that.
Delete