Alabama Sacred Harp Singers
Encyclopedia
The Alabama Sacred Harp Singers were a sacred harp
choir
specializing in gospel music
. On April 16, 1928, they recorded several songs for Columbia, amongst which was "Present Joys", later included on the Anthology of American Folk Music
. They are most commonly referenced alongside Alan Lomax
, who toured the Southern states, amongst other areas, recording rural music. Lomax recorded the group in 1942, for the Library of Congress
. A new recording was made in the same church In Alabama that Alan Lomax
had recorded in 50 years later. This recording was made by Steve Rosenthal
and David Sardy. The recording featured some of the same singers as the recording done by Lomax some 50 years earlier. Recorded over a 2 day period of food and singing, these recordings have taken on a mythic proportion as they were the inspiration for using Sacred Harp in the soundtrack to the film Cold Mountain
Sacred Harp
Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that took root in the Southern region of the United States. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note music.- The music and its notation :...
choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
specializing in gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. On April 16, 1928, they recorded several songs for Columbia, amongst which was "Present Joys", later included on the Anthology of American Folk Music
Anthology of American Folk Music
The Anthology of American Folk Music is a six-album compilation released in 1952 by Folkways Records , comprising eighty-four American folk, blues and country music recordings that were originally issued from 1927 to 1932.Experimental filmmaker and notable eccentric Harry Smith compiled the music...
. They are most commonly referenced alongside Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
, who toured the Southern states, amongst other areas, recording rural music. Lomax recorded the group in 1942, for the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
. A new recording was made in the same church In Alabama that Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
had recorded in 50 years later. This recording was made by Steve Rosenthal
Steve Rosenthal
Steve Rosenthal is a longtime labor and political strategist based in Washington, DC. The New York Times has described Steve as one of the Democratic Party's “smartest and most influential strategists”....
and David Sardy. The recording featured some of the same singers as the recording done by Lomax some 50 years earlier. Recorded over a 2 day period of food and singing, these recordings have taken on a mythic proportion as they were the inspiration for using Sacred Harp in the soundtrack to the film Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain may refer to:* Cold Mountain , by Charles Frazier* Cold Mountain , a film adaptation of the novel by Charles Frazier** Cold Mountain , the soundtrack to the film...