Amurican Harmony

Subject: Amurican Harmony
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:11 PM

This thread is in response to Martin Gibson and Leadfingers. Bet you never expected to see them in the same sentence..

Martin G has observed that very few threads are about American folk music, and that's true. I think that it's a reflection of a much more close-knit folk community in England. It always struck me how people on the East Coast of the U.S. of A. were more familiar with English musicians than West Coast musicians. Proximity and all. As they say, this is a Big Country.

Now, my friend Lead made a comment that harmony singing in England didn't exist up until the folk revival in the 60's. (I know I am not quoteing him exactly, so you can correct me, Terry.

At NOMAD, I went to a harmony workshop and meant to ask The Short Sisters, who were hosting it, about Leadfinger's assertion, but we had to leave early to get to our own workshop.

Add to that, I wonder at the prominence of what, to my ears sounds like "english harmony" in sing-arounds at American folk festivals. I wish I could express myself musically, but then, I've found wishing to be a very innefficient way to make things happen.

A few years ago, genuooowine Amurican friends of mine recorded one of my songs about a railroad line that ran through my home town in the Midwest, Milwaukee/St. Paul. They gave it a very "English" sound in their harmonies, and it sounded more like a song about an English railroad.

Will someone come to my rescue? Why is it that some Amuricans make a Carter Family song sound like a Copper Family song? I mean, I like the particular harmony that I think of as English (Lead aside for the moment) but sometimes it changes the whole feel of the song.

I tell you, I am a veritable fount of awkwardly expressed questions about harmony. Some styles are very predictable... like bluegrass harmonies. Some are lush, like the Four Freshmen and the Beach Boys. Some are just plain clunky, like some of the old folk and early country recordings of the twenties.

So, IS there an "English" harmony pattern, and does it really only go back to the 60's? And why do some Amurican folk singers co-opt the harmonies to make American songs sound "English."

I got the questions, who's got the answers?

This is an Amurican thread, Martin..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Peace
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:12 PM

Well, won't involve ME then.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Peace
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:17 PM

It was a compulsion. I HAD to do that.

Jerry, one of the things that we all take for granted is that geography is geography. North America is BIG. In England and other parts of the UK and Europe, one can walk to the next town in 45 minutes. There are parts of North America where the next town is a flight away, or a three hour drive. It ain't 45 minute walk--it's a ten day walk if the weather's good. Distance is a factor, and I think that can help explain the 'regionality' of much North American music. I think if some OZ 'catters respond to this that we may find out it's a little like that there, too.

Bruce M

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:19 PM

You got that, brucie. I would think that Canadian folkies feel lonelier than a love-sick moose up your way. Same principles apply as do down here. Folks ain't just down the road around here.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Peace
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:32 PM

Sorry about not addressing the harmony thing, Jerry.

I have had the good fortune to sing with some UK people in the past--when I was working as a musician--and I found their harmonies to 'ring' of their traditional songs, which seemed to be very structured and very beautiful. I have to admit that I love Irish music because of the haunting melodies which seem to prevail throughout Irish music. (Every time I listen to "Maggie" I get tears in my eyes because of the sheer beauty of the song.) I mean NO disrespect to UKers from other parts of the Isles. There are songs and melodies from there also that can get me in tears or smile just from the beauty of the melodies, let alone the words: Barbara Allen or Wild Mountain Thyme (Time). I find the harmonies laid on by UKers to be more sustained; North Americans tend to move the harmony lines around a bit more. That, I think, makes a difference. Too, the use of third or fifth harmonies will change the 'sound' of a song, and maybe that too comes into play.

I hope lotsa folks from all over write to this thread because you have asked a gang-load of really neat questions. To quote something I saw in the chat, "Good on yer." (I hope that's a nice thing to say.)

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Peace
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:36 PM

Ya know, if I just slowed down . . . .

