Gaelic Psalm singing

Gaelic Psalm singing

[@josephr.gainey2079]

0:43. How wonderful to see a younger man singing this music!!!!!!! That means there IS HOPE that this beautiful music has a chance of surviving in the future. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JM-gu3tx]

I love how they honor the Lord by wearing their Sunday best. Pure class. These are people of culture.

[@wmnoffaith1]

I know. Me too. I remember as a child wearing a hat and gloves to church, and my mother as well. I miss those hats and gloves. Nice to hear the Psalms being sung. They used to be sung in morning prayer. That was before worship leaders, drums, power point screen with lyrics in church. We knew the lyrics. It was a great way to learn the Psalms and very beautiful

[@marriage4life893]

So beautiful. They still practice the tradition of men and women covering and uncovering their heads. Lovely. Bless them.

[@Eva-ik2ik]

Adore this...and have listened to Alleluia on BBC Alba with glorious singing....more please ....its so old so spiritual and so very wonderful....so anxiebt and uplifting....,

[@darvon15]

This is how my grandparent worshiped, listen to the haunting music. Remember not all could read, and this was the only way give thanks for what little they had and they had to go to Church on a Sunday TWICE. These were communities who were strickly governed by the Laird& Church.

[@dellamaejohnston9711]

This is music that is meant to be SUNG not necessarily to be LISTENED TO by an audience. It is an amazingly moving experience to sing with a group of others, each singing the line as it moves him/her. It can feel as though one is merely a vessel for the spirit of the song, as if the music is simply pouring through you, not as if you're creating the sound so much as if it is being manifest within in you and issuing forth. Withhold judgment and categorization and just listen with an open heart.

[@nikkid2670]

That's beautiful and eloquently put. I have had that feeling a precious few times, I wish it came around more often.

[@johnnyecho]

I’m listening carefully to this beautiful singing

[@pamclarke699]

A friend and I went there one Sunday, it completly changed his life....I myself got such peace and spiritual grace, thank you Lewis.....

[@mindsnacks630]

Reminds me of the singing I heard as a young boy at my fathers knee on Sunday morning service in the Reinland Church on the Swift Current Colony Chihuahua, Mexico (Dutch Mennonite). The Old Colony Church in North and Latin America uses the same style. There are notable differences. In those Mennonite churches the song leader doesn't sing the verse first, but sings the last syllables of the verse by himself adding "en" in the same drawn out form. Singing is done in older form of standard German out of song books written in Gothic script. It is my understanding many of the songs were written by Mennonite martyrs. I always wondered where the singing style came from, must have been adopted from the early Protestant singing and survived in Russia alongside Orthodox liturgical singing. It speaks directly to the soul. Love it!

[@W8OKN]

Wonderful to hear. As a Covenanter, and Presbyterian, I find hearing this to be very beautiful and a wonderful praise. Thank you for sharing.

[@Fronika]

This is beautiful. I hope it never dies out.

[@WhitePoppy1]

Thine Word have I hid in my heart that I might sing in remembrance of You.

[@george_taylor]

My grandmother (my mother was from Isla of Lewis) always listened to these services on the radio so I grew up listening to them. It wasn't until her death when I was an adult that I stood in a congregation at her funeral and heard it "live". Made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. It has an incredible spiritual power that, until then, I'd never appreciated. Haunting even.

[@queenofbuttercream]

this sounds like the church I grew up in in North Carolina... and I'm a black woman... I completely feel it...

[@tracyhaines2780]

I have many relatives in NC, in the mountains. The sound is familiar

[@Lawofkings]

queenofbuttercream that's interesting :) There's a growing theory that "black" gospel music actually has roots from the Scottish psalm signing of the slave owners.

[@danielcrocker3902]

Many Scotts settled in the Carolinas. I bet that's the connection!

[@JM-gu3tx]

We should do everything possible to bring this back. It is a sublime treasure.

