Guest Iain C Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 The best religious music should inspire and elevate. Recently, a friend of mine who has an interest in choral music introduced me to Sacred Harp music, a choral singing tradition dating back to the 19th century which is apparently strongest in the southern United States: It's unlike any Christian music I've heard in this country. It's uplifting and beautiful! Sacred Harp music is also interesting because it uses shape-notes - each note on the scale is given a shape and a syllable (think Do Ra Mi etc.), ostensibly to make it easier to learn and to sight-sing for the participants. Generally parts are sung with the syllables first, and then with the words: It's all very fascinating. Here's some more beautiful Sacred Harp music: Wikipedia article on Sacred Harp: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_harp I know WATMMers aren't religious on the whole and a lot of you have a very childish attitude towards Christianity in particular, but maybe you can see past it and enjoy this music for its own merits. Did any of you grow up in an area where this sort of music was popular in church? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvatorin Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Ha that is crazy that you've heard about that! I have a couple cds of shape-note singing that my mother used when she taught courses on American roots music. It is quite bizarre, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I've got to thank my friend really, she finds the strangest and most eclectic stuff. But this music really moves me for some reason! By the way Salvatorin, if it's not too much bother do you think you could upload an MP3 or two? I'm finding it really difficult to get decent-quality recordings of this sort of music from the normal (illegal) channels, I'm waiting on a CD to arrive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 this is actually pretty badass. most badass western music came from the church in the past centuries, so im not surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I think there's a bloke sat in the front row in the third video I posted who's wearing an AC/DC t-shirt, lol. I want a Sacred Harp t-shirt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvatorin Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 By the way Salvatorin, if it's not too much bother do you think you could upload an MP3 or two? I'm finding it really difficult to get decent-quality recordings of this sort of music from the normal (illegal) channels, I'm waiting on a CD to arrive! sure, but it will take a couple days, because I'm out of the country at the moment, and I didn't bring my music with me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gary C Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Close Encounters of the Musical Kind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IRARI Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 i attend church in the south and while we don't sing shape-notes we do crib some songs from the sacred harp book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLA FUR BIS FLE Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Yeah, this stuff is fantastic. I came across thris through a resident at the homeless shelter I work at and was really caught off guard by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 i attend church in the south and while we don't sing shape-notes we do crib some songs from the sacred harp book I went to a wedding at the weekend and found I really enjoyed singing in church. Today I've considered going to my local church on Sundays more or less just to sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanratty Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 check out the Dust-To-Digital label if you haven't already. I know they have a comp of this stuff, plus a lot of other awesome old religious music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IRARI Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 i attend church in the south and while we don't sing shape-notes we do crib some songs from the sacred harp book I went to a wedding at the weekend and found I really enjoyed singing in church. Today I've considered going to my local church on Sundays more or less just to sing! at my church i usually get to pick out a song to lead... i also really like singing, especially four-part harmony there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spike Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 there is a really good documentary about this style of music and culture called Awake My Soul,, and on a not so related note, but about the the similar region,, The True Meaning Of Pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanratty Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 there is a really good documentary about this style of music and culture called Awake My Soul,, and on a not so related note, but about the the similar region,, The True Meaning Of Pictures I just put those on my netflix qeue. thanks, they both look good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 there is a really good documentary about this style of music and culture called Awake My Soul,, and on a not so related note, but about the the similar region,, The True Meaning Of Pictures That film sounds amazing, I might have to track it down. There's some good info about sacred harp on the site as well! Thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 to hijack this thread a lill,.. most badass western music came from the church in the past centuries, so im not surprised. Some came from a murderer tortured by guilt ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Gesualdo ), big fan of some of his modulations.. More chromatically extravagant: Werner Herzog made a documentary about him: http://www.mininova.org/search/?search=Dea...oices&cat=0 ooh thanks for the recommendation...interesting note i said "most" not "all" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braintree Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I typically don't like religious music, but I really enjoy bluegrass. Something about the vocal harmonies in it that really move me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essines Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 not the best one there is but the fisrt one i found. i've got an album by these guys, it's great stuff. maybe i like it more cause it's my heritage and all that, blah blah, still beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I really enjoyed that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essines Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 sry, i can't upload mp4s i guess (that's alll i got cause i ripped the album into itunes)... will try to get em up or pm them if ya want iain, they are more just like (and i think slightly better) than that youtube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Only if it's not too much hassle essines, I plan on going on a big religious/choral music buying spree very soon! I've discovered today that Spotify has loads of stuff like this, what a boon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wall Bird Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Sometimes I feel bad for getting so excited about religious music when I don't adhere to the beliefs of that particular (or any) denomination. I think that's the only thing keeping me from joining a full-blown baptist choir. That and my singing ability... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hanratty Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Local Customs: Downriver Revival excellent set of funky religious music. I need to buy it for the dvd which has a movie and extra tracks. the music cd which i downloaded is really great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Iain C Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Post an MP3, Hanratty? I've come across this excellent CD compilation of early religious country music, from the 1920s to the 1940s: Definitely worth the purchase! 22___Rejoicing_All_the_Way.mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.