An Amurican song that can do that to me--the tears thing--is Shenandoah. Just thought I'd better mention that.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 10:57 PM

G'day Jerry,

I saw Martin Gibson's rather petulant serve ... and skimmed down the threads (not including BS): there were just about 20 that were addressed to songs / singers in or of America. (Well, I might have included one Canadian song ... it all being "North America" ...!)

I presume the originators of these threads did not vote with MG?

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Nov 04 - 11:00 PM

Brucie, I hope that your Wild Mountain Thyme with Barbara Allen was enjoyed by both of you.

Jerry, I think that you're correct in your statements about distance. Some harmonies and whole songs could have been brought from the Old Sod and remained in near isolation until very recent times. Their evolutions, perhaps even to the point where their original identity was lost, could easily have been undocumented and unremembered. Some areas of Appalachia, of the Ozarks, of the American West and still well off the Interstates.

To give the UKers and others a sense of the size of the US, when I moved from the area of Cincinnati, Ohio (a hard ten hours driving from Washington, DC) to Pocatello, Idaho it took me three long days of driving plus another three hours.

The nearest bookstore of any size (apart from the one at the University) is fifty miles away, and I live in a town of 53,000 people. The county in which I live covers 1,148 square miles, or (I think) 2,589,988+ hectares, a good portion of it mountains (the city is at 4,400 feet). This is about the size of the state of Rhode Island -- and in all Idaho there are 1,200,000 people (there are about 1,000,000 in Rhode Island) -- there's a lot of empty here. Folks here think nothing of driving the 250 miles to Boise to go shopping, and then turn around and drive back in the same day.

What surprises me is the fact that so many songs and melodies spread as they did back when transportation was by boat, horse, or foot. I'd like to see a study on the diffusion of a song or melody during the early 19th Century!

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: jonm
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 03:53 AM

Early English folk song collectors were primarily concerned with the lyrics and the melody line (bear in mind you are transcribing a song by hand, probably in a pub, in the days before any portable recording equipment). As a result, Sharp, Vaughan Williams et al would take a singer to one side to collect the song. Any harmonies were not collected, but harmony singing has been noted in many cases.

The Copper family have been passing their style of harmony singing down generations long before the 60's, however, it was only in the late 50's and early 60's that such harmony singing was actually recorded.

The English style of harmony singing tends to place the harmonies a third or fifth above the melody (or an octave below that) i.e. most of the full-harmony sounds are made from the accompanying chords appropriate to the melody. You tend to sing melodies a fixed interval above or below the lead melody, modifying that where it doesn't sound the correct chord by a drone note or changing the line.

The American harmony style, as far as I can tell from this side of the pond, is much freer. Just as so many American "traditional" songs appear to have evolved with accompaniment in mind, so the sung harmonies have more passing notes, almost parallel melodies at times, and involve notes from relative minor or seventh chords.

My tuppence.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 04:09 AM

I am not that knowledgeable about American folk - not as much as I'd like to - but would "barbershop" not be included? It is in my book. And if so, there is a wealth of American-style harmonies there, that most Brits - and anyone else - would find hard to reproduce. Full of 7ths and 9ths, nicely irreverent towards accepted harmony "rules", and a joy to listen to.

Now, what are the influences in barbershop? Is it jazz? That would explain the characteristic differences with UK harmonies.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: alanabit
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 04:18 AM

Geography has to be a factor. I am also moved to speculate on the influence of church singing on folk music - and indeed the reverse. I think that in the UK simple harmonies and descants (sometimes contrapunctal) were used in churches. We were probably less diverse in our church culture than the Americans and there are good reasons for that. The Americans had whole ethnic communities settling together in certain areas. They naturally enough brought in their own folk music and worship music. This did not assimilate immediately, but when it did, whole new styles emerged, gospel being the most obvious example.
I wonder if in the UK, our folk music is more closely related to sacred music. That would at least explain why our harmony seems to be less sophisticated. I am only guessing though. Bring on Greg Stephens and the other more knowledgeable Mudcatters!

