Getting in Shape

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in this early American folk singing form, initially spurred by the film Cold Mountain.

Previously I have posted my recordings of the annual singing held during Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto Festival:

2010
2011

This 1978 recording strikes a nice balance between the usual sacred harp recordings: restrained studio sessions or raw live singings.
 


Word of Mouth Chorus - Rivers of Delight: American Folk Hymns from  the Sacred Harp Tradition


Word of Mouth Chorus
Larry Gordon, director
Andy Christiansen, Mary Alice Copland, Mark Dannenhauer, Juanita Kyle, Cynthia Ross, treble
Mary Eldridge, Ellie Hayes, Kathy Munson, Joanne Schultz, Anne Zuckerman, alto
Peter Amidon, Heidi Broner, Fred Carlson, Trudi Cohen, Ralph Denzer, tenor
John Bell, Ron Kelly, Steven Light, Larry Gordon, bass

Recorded April and June 1978, St. Monica Church, Barre, Vt.; Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, Cambridge, Mass.

A1     Northfield -  Lyrics By – Isaac Watts Music By – Jeremiah Ingalls 1:20
A2     Soar Away - Music By, Lyrics By [Adapted] – A. Marcus Cagle 3:00
A3     Cowper - Lyrics By – William Cowper Music By – Oliver Holden 1:43
A4     Evening Shade - Lyrics By – John Leland Music By – Anonymous 2:22
A5     Windham - Lyrics By – Isaac Watts Music By – Daniel Read 2:02
A6     White - Music By – Elder Edmund Dumas     2:11
A7     Eternal Day - Lyrics By – Charles Wesley Music By – J. P. Reese 2:27
A8     Sweet Prospect - Lyrics By – Samuel Stennett Music By – William Walker 1:57
A9     North Port - Lyrics By – John Cennick Music By – R. R. Osborne 2:43
A10   Greenwich - Lyrics By – Isaac Watts Music By – Daniel Read 2:20
B1     Wondrous Love - Written-By – Anonymous 1:40
B2     Peace And Joy - Lyrics By – John Bowring Music By – Paine Denson 1:56
B3     Parting Friends - Arranged By – John Gordon McCurry 2:08
B4     Weeping Mary - Arranged By – John Gordon McCurry 1:50
B5     Alabama - Written-By – Anonymous 1:21
B6     Milford - Written-By – Joseph Stephenson 1:31
B7     New Jerusalem - Lyrics By – Isaac Watts Music By – Jeremiah Ingalls 1:59
B8     The Better Land - Written By – O. A. Parris 1:30
B9     Kedron - Lyrics By – Charles Wesley Music Attributed To – Elkanah Kelsey Dare 1:34
B10   Idumea - Lyrics By – Charles Wesley Music By – Ananias Davisson 2:09
B11   Morning - Lyrics By – Isaac Watts Music By – Henry K. Oliver 2:06