Peter B North wrote:
> > Yes, the Welsh are Celtic and have some beautiful songs and hymns, but I > don't think you'd get away with them at a kirking of the tartans. If the > Scots found out you'd be drummed out of the nearest glen.
I'm curious what some of you on the list know about "kirking of the tartans." Is it Presbyterian or is it from the Anglican tradition? I ask because I am an presbyterian in the U.S., having belonged even to churches with strong ties to the Scottish Free Church (very conservative.) Ironically, none of the churches I have been a members (or even attended) ever observed the "kirking... " service. The only church that I know of locally to do so is an Episcopal Church.
My guess is that for such a service in a Methodist Church (a break off from the Episcopal /Anglican church) that anything that sounds remotely celtic would suffice. You may not be closely bound to old Scottish Presbyterinan traditions. The old tradition among the Presbyterians is to sing from Psalter (Psalms/Bible) and not from a hymnbook, (man produced poetry), and that leaves out most all of the suggestions. Also explains why it is so hard to come up with a Scottish hymn. And if you did find one it , it might sound stranger to Methodist ears than words sung to one of the previously mentionned songs or hymns with Irish, Welsh or southern Appalachian melodies.
The old Presbyterians wouldn't have had female soloists (and probably not male either).
Barbara Roberts mikebarb@n...
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