[@impalamama7302]

Scots, Ulster Scots (or Scots-Irish), and Welsh settled in the foothills and Mts of Appalachia, Goggle "The Great Wagon Road"......It was really not heard of much but the Cherokee Indians and the Highland Scots had soooo much in common they freely intermingeld and married. Camp Meetings were VERY big deals as far back as the 1790's and white, black, Indians, EVERYBODY came who could get there. "Shaped note Singing" was popular all over the South back in the early part of the 20th century,and it basically based on Gaelic harmonies. My granny was born in 1894 and I still have some of her shaped note books that she had from when singers who traveled around having classes and you bought the book for a nominal price. Johnny Cash learned chords from "Shaped Note" music!

[@miriammanning9860]

Awesome, POWERFUL, like balm for my soul. Thanks for sharing

[@TheAnn2shoes]

I had the privilege of attending a service in Lewis where they stood up to pray and sat down to sing (or psalm). A very moving experience.

[@stevehiscox1473]

Absolutely beautiful and extremely moving. Something about this reminds me of 'deep calls to deep ' I'm, these days drawn more to deeper ways to worship as this.

[@martinroehricht6162]

Only loving you god 🙏 heart and soul ,no bigots in that church of god ,bless them all xx

[@CleansingtheDamned]

This is one of the most inspiring forms of music I have ever heard. Simply amazing.

[@laurawestenra]

whoa--this sounds exactly how baptists in North Carolina sing psalms---makes sense since there was a Scottish migration there.

[@tracyhaines2780]

I agree

[@queenofbuttercream]

Exactly

[@JM-gu3tx]

Over thon thonner many Scottish immigrants spoke Scots Gaelic. Back in those days many Scots didn't even speak English back in Scotland.

[@matlachlannmacgregor-macle8735]

It wasn’t exactly a migration...

[@voiceharp]

Thanks so much for sharing this. We lost the Gaelic in my families generations ago in North Carolina. There are elements of our singing that survive, however.

[@hollynonya6991]

NC Slaves spoke in Galeic !

[@ThatLadyBird]

Crazy, the scotts brought this style of singing to America hundreds of yrs ago and theres still churches that do this presenter-response style of hymns to this day here in the south. My grandparents called it call and respond but the melodies havent changed a single bit.

[@Lorrico14]

*Scots

[@michaelgreen4183]

As a descendant of Scottish and Scots-Irish Covenanters, I remember hearing music just like this as a child.

[@otisfugate6536]

We call it Old Regular Baptist singing here in Kentucky. I love it!!!

[@philhoward490]

My ancestry is from southeast ky . I was thinking it sounds familiar too.

[@JM-gu3tx]

Notice how they have enough sense to sit down when singing? Standing up is so tiring, especially for older people. Many American and English churches haven't figured this out yet.

[@PUAlum]

haunting. Reminds me of native American singing.

[@bobrobertson9547]

PUAlum You are absolutely correct my friend. In fact, the harmonies are the same and a Scottish Professor has researched the subject and came to the conclusion that Scots must have traveled to America long before we thought, trading and sharing cultures. The chances of them coming up with the same melodies and methodology is astronomical. You've noticed it also. I applaud you. You are obviously someone of remarkable intelligence.

[@kjw6383]

I live in tulsa oklahoma. This style of singing is the style in creek seminole churches. It is very unique. There is a black church in Alabama and a white church in kentucky that sing this way. It was brought by the Scot s traders and was the subject of a hymn singing conference at Yale in 2007.

[@matlachlannmacgregor-macle8735]

The Gaelic Psalm singing is the nearest to traditional Psalm singing in Biblical times! Also, quite similar because the Gaelic communities were heavily influenced by the Norse during the colonisation of the Western Isles. The Norse also reached America first and no doubt, exchanged cultural traditions with the Native Americans. No doubt Norse-Gaels were there!

[@matlachlannmacgregor-macle8735]

@@bobrobertson9547 sources?

[@PUAlum]

@@bobrobertson9547 Such remarkable intelligence that i only just now noticed your kind words! Being an American with something like 30% Scots roots, if find the observation appealing. So....until another four years....cheers from Los Angeles! And thanks for your truly generous words.

[@bonchance9241]

this sounds very ancient very beautiful weaving like green living tendrils around the notes

[@hellopeople4782]

That's because it is ancient and beautiful. These people would have sung these psalms for probably over 1000 years.

