An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 3 | SOUTHERN AND FRONTIER DEVOTIONAL MUSIC 75

date: 1859

performers: attendees at a singing

convention in Fyffe, Alabama, in 1959.

genre: folk hymn from The Sacred Harp,

3d edition

meter: duple

form: strophic

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• block-chord texture


• rugged sound of parallel fi fths


• use of Dorian mode


• doubling of tenor melody by women an
  octave higher

timing section text comments

0:00 stanza 1 What wondrous love is this,

oh! my soul! oh! my soul!

The singers establish their opening pitches,

an open fi fth, then begin the fi rst stanza.

0:13 What wondrous love is this,

oh! my soul!

The second phrase, corresponding to the

second line of text, features pronounced

parallel fi fths between tenor and bass.

0:22 What wondrous love is this!

That caused the Lord of bliss

The tenor melody reaches its highest pitch

at the midpoint of the stanza, then begins its

descent.

0:33 To bear the dreadful curse for my soul,

for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

The tenor melody concludes by repeating the

two opening phrases, with new words.

0:54 stanza 2 When I was sinking down,

sinking down, sinking down,

When I was sinking down, sinking

down,

When I was sinking down,

Beneath God’s awful frown,

Christ laid aside his crown for my

soul, for my soul.

Christ laid aside his crown for my

soul.

The music repeats with new words.

Listen & Refl ect

1. Compare and contrast the vocal quality of these singers with the other examples of Prot-
   estant sacred music in this chapter and in chapter 1. How can you account for the differ-
   ences, and what do they suggest about the singers’ attitudes toward the performance of
   this music?

Listening Guide 3.2

Wondrous Love

CD 1.10 ANONYMOUS

172028_03_063-085_r3_ko.indd 75 23/01/13 8:12 PM