protestant hymnody the old way in the southeast

Transcription

1 protestant hymnody the old way in the southeast

2 Old Way of Singing Oral tradition of congregational singing common to England at time of American colonization Preserved by conservative protestant denominations in American South, Midwest, and in northern Scotland. American reformist efforts in 18th, 19th century replaced Old Way with Regular Singing based in literacy, musical education

3 Lining Out Widespread solution to problem of mass illiteracy in Protestant congregational singing in England in 17th century Literate leader using wordsonly hymnal sings one line at a time, then sings again with full congregation

4 Oral Traditions Melodies often drawn from folk/common sources Communities each preserve distinct repertoire of melodies suitable for various poetic meters Common Meter Melodies America The Beautiful Yankee Doodle I ve Been Working On the Railroad The Theme to Gilligan s Island Greensleeves / What Child is This Auld Lang Syne

5 Oral Traditions With little/no musical instruction, singing became slower. Singers began improvising melismas (little melodies sung over one syllable) to fill out slowly unfolding melodies Resulting texture is heterophonic: simultaneous, and multiple variations on a single melody. Old Way singing in theory Everyone singing exactly the same Old Way singing in reality Everyone deviating a little from the same thing

6 Old Way Preserved in Scotland and America The Free Church Psalm Singers of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland Indian Bottom Association of Old Regular Baptists, Indian Bottom, Kentucky Listen for melisma when the congregation sings I have no promise of tomorrow

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8 Old Regular Baptists and Primitive Baptists Conservative branches of Baptist denomination that resisted theologies of the Great Awakenings Doctrinal beliefs like pre-destiny restrict religious congregation and worship practices outside of denomination Highly localized organization of denomination. Men often privileged in church leadership and music selection Secular lives in modern mainstream. Primitive Baptist Church in North Carolina

9 Methodist Camp Meeting, J. Maze Burbank, c.1839 during Second Great Awakening

10 Old Regular Baptists and Primitive Baptists Mostly white, conservative branches of Baptists that resisted doctrinal shifts of the Great Awakenings Doctrinal beliefs like pre-destiny restrict worship practices outside of congregation. Congregations often sustained by multiple family lineages No national organization of denomination. Men often privileged in church leadership and music selection Secular lives lived in modern mainstream. Primitive Baptist Church in North Carolina

11 Influence of Other Music Traditions Some Primitive Baptist singing influenced by notated traditions covered in next lecture Lined-out but featuring polyphonic texture (singing 3 or 4 melodies that together make chords) O Sing to Me of Heav n sung in heterophonic texture in Louisa, KY (48:00) O Sing to Me of Heav n sung in polyphonic texture in Chilhowie, VA

12 Social singing from Primitive Hymns in Hoboken, GA in 2000

13 Dr. Watts Singing Amongst Black Baptists Old Way singing shaped by AfricanAmerican experience. Preserved amongst some Baptist churches in south. Blends Anglo format with Afro techniques Named for Isaac Watts, 17th-18th century English sacred poet from words-only hymnals 2nd Great Awakening (19th century) sees expanded efforts to convert slaves Slaveholders allowed slave churches, new freedom of regulated, public congregation/ worship amongst slaves

14 African-American Influences Old way singing styles blended with African/Afro-American forms of Invisible Churches Textures more varied Worship activities move fluidly between speech and song, sometimes spontaneously: e.g. prayers, testimonies Sometimes close hymn with moan: humming melody while leader prays Blue Spring Mississippi Baptists sing A Charge to Keep I Have, followed by moans and prayer African American spirituals like Wade in the Water pre-dated and influenced Dr. Watts singing. Performed in Canton, Missisippi

15 A Conjoining of Ancient Song