Important Notice: Our web hosting provider recently started charging us for additional visits, which was unexpected. In response, we're seeking donations. Depending on the situation, we may explore different monetization options for our Community and Expert Contributors. It's crucial to provide more returns for their expertise and offer more Expert Validated Answers or AI Validated Answers. Learn more about our hosting issue here.

Is “Amazing Grace” Scottish?

April 26, 2017Amazing Grace Classical entertainment Music Scottish

0

Posted

Is “Amazing Grace” Scottish?

1 Answer

0

Posted

The lyrics are by John Newton, an English pastor who formerly was the captain of a slave trader ship. The tune we most often associate with Amazing Grace, is called “New Britain”. It is a folk tune, probably of Appalachian (Eastern US) origin. The lyric and music were first melded together in the 1835 edition of Southern Harmony, a shape-note hymnal. The melody of the tune first appeared in Columbian Harmony – another hymnbook – in 1829. The most common harmonization seen today is by Edwin O. Excel, 1860. Most early hymn books were divided horizontally with lyrics at the top and tunes at the bottom. Any tune with a standardized meter could be used to sing any song with the same meter. “Amazing Grace” is in common meter (C.M.) meaning that the lines follow the format of 8.6.8.6. syllables. (Not to be confused with common meter in music (4/4), New Britain is in 3/4 time.) In the mid 1800s most publishers were joining specific tunes with specific hymns on single pages, and using two staff