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: greg stephens
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 04:22 AM

I dont think the Coppers sang in parallel harmonies a third apart from the melody very much. I would have thought that was more of a bluegrass/oldtime activity. Fifths were popular with the Coppers for held notes...and they even occasionally used the dreaded,and banned(in classical circles) parallel fifths. But singing in parallel was not their distictive feature....I think they were more masters of voices going in different directions, where possible.
   I'm afraid I dont have the technolgy to go into this seriously,,,,what I need to be able to do is to play little passages of music and also display the dots, and I cant do either!
    An important thing to consider in discussing different harmonic styles is the timbre of voices, which can be just as important as the actual notes. If the Coppers ung a song transcribed from a bluegrass group(they'd have to drop the key a bit), I think yoiu'd find it would come out sounding like the Coppers!

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Bassic
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 04:35 AM

Alanabit, I would agree. Church music was very closely linked with the non secular traditional music in the past in the UK. Just look at how many hymn tunes were origianlly folk or traditional melodys. It seems impossible that the harmony singing in church on Sunday wouldnt spill over to the parlour and the pub during the rest of the week! I would suggest that a fairly acurate image of the harmony singing in English Traditional music pre 1900, is actually recorded in hymnals of the time.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Bassic
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 04:42 AM

Another thought........springing from the influence of church music on English traditional music. What influence did J.S. Bach have on English Traditional Music of the 18th and 19th C?.......discuss!!!! ;-)

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Bassic
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 04:43 AM

Ooops! Sorry Martin..........I forgot......this is an American thread isnt it.........I`l get me coat..........

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:23 AM

No, no, no, bassic: This is not an American thread.. I just titled it that way humorously. I really do want to hear about all kinds of harmonies.

Over here, black churches have had a lot of influence on harmony singing.. not just in rhythm and blues and soul and hip hop, but even in country music. I just finished reading a wonderful book on the blues and spirituals. In terms of subject matter, the blues, folk, spirituals and gospel are often about the hard times and suffering we all share in our daily lives. Most of the music is from poor folks, in hard times.

By all means, talk about harmony, whatever the country of origin.
(We can still count this as an Anerican thread, though...)


Jerry

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:44 AM

many thanks for this thread..
its a real help for me..
i can recognise the different types of harmony
when i hear them..
but due to absence of any formal musical education,
dont have the theoretical/technical toolbox
to understand how they're constructed and applied..

something i realy enjoy in american folk,
as opposed to my 'isolationist' small island english indiginous music,
is the additional influence of 19th century east european and jewish migrant traditional music,
adding extra mournfullness and soul to the plaitive droning
harmonic structure that i love about the minor chord
songs fron UK that were arriving in america at the same period
in history..
maybe often on the same ships,
..different european cultures hearing each others songs on the long
fearful voyage across the atlantic..

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:55 AM

Let's not forget the influence of lining and shaped notes on American church music, especially in rural areas. There is ample evidence here that hymns and church music were sung in the fields and in the homes while going about the daily work - and not only in one area or by one ethinicity.

Music wells up, I think, from within the human soul and is used to express many things: joy, pain, despair, continuity, even rapture. If your primary musical exposure is to church songs, you'll sing church songs. If that church song was set to the music of JS Bach, some ethnomusicologist will have a wonderful time making a discovery.

Perhaps folk music only exists to keep ethnomusicologists employed. Hmmmm....

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Hrothgar
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 10:03 AM

Singing all day, and dinner in the grounds ...

This (gospel music) is the facet of US folk music that I most want to experience. From what I have heard, it has developed from English origins (it's in English, after all), but became a separate identity a long time ago. American harmony at its best!

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 11:09 AM

Hey, Hrothgar:

Depends on what kind of gospel music you're talking about. White Southern gospel certainly came from English roots, but black gospel
definitely doesn't... and has noticeably different harmonies. (Even though it is in English, too...)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: PoppaGator
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 01:56 PM

Jerry and others have touched on what I think is the key to *many* differences between American and European folksong -- the African influence.

