Category: folk music
The Babe of Bethlehem
This is the final tune in my current project of arrangements of tunes from Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (CD title is Simple Hymns, pairing it with last year’s project, Simple Songs). The music begins with the piano alone, playing what seems to be… Continue Reading “The Babe of Bethlehem”
New Orleans
This is another tune from Southern Harmony for which Walker, the 1835 editor, lists a composer: Robert Boyd. Here’s a couple links to info about him: https://hymnary.org/person/Boyd_R and https://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/r/robert-boyd. I can’t find any clue to why he might have named this tune New Orleans! Here’s a scan of… Continue Reading “New Orleans”
Mastering done…
I’ve finished mastering my current project (https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/songs-from-southern-harmony). Still need to add Nathan’s album artwork and other metadata, then it’s ready to send off. A while back, I mentioned that I’ve discovered over time that the seeds of the next project always seem to lie… Continue Reading “Mastering done…”
The Promised Land
Not all the hymns in Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion are anonymous. Far from it. This one was composed by Matilda T. Durham. Her composer page in hymnary.org is https://hymnary.org/person/Durham_MT. From that page: “A woman of remarkable intelligence and talents; a most colorful personality. She wrote… Continue Reading “The Promised Land”
Salem
Sadly, the name, Salem, has a bad reputation after the Salem witch hunts of America’s early days, But, it has a good rep prior to that. Here’s a bit of info on the name’s significance from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_(Bible):“Salem, the ancient name for JERUSALEM, is referenced… Continue Reading “Salem”
The New Jerusalem
The titles of the tunes within Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion sometimes require a bit of history even outside of biblical references. Following are several important relevant facts from the Lazy Person’s Guide to the Universe (Wikipedia) about the meaning of the expression, “The… Continue Reading “The New Jerusalem”
The Midnight Cry
During the pandemic, almost all of us have experienced the midnight cry. Awake in the middle of the night worrying, reliving all of our misdeeds, slights, inventing fear after fear, suffering… This article — https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/covid-19-is-wrecking-our-sleep-with-coronasomnia–tips-to-fight-back-/2020/09 — talks about it and has some helpful suggestions.… Continue Reading “The Midnight Cry”
Idumea
Another new setting of a tune from Southern Harmony. Several of the Southern Harmony hymn tune names have their source in the Hebrew Bible. Every lazy person’s (like me) guide to the universe (Wikipedia) says “ancient Idumea or Edom, [was] a historical region south… Continue Reading “Idumea”
Solicitude
A new one in my current project of setting some tunes from the “Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion.” I love writing countermelodies and this arrangement was no exception. I’m grateful to the teacher of my freshman theory course, Dr. Walter Teutsch, for beginning our… Continue Reading “Solicitude”
The Turtle Dove
Another “May Memories” favorite. This tune from the Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion compiled by William Walker in 1835, is so romantic it’s hard to imagine it’s actually a hymn tune…but it is.
