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“Old harp singing” is a communal style of singing of the shape note tradition using M.L. & W.H. Swan’s book, The New Harp of Columbia. This style of singing is not performance-based, nor is it typical of any choir or choral society. It is a participatory gathering …

2018年2月22日 · Old Harp singers are numerous along the western slope of the Appalachians in eastern Tennessee, in the country around the larger towns and in rural lowlands too, and their religious denomination —Methodist, Baptist, Christian, etc.— is various.

Although some ancient members of the harp family died out in the Near East and South Asia, descendants of early harps are still played in Myanmar and parts of Africa; other variants defunct in Europe and Asia have been used by folk musicians in the modern era.

The earliest evidence of the harp is found in Ancient Egypt circa 2500 BC. The history of the harp shows they were shaped liked bows with few strings.

Field recordings of the shapenote singing tradition known as Old Harp Singing from East Tennessee made in the early 2000s by John Lamb. The Tradition centers...

Earliest Harp History The harp is the oldest known stringed instrument. The word "harpa" or "harp" comes from Anglo-Saxon, Old German, and Old Norse words meaning "to pluck". By the 13th century the term was being applied specifically …

Old Harp Singing: 1951 – This recording features seventeen singers from Wear’s Valley and the surrounding areas in Sevier County and Blount County. This same group traveled to Columbia University in New York to sing at a festival in 1951.

2025年2月10日 · The harp, a stringed instrument with a rich and storied history, has been enchanting audiences for millennia. Its unique sound, which can range from mellow and soothing to bright and lively, has made it a staple in various musical genres and traditions worldwide.

The seventeen singers featured on this album hail from the valleys of eastern Tennessee around Sevierville and Maryville, where they sing songs from the famous shape note collection The Harp of Columbia, which was first published in 1848. Extensive liner notes include several reproductions of …