Idumea

It's your favorite Audio Lead here again!

    Probably the single most influential music for me thus far on Beacon 38 has been Sacred Harp singing. Now, Sacred Harp is fascinating not only musically, but historically as well. Sacred Harp, or "Shape Note Singing", was designed for non-singers. It grew up in the American South in the mid 1800s movement known as "The Second Great Awakening". Singers would gather in large squares and were encouraged to bellow notes at the top of their lungs, hitting the pitch as best they can. Sacred Harp has found a revival among musical communities and continues to be performed today. One of my favorite Sacred Harp tunes has never been sung as well as I've found in this video.

     It's exactly the amateur quality of Sacred Harp that creates a haunting quality I'm striving for in Beacon 38. The sound of a hundred voices simply moving air is electrifying to me. It is profoundly human in its flaws. If you'd like to listen to some more, I've created a playlist of my favorites right here: Beacon 88 Playlist 3