The combination of African and European influences is a hugely important characteristic of all indigenous American music -- jazz and blues most obviously, of course, but country and just about everything elsed as well. But the contributions of MANY different cultures have all impacted American music; Eastern European Jewry, as noted above, is one major influence among many others.

Each European nation has long had its own well-defined musical culture, and even in this age of worldwide communication, people are still probably somewhat set in their ways when it comes to something like singing in harmony. Here in the US, we've all been exposed to a wider variety of approaches for generations. Even someone who is white may very likely be strongly influenced by black musical idioms, someone who is Irish Catholic can feel at home singing or playing Jewish Klezmer music, or gypsy jazz, or whatever.

Not to say that such versatility can't happen on the other side of the ocean -- I would contend only that the US has a longer and more pervasive tradition of eclecticism, and harmony-singing style is part of it.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 02:02 PM

I always doubt the validity of statements like 'Harmony didn't exist until...' or 'They didn't sing it like this before...' Why on earth not? If it sounds good now, it always sounded good. If it always sounded good, people always did it.

Just my view.

DtG

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Once Famous
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 02:07 PM

No one seems to be mentioning the tight knit brother harmonies made famous by brother acts like the Blue Sky Boys, Delmore Bros, Jim & Jesse, Louvins, etc.

these smooth family harmonies make up the core of bluegrass music vocalizations.

And Bob bolten, you are right. I did vote for the winner while most here didn't. :.>

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: PoppaGator
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 06:26 PM

Members of the same family do seem to be able to make especially wonderful harmonies -- Carters, Everleys, Wilsons (Beach Boys), other Wilsons (Heart), Clannahd [sp?], Coors. Who can name some more?

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 06:40 PM

The Osmond Brothers????

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 15 Nov 04 - 06:59 PM

I suspect (which means I have no evidence to speak of, much less proof) that in English church music only the designated choir would have sung in harmony. The congregation would have sung in unison (ish). I have certainly been squinted at for trying to sing 3rds and 5ths in the Dec 24 carol service, a little while after I had my inoculation for organised religion (I was a lot younger and more gullible then) and of course it is a modern English tradition (if that is quite the word) to arrive at that carol service well euphoric having been at the pub enjoying a different sacrament for several hours...

I think I remember it being postulated that (European) organised religion anathemised harmony during the plainsong period.

We may therefore perhaps (= a huge leap in the dark) hypothesise that US harmony singing is not based on European sacred music, and also that English harmony singing would have been improvised rather than formalised.

The African tradition however seems to involve harmony chant, where the European tradition did not. Lloyd asserts that the shanty was traditionally not sung in harmony save by negro crews.

In consequence, the tradition of harmony may perhaps have first arrived in the USA via slavery, hence from the same roots as much blues and jazz. If this is right we would see the 6th, 7th and 9th in use in American harmony, but the 3rd and (later) 5th from later (relatively) innovations in sacred music, and the contrapuntal structure (likewise) in English usage from familiarity.

It seems to me that this is what I hear.

Also, it may be worth pointing out, that there is less need to write up American Harmony at this date, because it is preserved in the almost all pervasive country/newcountry/C+W usages that seem inclined to displace not only English fok but also the innovations of English pop/rock (60s/70s) with a more homogenised sound - the cultural imperialism of the USA that extended even to the choices of music used in brainwashing in Guantanamo Bay and other places.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: GLoux
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 12:01 PM

Who can name some more?

Bill and Charlie Monroe (The Monroe Brothers)
Sam and Kirk McGee (The McGee Brothers)
Alton and Rabon Delmore (The Delmore Brothers)
Ira and Charlie Louvin (The Louvin Brothers)
Bill and Earl Bolick (The Blue Sky Boys)
Carter and Ralph Stanley (The Stanley Brothers)

-Greg

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 03:54 PM

Tim and Molly O'Brian, The Roches, the McGarigles (sp?)...

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Once Famous
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 04:08 PM

Phil and Don Everly

Jim & Jesse McReynolds

the Osborne Brothers

Johnny and Jack

The Wilburn Brothers

Seeing as that Yorkshire Yankee has not made this list exclusive to brothers:

Naomi and Winona Judd

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: GUEST,greg stephens
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 04:12 PM

Have the Watersons and Coppers been mentioned in the family harmony category yet?

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Janie
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 04:30 PM

Let's not forget the Sister groups either! Badgett's, Andrews, Lennon, Annie & Janie *grin*....

Janie

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 04:53 PM

Every time I see the title of this thread in the list of threads, I think to myself, some day someone's going to want to search for this thread using the thread title, and they're not going to be able to remember Jerry's tongue-in-cheek way of spelling "American". Someone might want to have a clone change the spelling in the title just to help people who might want to find it in the future.

I know these guys aren't folk, but for vocal harmonies in North America, my favorites are The Starland Vocal Band. The McGiggle sisters come second.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: PoppaGator
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 05:19 PM

More sibling harmonizers, both from New Orleans: Neville Brothers and Boswell Sisters.

The Nevilles are black and contemporary; the Boswells were white and date back to, I think, the 1930s. They were copied very closely by the Andrews Sisters, who have since become much better known, and are usually identified with the style pioneered by the Boswells.

Two of the three Boswells quit to get married, breaking up the group and shortening their career. One sister, Connie, continued to sing for a living, fronting swing orchestras ("big bands").

Of course, I'm sure there are still many more family harmony-singing groups remaining to be mentioned.

A note to Richard Bridge -- I wouldn't blame "US cultural imperialism" for stealing the style of English pop bands of the 60s/70s. Those bands had appropriated American rhythm and blues in the first place, so turnabout has to be recognized, in this instance, as fair play -- no?

Of course, the young Brits did a commendable job of resurrecting and developing some excellent music that had been abandoned by the American pop-music industry at a time when they had begun to groom pretty-boy teen idols instead of musicians. The Beatles created their sound from a combination of rockabilly, Everley-Brothers style balladry, and Motown girl-group harmonies, and the Stones covered
some wonderful R&B tunes that had remained largely unknown to white America (e.g., Irma Thomas's "Time Is On My Side," Shine Robinson's "Down Home Girl").

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Peace
Date: 16 Nov 04 - 06:56 PM

The Family Brown

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 01:42 PM

No PoppaGator, I didn't say what you say I said.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: PoppaGator
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 02:44 PM

Sorry about that, Richard -- upon closer reading, I see that you indeed used the words "cultural imperialism" in the second clause of tht sentence, not in the first part where you mention the "British invasion" pop groups. I'm not trying to be a wiseass -- just making excuses as to how and why I misinterpreted your statement.

Apology aside, I think that the cross-cultural phenomena that we both touched upon might make any discussion of "Amurican" harmony (versus any other "national" style) a bit problmatic -- but still interesting, of course!

PS -- I don't like that pop-country influence any more than you do, by the way.

I'm fortunate enough to live in New Orleans, a town with its own very unique local music scene, longstanding musical traditions, and wonderful community radio station -- so I can remain *completely* tuned out of all the various stupid American mass-market musical genres.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 04:27 PM

Leave "Amurican" alone, I'd say. Surely anyone looking for it would be more likely to look under "harmony" anyway?
............................................

A lot of the harmonies that crop up when people from England are singing aren't so much intentional harmonies, they are very much self-taught - when you come to a note that's too high or too low to reach, you stick in a note you can reach, that sounds ok. It might be an octave down or up, or it might be note in between that just sounds right.

Then once you start doing that, and enjoying the sound, you find yourself looking for an empty space in a song you are joining in with. I mean, you find a note which isn't being used by the others, and see if that sounds good. And in time you get to have a feeling which notes it is that might sound good.

