Sacred Harp Resurgence
A documentary traces the history of shape-note singing.
Review by Rob Moll
3/31/2008
Sacred Harp, the oldest surviving American musical genre, is making a comeback. Also known as shape-note singing because of its musical notation, Sacred Harp relies on powerful rhythm and strong harmonies to belt out some of America's favorite hymns, such as "Amazing Grace" and the compositions of Isaac Watts. Since the Civil War, however, Sacred Harp, a term referring to the human voice, has been largely relegated to the backwoods churches of the South. The documentary film Awake My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp gives viewers a history, from its 17th-century Puritan beginnings to its contemporary resurgence. the rest
Awake My Soul is available from Amazon.com and other retailers.
posted by Pat Dague @ 12:23 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
I attended a Sacred Harp sing in Arlington, VA last year. It was awesome. I was able to sing the bass lines after I got the hang of it. The regulars in the group were very helpful and seemed delighted that someone new expressed interest. It is a sound like no other.
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