Brethren's chant in the movie "Lawless" ?

[Alduin Berenger]

Dear all

In the 2012 John Hillcoat movie "Lawless", at about 20 minutes into the movie, there is what I think is a Brethren's church, and a chant. I find this chant quite moving, very intriguing and interesting, but I'm entirely unfamiliar with this tradition. I'd be grateful for any insight (are these, and what branch of Brethren? Do or did they actually chant like that? Where to find or find out more about it? … )

Many thanks

a.b.

[Kevin Bullock]

> On Sep 9, 2015, at 12:14, Alduin Berenger <n_...@gmx.de> wrote:
>
> Dear all
>
> In the 2012 John Hillcoat movie "Lawless", at about 20 minutes into the movie, there is what I think is a Brethren's church, and a chant. I find this chant quite moving, very intriguing and interesting, but I'm entirely unfamiliar with this tradition. I'd be grateful for any insight (are these, and what branch of Brethren? Do or did they actually chant like that? Where to find or find out more about it? … )

If I recall correctly, the song that they're singing (in greatly cut-up form) is Detroit, 39t in the Sacred Harp. (page 39, top). http://fasola.org/indexes/1991/?p=39t

Others on this list could comment far more accurately than I, but there are branches of the Anabaptist churches that sing shape-note music. I believe the most commonly-known tune book for that tradition is the Harmonia Sacra.

Judging by your e-mail address alone, you're in Germany—did you know there are active Sacred Harp singing groups in (at least) Bremen and Berlin?

pacem in terris / мир / शान्ति / ‎‫سَلاَم‬ / 平和
Kevin R. Bullock

[Will Fitzgerald]

It is described as a “Dunkard” church in the the book, and I think this means (for Franklin County, Virginia) Old German Baptist Brethren. 

It’s possible that they sang out of the Harmonia Sacra, but this is more associated with their Anabaptist cousins, the Mennonites. 

-- 
Will

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[jason.t.stanford]

Here is what I know about the movie Lawless.  First, it was filmed in the state of Georgia, USA.  The people in the church singing are not members of a congregation.  They are Sacred Harp singers dressed up.  Hugh McGraw, Richard DeLong, and Charlene Wallace are all in that clip.  In the clip Hugh has a really long beard which I personally find hilarious.  The directors probably used them because there are a lot of singers near where it was shot.  Plus, several of them are involved in acting and some of them are also in the movie Cold Mountain.  Anyway, the story takes place in Virginia or West Virginia.  I can't remember which, and I don't know what religion is depicted in the book, but the main character's love interest is a preacher's daughter.  So the director needed that element from the book in the movie.  Second, many people with German and Quaker/ Mennonite ancestry migrated southwest from Pennsylvania and settled the part of the country where the movie takes place.  I personally have Mennonite ancestors who migrated from Pennsylvania to central Tennessee.  Many of these individuals gradually became members of other faiths but kept some of the old traditions.  The footwashing depicted in the movie is common among many different denominations, but primarily Primitive Baptist in that part of the country.  During the time period depicted in the movie most rural churches were autonomous and few had instrumental music, thus the Sacred Harp tradition accurately depicts common religious practices of the time and place of the movie.  Hope that clarifies it some.  I'd have to see the clip again to pick out someone active online who might can answer your questions in greater detail.

[Steven Rowe]

Dunkard was the term used to describe the various Baptist Brethren
churches - there are still 'Church of the Brethren" in Franklin
County, Virginia.
Foot Washing is a standard Brethren practice. Detroit was in various
Brethren hymnals, although the ones I looked at used standard
notation.

Steven Rowe