How NOT to wear a kilt

[OC Richard]

...the singularly AMERICAN tune that is so beautiful on the Pipes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKQU...&start_radio=1

Beautifully sung, and I do like that the pipers took it at a more stately tempo than is usually heard.

The standard Hymnal version is generally taken at around 100 beats per minute, which is pretty much the default tempo for Hymns in general (except the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, who do everything slow).

Right on that the tune we now use for the set of words Amazing Grace is, as far as we know, purely American. It first appears in The Virginia Harmony, 1831, where it's used for a different Hymn.

In The Southern Harmony, 1847, the tune is for the first time associated with the set of words Amazing Grace.

The standard Hymnal version of the tune is somewhat different than the way it was arranged for the bagpipe in its bagpipe debut on the 1972 album Farewell to the Greys which is still my favourite bagpipe version.

The brass chords are understated and perfect, and there's a lovely French Horn descant (which starts at 1:38)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drti...&start_radio=1

Now there is no tune "Amazing Grace", which is an utterly tuneless set of words.

The tune heard above is called NEW BRITAIN in The Southern Harmony.

In 19th century New England books the most common tune used for Amazing Grace was FIDUCIA, which I much prefer.

(In traditional Hymnody tune-titles are written in all capital letters.)

The traditional New England Amazing Grace sung to the tune FIDUCIA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmFK...&start_radio=1

And here's Amazing Grace sung to the old Hymn-tune KINGSFOLD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCBr...&start_radio=1