The first recording of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' was made in 1909 by a Fisk University quartet

arts, ideas & societyThe Public Domain Review1909 · Nashville, USA

The first recording of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' was made in 1909 by a Fisk University quartet

the gist

In December 1909, the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet recorded 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' for Victor Studios, making it the first known recording of the song. The quartet of four Fisk students sang unaccompanied, carrying on the name of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers, who toured from 1871 to 1878 to raise money for the university. The spiritual's origin is uncertain, with one account crediting Wallis Willis, an Oklahoma freedman, and another a mother's emotional story, but its lyrics likely reference the biblical chariot that carried Elijah to heaven. The 1909 record made the song widely known.

how it works

Spirituals were often passed down orally and adapted by singers, so authorship is hard to trace. The Fisk Jubilee Singers standardised arrangements and toured widely, which spread the songs across the United States and Britain. Early recordings then fixed a version that other musicians could copy and reinterpret.

so what

The recording helped make a spiritual born in slavery into one of the most recognised American songs, and it shows the role of Black university choirs in shaping American music. The song has since been arranged for choirs, jazz bands and orchestras and recorded by artists from Paul Robeson to Johnny Cash.

the bigger pattern

The Fisk Jubilee Singers' tours helped turn spirituals into concert repertoire and earned money for Fisk University. Similar tours brought Black spirituals to audiences in Europe and helped shape later choral traditions.

fun fact

England's rugby fans have sung 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' at games for decades.

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