[@eilzmo]

@@hellopeople4782 *500 years. The narrator says so in the video if you listen :)

[@queenofbuttercream]

this sounds like the church I grew up in in North Carolina... and I'm a black woman... I completely feel it... man, now I know where it comes from

[@garycampbell9079]

The Gaels who were cleared from their land to make way for sheep and 'sporting estates' moved to many places along the eastern seaboard of North America and many from where I am found refuge in North Carolina taking their Gaelic and religion with them. These were poor people who were forced out from their homeland into a foreign landscape where they had to forge a living. I am sure not only the sounds will resonate with you. Saor Alba.

[@andreadavis4451]

reminds me of the Primitive Baptist hymns in Tennessee when I was little

[@JM-gu3tx]

It would be so majestic to bring them back. This is praise music at its best--timeless beauty.

[@JM-gu3tx]

Would be lovely if people brought them back.

[@D.A.99740]

For anybody wondering why this and the Old Regular Baptist singing sounds kind of similar, the reason is because "lining out" was actually originally an English and lowland Scottish singing tradition that spread to America and the Scottish Highlands (where it was adapted for Gaelic) at around the same time. It was common all over Colonial America in the eighteenth century, but (at least in white churches) receded to Appalachia in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Likewise, in Britain, the tradition died out everywhere except the Hebrides. So there is a relationship, but not a direct one because the Scots who settled in Appalachia, along with the English and Germans, would have been Lowlanders and Ulster Scots, who wouldn't have spoken any Gaelic.

[@felixtsung-hsienlim4495]

the primitve baptsit church which also hasome old sctossih calvinsitst doctrine of predestination and election shars withe free church of the strict particualr baptist

[@Jctigers70]

Thank you for this. I was wondering if this was a historical way of singing because as soon as I heard it I was reminded of the singing that is still done today in the Cook Islands Christian Church. I am assuming the missionaries took it with them but now I'm really intrigued and want to know more!

[@northscot9862]

Sir what the fuck gives you the right to tell me a SCOTSMAN MY HISTORY

[@johnbuchan4664]

@@northscot9862 clean your mouth

[@blairio]

@@northscot9862 We don't get taught our own history

[@bonchance9241]

so beautifull so ancient

[@JR-kw3be]

Very similar to what we sang in church when I was a small Amish boy

[@dwall057]

Thanks, interesting insight on historic Scottish worship the triune, living God. Warm and real...

[@ivandinsmore6217]

Their attitude to music in worship is very similar to the Orthodox Church.

[@jmartin0805]

God is good

[@patriciameany1238]

That was beautiful 🙏

[@3NUNS]

Very very very nice !

[@Katograma]

My Great great grandfather was a Precentor in the church. Now I have heard exactly what this was like. Brings the family history to life. We have a family story of how he fought against the congregation bringing an organ into the church, saying it was "An instrument of the devil". He may have had a point. This singing is amazing.

[@hellopeople4782]

They were a bit over strict back them my friend. But they lived their beliefs in an Amish kind of way. Had a friend (geology student) confronted by elders for looking for fossils on a Sunday!

[@eilzmo]

@@hellopeople4782 Amish? Hahah no. You don’t have any experience of this way of life yourself do you? But yes anyone doing anything that is “work” on a Sunday would be frowned upon. The sabbath is sacred and if you’re a believer then you don’t do so much as hang your washing out to dry on the sabbath. I doubt the “confrontation” was anything much more than a “hey hi it’s the sabbath it’s a day for worship and nothing else” end of conversation

[@hilohilo9539]

@@hellopeople4782 They were not 'a bit over strict,' they just observed a plain commandment of scripture which I'm guessing, by this comment you have made, you do not observe. Breaking the Sabbath in any way is a sin; so no, they were not wrong to tell a man that he should not be looking for fossils on the Sabbath. It would be nice if Sabbath keeping was not taken as a joke today, but apparently most of the church has not read Exodus 20:9-11. The doctrine which those 'overly strict' elders were upholding is also written into the Westminster confession and the shorter and larger catechisms.

[@what-uc]

This is from the series 'Scotland's Music with Phil Cunningham'

[@gloriousfool]

Thank you!

[@gachafamily3049]

Beautiful!

[@andrewthies1828]

Call what ya will.in my case i can feel the language.ulster or not this is our tongue.whether,a tyrannical ruler tried and mostly stripped ya off it;is besides the point.I use this as praise to God if I'm worshipping at home.this music helps me feel closer to our"people"&Him.blessings/beannachdan.

[@glencoe8251]

Ian Paisley has a lot to answer for.

[@brianmcb86]

Most beautiful Psalm singing

[@AndyHirt]

There's some fellow in the States who says that gospel music (African American) comes from this. The slaves would sit outside the church and hear this coming from within. 'Interesting theory.

[@GaryLWhite]

camp meetings in the mid 1800s in the U. S. also played apart in the influence on enslaved people's.

[@queenofbuttercream]

Yes it does, as soon as I heard it...I knew

[@robertroberts2666]

What a pity that us Celtic Christians have, albeit, lost our Psalm singing without musical accompaniment and our endeavour, by God's grace, to keep His Law including the observence of the 7th Day Sabbath Commandment!

[@innovationhq8230]

Following after SDA lies?

[@ivandinsmore6217]

The worship leader has a beautiful voice.

[@intergalactichumanempire9759]

Beautiful singing.

[@hickskayla1994]

Beautiful reminds me of home

[@zachmockbee6283]

This is where Appalachian music comes from; they sound the same.

[@margaretlamont4366]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@martinroehricht6162]

Love it so Much

[@janethequeen1]

Outlander bought me here

[@seedhillbruisermusic7939]

such gorgeous music, such a shame it's dying out but it is. Look at the age of the congregation, the young people just aren't singing it. It's nearly 10 years since this video was posted, that congregation will have thinned by now and the music is being lost as a real living thing. Soon it'll just be recordings and the occasional heritage choir reconstruction. sic transit gloria mundi

[@simov8chevy]

Every chance this wasn't the sabbath as the camera and film crew etc, wouldn't be allowed to work in the meeting hall on the Lords day.

[@qtip1926]

That was very interesting. I did a report on John Knox in High School for a Humanities class. Wish I had known about this video I could have atleast suggested the link if not shown it in class.

[@frasermackay9099]

Wonderful

[@verdew8181]

A cappella singing seems to be deeply rooted in my nature from long ago, the Church of Christ from age 0-10. Even though I was never a religious believer I loved singing hymns and gospel songs. Other churches could not compare. Musical instruments detract from or worse yet drown out the great spiritual quality of the voices. There should be a church just for those who love singing.

[@Lawofkings]

Dorothyellen w there is if you can find an RPCNA or other similar Presbyterian denomination :) They're not common, but there are still acapella psalm singers around. Of course, it does no good to worship God in the truth of Scripture unless you have a saving spiritual knowledge of him as well :)

[@resourcedragon]

I'm with you on "there should be a church just for those who love singing." I like very traditional rites (yep, I'm up for the Tridentine Mass) and some good Renaissance or baroque music but I also strongly prefer progressive theology. When I moved to the town where I now live I found the exact opposite. That was what led to me ceasing to be an actively practising Catholic. After that, I just moved away a bit more and ended up atheist/agnostic - but I'm still a fan of early music. And Black Gospel. And traditional Russian Orthodox. And Greek Orthodox. And the Lutheran tradition.

[@gearoiddom]

Sounds like Po' Lazarus on the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou.

[@colinsymes]

The tradition travelled across the Atlantic to the States, and in some places this kind of singing happens in English, handed down by the Scots immigrants.

[@tinkeythinks2]

Sounds like mourning, the singers seem pensive, reflecting on the lyrics, no musical instruments to distract, no gesticulations. Nobody asked me, but, if worship is done like this in the modern churches, we WILL hear God's voice speaking

[@AndyHirt]

This may be very old. Many tunes match the natural scale (harmonic series) which matches the notes played on the trumpets that shepherds would use to herd their animals.

