RE: Psalm 133 and The Battle Hymn of the Republic

[BarMusProd <BarMusProd...>]

Dear Friends: 
In a message dated 9/17/99 8:36:52 AM, taxrelief (at) bitstorm(dot)net writes:

>the original tune is John Brown's Body.....Lays amolding in the grave!
>

In response to:

>
>-----Original Message-----
>

>
>Subject: Psalm 133 and The Battle Hymn of the Republic
>
>
>
>
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>I have a co-worker (Chris) who claims that when he was in France in 1976
>a
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>Sephardi Rabbi chanted psalm 133 for him (Shir hama'alot- hinei ma tov
>uma
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>naim shevet achim gam yachad etc.) with a tune which was related to 'The
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>Battle Hymn of the Republic'. Chris would like to track this tune down,
>if
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>possible. Does this ring a bell for anybody, or is somebody just whistling
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>'Dixie'?
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>                            Thanks,
>
>                            EK
>

Well, I have no idea about the answer to the "real" question being asked 
above. But taxrelief (at) bitstorm(dot)net's information about Battle Hymn is 
not 
quite right. I recommend anyone who wants to learn about the fascinating 
origins of some of our most favorite (and unfavorite) pieces of music get the 
Dover reprint of James J. Fuld's terrific book _The Book of World Famous 
Music: Classical, Popular and Folk_.

There is a very complete history of this tune and I am too lazy to type in 
four pages of information. But I do want to correct two things: the oldest 
(and perhaps, the original) title of what we now call "Battle Hymn of the 
Republic" is "Say, Brothers, Will You Meet Us?" going back to 1857. "John 
Brown" (not "John Brown's Body", and he lies "a-moulDERing" in the grave, by 
the way) appeared and was copywritten in 1861, after Fort Sumter was 
attacked. And the John Brown referred to in the song was not the famous 
abolitionist, but a sergeant at Fort Warren.

But don't take my word for it?check out Fuld.

Best wishes,
Steve

Steve Barnett
Composer/Arranger/Producer
Barnett Music Productions
BarMusProd (at) aol(dot)com 

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