Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Windham

Recorded in 1942 by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Sacred_Harp_Singers

Category:

Music

Tags:

• acoustic
• choir
• a cappella
• hymn
• music

[mjhowie1]

@RainInTheSunshine It took me a while to figure out Sacred Harp. Once I discovered it, I was so taken in by it. There are four sections, each of which sings a different harmony, and the melody is sung by the tenor line. There are no instruments, and the singers sing with no dynamics; they just sing as loud as they can. All four sections sit facing each other in a square, with one leader standing in the middle conducting. Look up "Sacred Harp" on Wikipedia, and look for other videos. It's awesome

[JTB1956]

@RainInTheSunshine A little different, isn't it? This is "shape-note" singing. The tune is 38b in the Sacred Harp. The choral composition of Windham with which you are familiar is derived from this....this is how it sounded. Many old-time churches did not use musical instruments..except for the "sacred harp"...the human voice. The staff notation was done with different shaped notes to teach the pitch of the note. This isn't performance. What you hear is worship. See PLBrayfield's channel.

[RainInTheSunshine]

@JTB1956 This music is just very bizzare, yet interesting. i dont understand what is it, whos singing, when was this recorded? i know this song in its regular choral composition, why do they sing it like this? So many questions..

[JTB1956]

@RainInTheSunshine What's troubling you?

[RainInTheSunshine]

I really dont understand someone please explain

[seventhsar]

Love this thanks for posting

[MarthaH605]

The photo is much older than 1942. Who is it, I wonder, and when?



[archer1949]

THis is amazing. Thanks!