[@joshuaperkins9916]

A Hirt, You are spot on, my studies have brought me to the same conclusion. Pentatonic based music is and has been so prevalent through out history. Give or take a few added notes and the unique usage between individuals and cultures, but huge similarities. How about 60,000 year old flutes found in Central Europe layed out in pentatonic. Or in modern times a band like The Ventures adding Japanese folk songs to their song list seamlessly. Not that a musician can’t learn a new style regardless of scale, but you get my point. Best Josh.

[@anavonrebeur6121]

This sounds exactly as aboriginal songs in northern Puna or southern Patagonia in Argentina.

[@markshifflet7518]

If you want to hear how this music was carried over into the settlement of the USA, just search for Old Regular Baptist Lined-out Hymns or Lining Hymns. Besides the language difference, they are eerily similar.

[@sarahstengle9506]

OMG its such amazing music and spiritual practice combined, why nit pick the intro?

[@DepotUK]

What documentary was this?

[@jennyb7745]

This is such an amazing unique sound.Im wondering why they don't stand whilst singing? Anyone know please?

[@simov8chevy]

Stand to pray, sit to sing.

[@MusicPredominates]

@WC3POchannel10A : Good comment !

[@wr1830]

No worries. :)

[@kensingtonpalace]

Reminds me a lot of the Amish hymns here in Ohio.

[@JR-kw3be]

Very close

[@irateofwatford]

OK, point taken. I got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

[@willparsons1682]

This is lovely, but why the strange disclaimer (as I see it) at the beginning: "Scots have worshipped nature since pagan times, and, maybe, many of us still feel closer to that kind of spirit than to the Kirk". Let it stand on its own - as a wonderful expression of Christian worship.

[@helenhunter4540]

Will Parsons. As a pagan, I appreciate the reminder that we exist, and that everyone's descendants were pagan. As a lover of Scotland, having lived there 3 years, and having been brought up in a Minnesota Presbyterian church, I enjoyed the singing. ( I once attended a Welsh Gymanfa Gani - sure I'm messing up the spelling - also in Minnesota, which is where I first learned of other hymnsinging traditions.)

[@Yakovlievich]

There can be no doubt that the Scottish practice of singing psalms antiphonally is an influence of the Orthodox Church, brought to Scotland after the Crusades. The type of music is unmistakable, and Orthodox liturgical practice relies heavily on the Psalms. The Scottish Crusaders almost certainly encountered Orthodoxy in the Middle East and brought these practices back with them.

[@crinolynneendymion8755]

Nonsense.

[@Yakovlievich]

Crinolynne Endymion How so?

[@Yakovlievich]

***** I can accept that as a very strong possibility. I have no emotional investment in either theory, so you could be right.

[@phasst]

Yakovlievich Indeed. Their scale and cadence suggests Znamensk or Byzantine influence. Beautiful! It also reminds me of Mezmer, the Ethiopian Orthodox musical tradition.

[@increasepeace4996]

Orthodox Church in Scotland? I had no idea.

[@michealjones9863]

The Presbyterian church is 500 years ,the language and people are many many centuries older. Plz plz , remind the Presbyterians a few miles across the water , to let go of their sectarian hatred and realise , this is the language they started preaching in ,this is their language too , stop the blind sectarianism so they can be part of something culturally beautiful like this Gaelic church singing. Regiments disguised as marching bands intimidating their neighbours and shouting hate doesn’t look good these days. Hope is eternal but I won’t hold my breath

[@neiladam9473]

Hi. I'd like to use about 30 secs of this video, not the sound, from this clip in a music video I am making, not a money making thing, the end result will be a prayer written by Robert Louis Stevenson. Do you own the rights to this clip and would you allow to me use a brief section? Thanks

[@dsplgb]

Hi Neil, I do not own the rights, it was an excerpt from a recording of a BBC show. Not sure who you would contact.

[@neiladam9473]

@@dsplgb Hi and thanks

[@alfredking2093]

Calum Martin speaks with a Northern Ireland accent. Does that mean the Isle of Lewis accent is the same? I know there´s always been an historical crossover(Dal Riada), but didn´t realise it was so strong.

