The Joy of Sacred Harp

Thanks to my friend Matt who sent this link. It's the nicest two minute introduction to the Sacred Harp that I've seen or could imagine.

I especially like the first speaker's description of how and why there is no religious test to be a Sacred Harp singer. I think Quakers would do well to understand (and imitate) how the Sacred Harp community deals with diversity of religious beliefs in the context of a strong, vibrant, growing, welcoming community of singers.

The only thing I need to add is to the narrator who says that the Sacred Harp refers to a tunebook and the "there aren't any harps involved." At the first singing school I attended, the thing I remember most vividly is Richard DeLong saying that the Sacred Harp is, in fact, the human voice. I believe it still.

Here's a photo of one of our Minnesota conventions: