Sacred Harp

I was first introduced to the Sacred Harp last year when I was in choir. The Chamber Choir sang two different hymns, and the power of the songs gave me chills. For those who don't know what Sacred Harp is, Wikipedia describes it as:

The Sacred Harp is a tunebook of sacred choral music, written using the 4-note shape note system, which originated from the Deep South region of the United States in the 19th century.

Sacred Harp groups always sing a cappella, that is to say, without accompanying instruments. The singers arrange themselves in a hollow square, with rows of chairs or pews on each side assigned to each of the four parts: treble, alto, tenor, andbass. The treble and tenor sections are usually mixed, with men and women singing the notes an octave apart.

There is no single leader or conductor; rather, the participants take turns in leading. The leader for a particular round selects a song from the book, and "calls" it by its page number. Leading is done in an open-palm style, standing in the middle of the square facing the tenors (see: Leading Sacred Harp music).

The pitch at which the music is sung is relative; there is no instrument to give the singers a starting point. The leader, or else some particular singer assigned to the task, finds a good pitch with which to begin and intones it to the group (see: Pitching Sacred Harp music). The singers reply with the opening notes of their own parts, and then the song begins immediately.

The music is usually sung not literally as it is printed in the book, but with certain deviations established by custom; see: How Sacred Harp music is sung.

As the name implies, Sacred Harp music is sacred (Protestant Christian) music. Many of the songs in the book are hymns that use words, meters, and stanzaic forms familiar from elsewhere in Protestant hymnody. However, Sacred Harp songs are quite different from "mainstream" Protestant hymns in their musical style: they are often polyphonic in texture, and the harmony tends to deemphasize the interval of the third in favor of fourths and fifths. In their melodies, the songs often use the pentatonic scale or similar "gapped" (fewer than seven-note) scales.

In their musical form, Sacred Harp songs fall into three basic types. Many are ordinary hymn tunes, mostly composed in four-bar phrases and sung in multiple verses. Fuguing tunes contain a prominent passage about 1/3 of the way through in which each of the four choral parts enters in succession, in a way resembling a fugue. Anthems are longer songs, less regular in form, that are sung through just once rather than in multiple verses

It's so beautiful. Here are some videos of classic style Sacred Harp singers

Sacred Harp 159 Wondrous Love

Sacred Harp 146 Hallelujah, verses from Amazing Grace

Other links to really awesome Sacred Harp hymns:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDTVGwHl7gk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sxW7yTu53M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrlNN7ftYpk

What powerful music. I was thinking of maybe starting a Sacred Harp group in Nevada City... If you live here, would you be interested?

Two Thumbs Up for Work

Last night I basically worked with the best crew ever at work, but before that...

First, I thought i might as well bring up the fact that almost every night, after i brush my teeth, I crave ice cold water. I don't know what it is, but I will seriously have to drink 2 full glasses of ice water until I am completely satisfied. Random fact of the day =]

Moving on. I work at a sushi restaurant I'm not sure how long it's been around, like 10 years I think? It was one of the first sushi restaurants in my town so it is very popular in Nevada County and well known. Last night a lady came in and was like "I'm from San Francisco and my daughter said that this is the best sushi she's ever had in her life." So that's pretty cool! Working there, I'm like a popular kid! But that's beside the point. 

Last night I got to work with my favorite girls! Nikki and Sarah were the two waitresses, and they are both pregnant right now. Nikki is 6 months pregnant this week, and is getting pretty big! It's so lovely to see pregnant women just glowing because of it. They look even more beautiful than before! I also got to work with my friends Maiya and Alex, who are totally awesome and whenever I work with them, the time just totally flies by because we have so much fun!

One of the funniest parts of the night, besides a guy who came in that totally looked like a guy from a video game (picture a guy with SUPER long hair in a pony tail, and a black leather trench coat, with a really deep voice. He probably had war hammer weapons in his jacket or something. It was so silly!), was when I was clearing a table next to this party of 2 adults and 5 kids. The boys were talking about their favorite foods and this kid, in a very proud voice, says, "The only thing I eat is sushi!... Or lasagna!" 

Then they started talking about what they are allergic to. One started off saying, "I'm allergic to nuts" and then came the snowball effect that turned into all of them saying anything from, "I'm allergic to bracelets" to "I'm allergic to water!" I don't really know how you could 1 up anyone in that game. 

While I finished setting the table (I was still hung over the video game man) I started thinking, are zombies allergic to anything? Just a thought...

Vlog... Ooh Kitty!

Guys... I just bought a webcam! This is awesome!

See my A.D.D. in all its glory!

So maybe the whole vlogging thing didn't work out..

These are pretty cool!

So i probably will never post a vlog because I can't handle the concentration. But I just wanted to share the excitement of my new webcam! I hope this made you smile hahah =]

Buddy the Elf, What's Your Favorite Color?

I am a total fan of the Christmas season. So much that I will play Christmas music year round... And many of my friends are bothered by it.. One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time HAS to be Elf. Seriously one of the funniest, most joyful and innocent films ever, that brightens my days.


Will Ferrell stars at the ever joyful Buddy the Elf, who was raised by Santa and his elves in the North Pole after crawling into Santa's bag as an infant. When Buddy finds out that he is a human, and his father lives in New York City, he goes on his quest to find him, so they can make gingerbread houses and hold hands and ice skate. He goes on tons of adventures while he's there, and meets Jovie, played by Zooey Deschanel (who I looove!). I would explain the whole movie... But it's so much better just to watch it.
Who can resist beautiful voices?? Seriously, best Christmas movie ever! Zooey Deschanel is so amazing!


Every scene is just SOOO hilarious! I don't even know what to write here, because it's too good to put in my own words.

So, this Christmas when you're at Blockbuster and thinking, "What amazing movie should I buy or rent that would be good for the whole family, yet still utterly hilarious and enchanting, that brings Christmas cheer to the nation?" Elf is the answer. Just sayin'.

Portraits

Portraits! Yay! I love taking photos of friends, or little self-portraits to try out different editing techniques. Here are a few for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
























More to come!

Ode to Choir

Throughout my years in the Nevada Union Choir, I have listened to and sung MANY choral pieces. I have learned to appreciate choral music more than any other style. A few songs that I have heard, and a few that we in Chamber choir sang, have become some of my favorite songs I have ever heard, not only because of the way the music sounds, but of the poems they are written with. Here are a few videos of choirs singing my favorite songs and the poems they originated from.

Stars I Shall Find

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZyUilkFDIU

There Will Be Rest
by Sara Teasdale

There will be rest, and sure stars shining
Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,
A reign of rest, serene forgetting,
The music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising
Out of a dream in my lonely mind,
I shall find the crystal of peace, – above me
Stars I shall find.

Autumn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO_OUSGRkHo

Autumn
by Rainer Maria Rilke (tr. Edward Snow)

The leaves are falling, falling as if from far off,
as if in the heavens distant gardens had withered:
they fall with gestures that say “no.”

And in the night the heavy earth falls
from all the stars into loneliness.
We are falling. This hand is falling.
And look at the others: it is in them all.

And yet there is One who holds this falling
with infinite softness in his hands.

Agnus Dei

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvT03pxhe58

"Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, misere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, misere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem."

(Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace.)

I Am Not Yours

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp6raJAbkzA

I am not yours, not lost in you,
Not lost, although I long to be
Lost as a candle lit at noon,
Lost as a snowflake in the sea.

You love me, and I find you still
A spirit beautiful and bright,
Yet I am I, who long to be
Lost as a light is lost in light.

Oh plunge me deep in love - put out
My senses, leave me deaf and blind,
Swept by the tempest of your love,
A taper in a rushing wind.

Go, Lovely Rose

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ7KAL3qKsI

Go, lovely Rose- Tell her that wastes her time and me,    
That now she knows, When I resemble her to thee,
How sweet and fair she seems to be.     
Tell her that's young, And shuns to have her graces spied,   
That hadst thou sprung In deserts where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.     
Small is the worth Of beauty from the light retired:   
Bid her come forth, Suffer herself to be desired,
And not blush so to be admired.     
Then die-that she The common fate of all things rare    
May read in thee; How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!  

Love Letter

Dear reader,
No Shave November. Do It.

This is the month where you can just throw away that razor or tuck it away in the back of the cupboard, and you and I both can enjoy your wonderful facial hair for an entire 30 days. Tempting? Please consider.
Love Always,
Alexandra

On Politics

This is probably the only politic related blog I will ever post, but I just had to get it off my chest.
It is amazing to me that our country, the United States of say-too-much, can be swayed by something as little as single words. Change and Hope now automatically mean Obama. The middle name Hussein can change a person's vote. The fact that someone is a senior citizen means they shouldn't be president. Yet all of these insignificant things make such a difference in people's decisions on November 4th.
I'm not writing this to try and prove one presidential candidate is better than the other, who is correct in what matter, but rather just throwing it out there that this decision on who is going to lead our country for the next 4 to 8 years is more important than a music video with celebrities in it, or a slogan consisting of one word. I am saying this because I have yet to meet anyone my age with a legitimate reason for why they are voting for Obama. I guess they mean what they say when it is a "popular vote."
Now you can prove me wrong in the comment box below, but I just wanted to make it clear that I personally am not going to vote tomorrow on who i find the most physically appealling, and things like black or white, bald or a head full of hair, is not going to sway my decision. I am not going to place my vote because of how much positive feedback a video on YouTube got.
It has taken me up to today to figure out who I will be voting for on election day.. and I am proud to say I am not voting ignorantly about it like most first time voters are doing. I am not endorsing any candidate here, I am just urging you to vote for who you want to, not Scarlett Johansson. Vote wisely, and don't complain about who wins.