Word of Mouth Chorus - Rivers of Delight (American Folk Hymns From the Sacred Harp Tradition)

RIVERS OF DELIGHT

Having watched the first episode in the recent BBC4 series, "Sacred Music", which featured the history and examples of Sacred Harp singing, I wanted to track down some of the music. After listening to short extracts from various albums, I went for this compilation. I am in no way religious but found the simple and, at times, robust songs to be - in places - very moving and a real breath of fresh air. April 24, 2008

a voice teacher and early music fan

ACADEMICALLY AND HISTORICALLY INTERESTING
American shape-note music with its freshness and durability, is the product of circumstances different from our own. It still survives and flourishes today in a variety of styles and places across the continental United States.

Shape-note music evolved with the 'singing school', an American institution dating back to the early 18th century. In Colonial days, traveling singing masters taught part-singing to townsfolk in a community activity that combined sacred and secular values.
The singing-school music was usually sung a cappela and in 3 or 4 parts-tenor(or melody), bass, treble, and usually alto or counter.

By the early 1800's, the music of New England tunesmiths-William Billings,Daniel Reed, Justin Morgan, and others-had spread throughout the Southern and Central states. There , together with folk hymns and camp-meeting songs, it formed the basis for a sturdy tradition of community singing and religious expression.

The 'Sacred Harp', first compiled in 1844 by two Georgians, Benjamin Franklyn White and his assistant E.J. King, is one of the richest collections of tunes; it is also one of the few shape-note books from that era still in print today.

The sound of Sacred Harp singing has several elements: The surging beat, the intonation of the singers, the minor-modal melodies, and the open harmonies. In the Sacred Harp tradition, mens's and women's voices double the tenor and treble parts, with men and women alone singing the bass and alto, respectively. Dynamics are sacrificed for a uniformly strong sound.

This disc does indeed fulfill all the requirements of shape-singing and therefore is an invaluable contribution to the historian, the teacher of many subjects especially in the arts and humanities. To sit down and listen to it in its entirety is not too enjoyable unless you are involved with a specific activity that makes it necessary to do so. As a voice teacher, it annoys me with the type of singing it demands such as chest-tone most of the time. But, as I stated above, this is really not for entertainment purposes. The 'Word of Mouth' chorus is to be commended for keeping alive this very important segment of our Musical History and tradition. February 11, 2007

one of the best recordings of shape note I've heard

Like many, I was first introduced to Sacred Harp music through the music on the Cold Mountain soundtrack. While those recordings are probably my favorites, Rivers of Delight has some excellent recordings of popular, as well as obscure, songs. Although the album lacks the raw energy present in Sacred Harp sings, it gives the listener a good idea of how the different parts sound (sometimes the older rural recordings just sound like caterwauling), without being extremely formal. The album also has a couple renditions of shape note classics in 2 and 4 person arrangements, rather than the larger group. All in all, this album is worthwhile, especially if you're just discovering Shape note singing and would like a good, comprehensive introduction. January 31, 2006

The Shaped Note Singing is TOO Polished

I was first introduced to shaped note or sacred harp music by listening to the music in the movie Cold Mountain. "I'm going home" recorded at the Liberty Church in Alababma is an extremely powerful song. I immediately bought Southern Journey, Vol 9 & 10- sacred harp music recored by Alan Lomax in 1959. Its almost too crude to enjoy with a lot of people singing off key but there are some really good songs on them too. I also bought "In Sweetest Union" recorded in 1999 again at the Liberty Church. THAT is a great album that has real church-goin singers, mostly on key, singing with all of their hearts. That is what is missing from Rivers of Delight. No one is off key and I just don't hear the heart that makes sacred harp music so powerful. February 4, 2004

Lovely and Haunting

Words cannot explain the power of this recording. There is something beautiful about shapenote singing, yet it is also a little eerie and unsettling in its deliberate atonality. If you look at the tombstones in any historic cemetery and see how lovely the old carvings are on them - how they are works of art in themselves - you will appreciate that there can be beauty in the most simple of earthly things. That, to me, defines shapenote singing - it is beautiful like old tombstones are beautiful. However talented the singers, shapenote singing should never lose touch with its earthiness. It should be heavenly and yet tied to mortality. The Word of Mouth Chorus are wonderfully talented and polished, yet they sing with an emotionality and spirit that sets this recording apart from so many others. I have several shape note CDs in my collection. All of the others are either too professional, belying shapenote's roots, or too rustic. If you only buy one CD of shapenote music, it should be this one. To this day, the hairs stand up on the back of my neck every time I hear "Windham" - and that is how it should be. January 7, 2004

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