EIGHT PRELUDES ON OLD SOUTHERN HYMNS

Composer: READ, GARDNER

These eight preludes are based on authentic old hymn-tunes found in the 1902 e dition of THE SACRED HARP, a collection of spirituals and Southern folk hymns, first published around 1850. According to the then prevailing custom, the mel ody was always assigned to the tenor voice, the other parts serving as support or embellishment. The hymn-tunes are essentially modal, with the lowered seve nth of the scale the most characteristic feature. In these settings Gardner Re ad tried to preserve the quaintness and somewhat primitive quality of the orig inal hymn-tunes, which are given in full before each prelude.