what type of gospel is this... ?

[g4goddess]

Hello...

I have a question. There is a type of southern gospel that I heard recently and being from Canada, i'm not familiar with it but LOVE it.

The Gaithers sometimes sing it, and a really great example of it is the church scene from the movie Cold Mountain. It sounds sort of like people singing in rounds, often with no accompaniment, and it's not quite like regular gospel because its sort of blue-grassy

sorry if i sound confused, but i'm not sure how else to describe it.

can anyone tell me what the name of this genre is? and perhaps of some good CDs/music groups?

Thanks!!!

 

[AlabamaMan]

hmm...I have not seen the movie, so I can just guess that it may be called southern gospel music...it's probably like an old country church is here in the south, just singing.

Since I am not sure exactly what your talking about, I cannot tell you of any groups that may fit the genre.

 

[jimayars]

The type of "gospel" music heard on "Cold Mountain" is known as "Sacred Harp." It is a style of music developed in the 19th century in certain parts of the Southern United States for use in "singing schools". There are at least two forms of it -- "Sacred Harp" and "Harmonia Sacra". It emphasizes acappella singing, and uses "shaped notes" to designate steps on the chromatic scale as well as standard musical staffs. The original "Sacred Harp" schools used an almost chantlike melodic form, with each vocal part interweaving and reinforcing each other as you heard in the Cold Mountain renditions. What makes it interesting for today is that it stands in stark contrast to the musical styles to which we have become accustomed.

Later, in the early 20th century, pentecostal/holiness groups also borrowed the shaped notes format for their standard hymn collections. However, they did not borrow the style of singing taught in the "Sacred Harp" schools. Thus, even though they used "shaped notes" for their hymnals, their hymnals are not of the "Sacred Harp" variety.

I hope that this is helpful to you. It is a very beautiful form of singing, and ought to be heard more often.

Jim Ayars
Bass, King's Heralds Quartet.

 

[Tenorvoice]

I realy do not know what style it is but I would reccomend a group that I really like that does soem acapella/bluegrass that they are "IIIrd Time Out" Check em out and see.

peace