Sacred Harp 38b, Windham

Broad is the road that leads to death,
And thousands walk together there;
But wisdom shows a narrow path
With here and there a traveler.

'Deny thyself and take thy cross'
Is our Redeemer's great command,
Nature must count her gold as dross
If she would gain this heav'nly land.

Lord, let not all my hopes be vain;
Create my heart entirely new,
Which hypocrites could not attain,
Which false apostates never knew.'

These powerful words by Isaac Watts (1707) are set to equally powerful music by Daniel Read (1785).

Recorded at the 22nd Annual Southern Wisconsin Singing at Folklore Village, Dodgeville, Wisconsin, November 8, 2008.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Sacred
• Harp
• shape
• note
• fasola
• singing
• Windham

[LindaGriggs]

Faster! Are you out of your mind. The power is in the long, slow drone. If you don't completely deplete the lungs of the basses then you've missed the wall of bagpipes sound completely.

[PLBrayfield]

Hi, Linda! I appreciate that you are passionate enough about this singing to have such strong feelings about how it should be sung! I share your view that this song is most powerful when sung slowly. That said, I do think Summerlandtopcat may prefer that it go faster without being 'out of his/her mind.' :)

PLB

[fightfairfightfair]

I second PLB and SLTC on this one.

[olorin3k]

Wowww!!! I came here to listen to this because I discovered my 4th great granduncle Rev. Lewis Craig was jailed in colonial Fredericksburg, VA, in 1768 for preaching without a license.

On the road as the Sheriff led him from condemnation to imprisonment (like at Vanity Fair in "Pilgrim's Progress"), the church followed alongside as they all sang this song!

Imagine that brave and sacrificial stand for freedom as you listen to this and be strengthened by those who have walked in faith before us!

[JYoung135]

It's interesting that you mention the "wall of bagpipes", because I think that this kind of music appeals to me so much comes from the same reason I like bagpipe music: the sheer loudness, the haunting chords, and the unrelenting sublimity. Modern praise bands don't even hold a candle to this.

[Summerlandtopcat]

No worries. Only happened back upon this now. No, I definitely like it just a TOUCH faster, which is how we tend to do it over here in jolly old England (but what do we know?) ;o)

[LindaGriggs]

I should have put a smiley face emoticon on the "out of your mind" thing. The comment was made in fun.

[Summerlandtopcat]

Another great one, thanks PLB, and one of my favourites. Although I must admit I prefer it sung just a touch faster.

[kosimpson]

Mozart and Beethoven aint got nothin' on Read.