[@davidmarshallthegoat2737]

No no it’s different

[@MusicPredominates]

@WC3POchannel10A : Apt remark. But one knows what the BBC is like.

[@user-uw7ey6zt4u]

I miss that, however I'd rather my people woke up to the Jab. DO NOT TAKE ANY MORE!

[@johannesdekoning9521]

No young people?

[@kathiewalters]

beautiful -I think Gaelic comes from the same source as Hebrew

[@chrishall2594]

No. European languages come from a different source.

[@kennymacdonald5313]

Gaelic is a Celtic and Indo-European language, though is structure has been compared in past times to some of the Semitic languages.

[@resourcedragon]

@@kennymacdonald5313: Well, it has some grammatical features that are usually only found in Semitic languages. How those features got there is a mystery, as there is no obvious event where the cross-over could occur.

[@ruthferguson9300]

Scottish people in the north of Scotland and the Islands are indeed Semitic. Jeremiah the prophet escaped with two Princesses, from Egypt , their father was King . They made their way to Spain then to Ireland and to Scotland . The Princesses married two princes in Ireland. One princess was called Scota that is the origin of Scotland. The celts history goes back to Israel. Jeremiah is buried in Ireland . Excellent article on u tube .

[@davidmarshallthegoat2737]

@@ruthferguson9300 don’t talk a load of shite

[@youngscotsman]

this was ruined ...Just let them sing and let us hear it!!!!

[@volaan1842]

sn4rff

[@innovationhq8230]

Don't see any young people they seem to be drawn the the apostate churches filled with worldly music.

[@ossian1937]

Aye, and is it not great that they have the freedom to make the choice to worship in a way that suits them without fear of persecution? Anyway, it’s surely no more “Worldly “ than watching and commenting on KZbin videos.

[@innovationhq8230]

@@ossian1937 Watching KZbin is not controlled by the Regulative Principle of worship. It's amazing how you can't figure simple things like that out. This whole idea that someone goes to a church because the music pleases their flesh like satanic apostate HELLSONG is delusional.

[@ossian1937]

innovation HQ I generally find that it’s the condescending, hypocritical and judgemental Christian types that are delusional.. oh and people don’t listen to any type of music because it “pleases their flesh”, they listen to it because it fills their soul with unmitigated joy and they couldn’t give a fig for the regulative principle of worship, because like most other forms of proscriptive religious doctrine, it is a dried out, desiccated, joyless husk, devoid of any warmth or human kindness....It’s amazing that you don’t know a simple thing like that.. Anyways,I can’t hang around here gassing to the smugly saved and born again... I’m off to the pub to have a few beers and play some Hot Rod Rockabilly tunes. If I see Jesus there, enjoying the warmth of human togetherness, I’ll tell him you said hi.😎

[@innovationhq8230]

​@@ossian1937 No. People should not be free to practice false worship.

[@wr1830]

You misunderstand my point, which was referring to God as the first and primate First Source, refuting the indeed petty and arrogant pagan remark, and upholding the Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 4 (cf. Belgic Confession of Faith Article 12). BTW, I am a Psalm-singing Reformed Christian who greatly delights in singing Psalms from Psalters especially "The Psalms of David in Metre".

[@kylecockerham1351]

These people inhabited the South of the US

[@northscot9862]

YES

[@irateofwatford]

The remark was neither petty nor arrogant, I'm sorry. If you look at the texts that are being sung, they are the Psalms of David. The genre of singing is a product of the Protestant Reformation, like it or not. These psalms are being sung by people of a religious persuasion that you might well dislike.

[@niallbrowne9129]

Total propaganda, the Celtic church was never the same as the Roman Catholic, what is presented here is a direct continuation from the early church based on the word of god

[@WC3POchannel10A]

Why on earth the narrator prelude about worshipping nature? How post-modern of him. This is about these Christian Scots, not pagans.

[@rkgrant]

Some of the vocal traditions might go back to Pre-Christian times and could have been adapted to the singing of Psalms when Presbyterianism was introduced to the Western Isles back in the 16th and 17th centuries.

[@queenofbuttercream]

this sounds like the church I grew up in in North Carolina... and I'm a black woman... I completely feel it...