I'm pretty sure that's how it works most of the time in folk circles. In addition there are those who do study the theory, and then they have workshops at festivals and pass it on, and I suspect ideas spread by a process of osmosis.

There are traditions going back a long way which are more into planned arrangements and harmony, and it tends to be related to religion, though ordinary hymn singing by congregations in most churches do not involve many, if any, harmonies. There is the Sheffield and Derby Pub Carol tradition, and there is West Gallery Singing. And that has links across the Atlantic with analogous traditions, including Sacred Harp. And you can't get much more Amurican than that!

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Burke
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 06:24 PM

The Singing School movement of the 18th century was trans-Atlantic. One of its principle aims was to have everyone singing 'by note' not 'by rote.' It was mostly for church music, but there are secular works that pop up, such as Billings' Chester. There was also a felt need (whether justified or not) for more tunes. The music was almost always written in 3 or 4 parts.

In UK the music of this tradition is often called West Gallery. There was surely some mutual influence between it & the pub carol singing traditions. It seems to have become choir (quire) dominated fairly quickly.

In the US the New England tunesmiths gave rise to the Shape Note traditions that have kept it out of the hands of the choir. The 'all day singing' of the 7 shape Gospel Songster, Stamps/Baxter style did become more oriented toward quartets, but more in the 20th century.

The harmonic structure of the 18th century music fell out of favor under the influence of German music theory.

In the US, the practice of everyone in church using a hymnal with a close score in 4 parts, means that anyone can start trying harmonies out if they so desire. I noticed in England, that most churches use hymn books without music. This means only your choirs get any guidance in how the harmonies go. There are sectors of thought in regard to hymns that the singing should be in unison. I think Vaughn Williams may have advocated that practice. There are often organ accompaniments that are deliberatly written to obstruct harmony singing.

Hrothgar, where are you? I might be able to point out some all day singing. There's nothing quite like singing 80-90 tunes in a day.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 10:12 PM

McGrath of Harlow, the "process" (for lack of a better word) of singing harmony you've described is precisely how I do it – and I grew up in "Amurica". I was never "taught" how to sing harmony; I just used to hear my Dad singing in harmony and wished I could do it too. Eventually I tried to do it myself and it seemed to work. Hmmm... does that mean I don't sing "Amurican" harmony? I bet I ain't the only Amurican who sings harmony that way...

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Nov 04 - 10:51 PM

Let's not forget the Chenille Sisters!

But there's still another source for harmony that hasn't been mentioned: work songs. Coonjine, railroad, chain gangs, chanteys -- they all contributed. While their roots might be in religious, art, or other sources, they evolved into harmonies in their own right. And a stomp-and-go chantey is more akin to something like "Make Me Mean" than to a congragation lining out a song.

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 12:18 AM

You got that right, Kevin: When we work out harmonies in my quartet, we just find out what works within our own range. We have a bass, two baritones and a second tenor, so our harmonies are of necessity, farily tight, except when someone sings in falsetto. There are some songs where, within the song Frankie and I (we're both baritones) switch back and forth between a baritone and a second tenor harmony, while our second tenor has to move up to first tenor. The switches are necessitated as different singers sing verses as the "lead,: causing everyone buy the bass to shift around. None of us read music all that comfortably, or have any understanding of chord theory. We do what we can, that sounds best to our ears.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 07:44 PM

Don't know if this has already been addressed: have had occasion to listen to several choruses doing BALKAN music. There is harmony that will straighten a slumped backbone. You must perforce sit up in your seat, if not sit forward trying to lean into the music. And your eyes get big and someone has to poke you and remind you to breathe. If I had technical grasp of what it is, I'd have it in my church choir -- at least sometimes.

And the guys who do "The Rolling Mills of New Joisey" get some strong harmony going. Some more eye-opening, back-straightening sounds.    Tw

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 09:40 PM

Rapaire, you were joking about the Chenille Sisters, yes?

Subject: RE: Amurican Harmony
From: Burke
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 07:12 PM

Chenille Sisters, they are lots of fun.