The Amish do not want to be photographed or recorded by audio.
However, occasionally Amish singing is
recorded surreptiously and without consent.
recorded surreptiously and without consent.
The person who recorded an Amish Youth Group singing the song
(Translation: "Who knows how near is my end")
used a video camera in his coat pocket.
Click here to listen to the You Tube video/recording
Click here to listen to the You Tube video/recording
The hymn leader ("vorsänger") initiates a melodic line by
singing the opening word(s) and sometimes in the middle of a verse.
singing the opening word(s) and sometimes in the middle of a verse.
He is quickly joined by the other members of the congregation.
Such "lining-out" articulates tones slightly out of synchrony
The Amish sing from the Ausbund, a collection of hymn texts
that dates from the sixteenth century.
The Ausbund remains in print until the present.
It is the oldest Protestant hymnal in existence.
It is the oldest Protestant hymnal in existence.
Some hymns contain hundreds of verses, and because of the slow,
sustained melodic style, they may last an hour or longer.
Music notations do not appear in the hymn books.
sustained melodic style, they may last an hour or longer.
Music notations do not appear in the hymn books.
It is necessary to rely on memory.
.
George
