Barry Brake playing from Sacred Harp

Hey: You know that Aaron Copeland-esque Americana hymn sound — the one that feels like wide open spaces, blue skies, golden prairies and the faded glory of the America-That-Was — the one that spread and grew in the south-and-westward movement of New Englanders across America in the 1800s … the shape-note tradition, the open-fifths-gospel-tinged-beauty-of-it-all … it's music embodied in community, not music-as-performance. This is music properly situated. un-embroidered.

The Sacred Harp oeuvre may not be your sonic cup of tea. It may be too precious or too sentimental for you. Nonetheless, you should hear this. My composer / performer / thinker / author friend Barry created some original settings of hymns from the Sacred Harp.

Listen.

Let it be your prayer today.

Another unrelated musical gift: a friend I know through correspondence, Roger, sent me an original composition today — it's guitar and mandolin, and I'm enjoying listening to it. Thanks, RWW.

Comments

[barry brake]

Hey, thanks for the props! Glad you liked it.

As for the actual sound of Sacred Harp singing, it's pretty much the choral equivalent of bagpipes.

Have you ever been to a sing? We should go to one sometime. There's one at Baylor, right when I'll be up there, looks like...

[paul]

haven't been to a sing — heard samples on npr.
would love to be part of the square :)