The Value of Skilled Pitchers
Errors in pitching tend to produce quite noticeable results. An excessively high pitch will lead the singers to struggle, producing a loud but thin, unsonorous sound. An excessively low pitch will lead to a rendition lacking in energy. These undesirable outcomes, together with the relative rarity of good pitching skills, lead to high esteem among Sacred Harp singers for good pitchers. Cobb notes that among certain communities of African American Sacred Harp singers in South Alabama, the pitcher position is a paid one, appointed in advance and given a special seat at the singing. But even in the usual case where the pitcher is a volunteer, singers recognize "the degree to which the skill and flexibility of the pitcher make possible the success of the singing."
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