question about music for ken burns civil war

[92tide]

is anyone familiar with the song played over the credits in the episode "simply murder - 1863"? it is a choral arrangement sung a capella in a style that sounds like a mix of negro spiritual and old shape note. i couldn't understand the words other than what sounded like "soldier of the cross". i was in the other room when it was on and missed the credits, and it is not on the soundtrack.

it was a very moving piece

 

[Boclive]

Click on the picture and scroll down to sample the music and see if this is the version you heard:

 

[92tide]

Click on the picture and scroll down to sample the music and see if this is the version you heard:

thanks. pretty sure that's the same tune, but that's not the same group singing it.

i found another version of it thats not the one i heard either, but sounds a little bit closer . the one i heard was similar to shape note, but not as "wailing". the one from the film sounded like there were maybe 4-6 folks singing the parts and it would go from 2-3 parts to 4-6 parts and back. the lack of folks singing may have had to do with the sound. i've done some sacred harp stuff with 3 and 4 voices and it sounds a lot different than with a full square of folks going to town.

link

 

[Boclive]

Wow. That's the same group on both I think, but different recordings.

Both pretty amazing. Ken Burns would have spent some time listening to many different versions for the closing credits of an episode.