The Music of the Ephrata Cloister

A short documentary about the music of the Ephrata Cloister in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.
Musicologist and baritone Christopher Dylan Herbert describes his research, produces an album, and introduces America's first known female composers.
Created March, 2019.
To view my dissertation on this topic:
www.academia.e...

[@christopherherbert]

If you are interested in pre-ordering the album, click here: www.brightshiny.ninja/voices-in-the-wilderness If you would like to purchase Ephrata sheet music, click here: www.classicalvocalrep.com/products/Music-of-the-Ephrata-Cloister-Transcribed-and-edited-by-Christopher-Herbert-401680.html

[@acolleenjones]

Thanks! I just ordered a copy of the downloadable music!

[@briannixon9664]

Just ordered the CD. Thank you.

[@simonaatkinson5646]

Just reading Thomas Mann's "Doctor Faustus" and that's what brought me here! Don't let the culture die!

[@bobsteiner9209]

"Doktor Faustus" brought me here as well. It's good to know that this long, wordy, and rather difficult novel still has readers, and to discover the remarkable story of Johann Conrad Beissel. But for Thomas Mann, he might well have been forgotten outside the Ephrata community. As Mann explains, Beissel's system did not bother with barlines or a a regular beat. His flexible, "floating" rhythm made it easy to set words to music, particularly prose.

[@michalinabevoor1038]

Currently reading Doctor Faustus and I believe Thomas Mann is so much more than a novelist. After reading his description of Ephrata music I knew I had to listen to it.

[@bobsteiner9209]

@@michalinabevoor1038 He's definitely more than a novelist!

[@guicravo]

Mann brought me here too 😊

[@Dlr7114]

Thank you for this! My husband is a descendant of Samuel Bauman, and his father John, who operated the Ephrata printing press, and hearing this music made the community so much more real to me, and made me feel more connected to the actual people!

[@cheriherbert8365]

Thank you for Recognizing and bringing forward the uniqueness of this music along with acknowledging women's contributions to it. Women are advancing from the shadows with research such as yours. Carry on. Your work is valuable.

[@singmissmary]

Such an awesome project! Thank you so much for sharing this :)

[@sopranobradley]

You are such a star! Thank your for work on this extraordinary project.

[@chrisbarber5148]

Thank you! Such a wonderful project

[@jmizunokays6891]

Thank you for transcribing this amazing historic treasure...wow!

[@fractaled3129]

Wonderful! Thank you for sharing. :)

[@redbrian3655]

Outstanding. I wish I had known about this because I live in Baltimore, only 90 minutes south, and my specialty is Shaker music from Bowling Green and William Billings' new England anthems. You are quite the talent. Bravo and keep it going.

[@thomasfortnerconductor]

wow!!! Inspiring! congratulations Tutti!

[@btneff]

So interesting! Great work bringing this to light!!

[@michalinabevoor1038]

Fascinating project!

[@A.RandomLattin]

Wow! Wow! Wow! I love choral music, and was listening to you singing Messiah. When this video came up next!! I live near Ephrata Pennsylvania and have been to the Cloister. How can I fine your recordings?

[@christopherherbert]

Thank you! Here’s info about my recordings. www.christopherdylanherbert.com/recordings

[@Movidude74]

How much help was the work that Russel Getz did in transcribing the music in the 60s and 70s, like what was used by the site in their drama, Vorspiel. I know my father did his Masters Thesis at West Chester University on transcribing the work into modern tablature back in that time frame as well

[@christopherherbert]

Thanks for the question. Getz's transcriptions were instructive, in that they were a first attempt at putting Ephrata music into modern notation. You can read more about Getz and others' transcriptions at wpunj.academia.edu/ChristopherHerbert

[@chrisflor3827]

Is this music actually written following the system described in Doctor Faustus?

[@christopherherbert]

Sorry I didn't answer you sooner. Yes and no. Mann's research appears to have been based on the work of Julius Sachse, whose scholarship has been called into question by several experts in the field of PA German Studies. Mann summarizes Ephrata theory pretty well, however. Thanks for your interest!

[@juliedemarchi8767]

Enjoyed the video, although you’re pretty late to the party! Been going here my whole life. It should be noted that this is NOT the first time that original Ephrata music has been sung/performed since it was originally, as Christopher claims. Not sure why he claims that. I can only guess that unless someone from NYC does it, maybe it doesn’t count? Ephrata has its own chorus (see youtube), so let’s not be too self-congratulatory. Also, there were children. There were married people (householders) who were members of the community and who lived adjacent. Even basic Ephrata pamphlets in the visitor center or a tour would have revealed these things.

[@christopherherbert]

Hello, Julie, many thanks for watching my video. Thanks also for your comment. I am very sorry to have caused consternation. It was not my intention. Here is a clarification that did not make it through the video editing process: The Ephrata Cloister Chorus (a great group!) has performed Ephrata hymns that were transcribed by Russell Getz in the 1970s. He set the music in a standard meter and published it with G. Schirmer. It is these transcriptions that are heard in the Ephrata Cloister Chorus recordings. The transcriptions I created were of pieces other than the ones Getz transcribed. My transcriptions included some by America’s first women composers. I am so sorry that this detail was not included in the video. It would have helped to clarify the “first time” claim I made. Regarding the female composers: the three known female composers at Ephrata (Föben, Hanna, and Ketura) were solitary sisters without children. There is no evidence that householder women wrote music. If you would like to read any of the articles I have written about this, I would be happy to send them to you. The last thing I wanted to do was come across as an elitist from NYC, and I’m awfully sorry that I seem to have given you that impression.

[@juliedemarchi8767]

Thanks for your response. I will say that in this short video, you simply say that there were no children. The fact is, there were children. As much as I LOVE what you did with the music, my impression is that the historical statements made are sloppy or at the very least, lack context. The bottom line is that giving credit in the video to those who have already done this work (did you meet Michael Showalter?) was not to your advantage, and it comes off as if you were the first ever to discover these things. You did great work, but you are also standing on top of the work of many others, so it would have been good to say so.

[@ruthgoebel723]

I have 7th great grandparents who were Householders and worshipped here.

[@hermanfeyen191]

Thomas Mann brought me here too.

[@Deino13]

me too

[@plutoniumisotop1341]

Me as well

[@randomdudelife]

me too. i thought it would sound more "odd"

[@yogatonga7529]

Me too.

[@OrganHunters]

Same

[@lexpaulson]

Brings back so many wonderful memories to watch this -- bravo and bravo again. So proud to know you.

[@clintedwardsmusic1291]

Amazing - so nice to see what you've done with this and hear the unique history behind the music.

[@christopherherbert]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@crazzy4lyfe]

Eternal gratitude for bringing this incredible music and history to life! Thank you! How can we purchase the album?

[@christopherherbert]

Thank you! The album hasn't been released yet, but I'll announce it here when it's done. Thanks for watching the video and for your kind words!

[@crazzy4lyfe]

@@christopherherbert Thank you! Looking forward to the album, and exploring your other work as well.

[@christopherherbert]

@@crazzy4lyfe Hello! FYI: COVID-19 set the production process back financially, so I am doing a Kickstarter to get it across the finish line. Please consider making a donation if you can (or share the link). Thanks! www.kickstarter.com/projects/christopherherbert/voices-in-the-wilderness-the-music-of-the-ephrata-cloister