Southern Journey, Vol. 9: Harp Of A Thousand Strings - All Day Singing From The Sacred Harp

Alabama Sacred Harp Singers, Southern Journey (Rounder Series), Alan Lomax

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 13, 1998)
• Original Release Date: January 13, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder Select
• ASIN: B0000002UQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #157,728 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #43 in

  Music > Indie Music > Blues > Delta Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If you had to choose just one Sacred Harp disc to own, this would be it. Volume 10 in the Southern Journey series may have more fuguing selections, but this is the best overall for its startling, briskly recorded stereo sound--no mean feat for a field recording from 1959! In addition to songs like "Cussetta," the always great "Weeping Mary," and "Montgomery," there are snippets of testimonials and confessions placed throughout. So you get to hear Harp singer Joyce Smith declare, "A lot of times a preacher will get up and preach and it don't seem like it has any effect on anybody. But you let a band of God's children get together and get to singing--people's gonna feel it." --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent recording!, May 10, 2000

By	babs 'n books (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I found this CD listed when I was looking for something else, so this is most definitely serendipitious! Having had the good fortune to learn Sacred Harp singing from Paul Hillier when he directed our University Chorus, I have always loved the musical style. I have recordings by Boston Camerata, but good as they are, they are not the "unpolished" gems found on this CD. I learned a long time ago that in the tunes that had an alto line, the best altos were those that caused the paint to peel off the wall. Those are the voices on this recording! Talk about singing with sincerity and conviction - no fancy studio work here! If you are interested in the musical heritage of our nation, this is a "must-have"! If you have a hankering for hymns that are most definitely NOT "High Church", you will be well pleased - and who knows? You may find yourself seeking out groups that still practice this musical style - go to an all-day sing, with "dinner on the grounds!"

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Manages to articulate something ineffable and wonderous!, January 13, 2004

By	Taube Cyrus (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I happened upon this disc after becoming re-acquainted with shape note singing via the recently released "Cold Mountain" soundtrack. Wow. There is something thrilling, something visceral and yet greater than oneself, that is provoked upon listening to this wonderful and strange music. This is definitely not the Boston Camerata, so please don't buy it hoping to hear something glossy, high-church and perfectly executed. This is simply rousing, foot-stopping spiritual music sung by real god-fearing folk. Something in this music evoked a certain Proustian nostalgia in this Appalachian woman, reminding me of attending church with my elderly aunt at the tiny Baptist church in Cyrus, West Virginia as a small child--a church so small that the minister was a circuit preacher who rotated between several congregations. That congregation had something of the enthusiasm rendered on this disc-- I listened with tears streaming down my face. I highly reccommend this recording to anyone interested in musical ethnography, or in simply hearing the word of God sung with full-out enthusiasm and joy.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars overwhelming hymnody, April 4, 2005

By	Josh Z. Bonder "a sound painter" (Toronto) - See all my reviews

After hearing a few sacred harp tunes on the anthology of American folk music, I knew I had to hear more and purchased southern journey volume 10. While that disc flabbergasted me with its fantastic sound and large number of fuging tunes, I purchased more sacred harp discs and must say that I prefer volume 9. There seems to be more variation between the songs included, and it just feels like the singers really hit their stride in most of these songs. While I think both discs are extremely worthwhile, there's just something about volume 9 that makes it a bit more rewarding. I am not a Christian or a very religious person, but this music has enough conviction to imbue anyone with some sort of religious appreciation. This disc allows for a moving experience of joy and glory by proxy, and you know by listening to it that these people put their all into the performance.