Azariah: Whom Jehovah Helps

A participatory shape note singing by Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg

Listen to Azariah

Recording of Azariah from March Fourth, 2006. Sung at the Old Songs Community Art Center in Voorheesville, NY

• "After the end of 1843 ..."
• Introduction and singing the major scale
• Learning Expectation
• Expectation on the notes
• Expectation on the words
• "The next day I took a long walk through the forest ..."
• Assembled Prophets on the notes
• Assembled Prophets on the words
• Singing the minor scale
• Waking on the notes (first)
• Waking on the notes (second)
• Waking on the words
• "I was bedridden for two weeks ..."
• Cayuga Glade
• "After my first encounter ..."
• Sabbatai Zevi
• Fallen Tree
• Mouth of Stone
• Plants of Flesh
• Forest's Edge
• Applause

About Azariah

Description of the Azariah singing
Texts and poems


Pictures (on Flickr)
Jesse's Art Portfolio
Contact Jesse

Azariah: Whom Jehovah Helps is a spirited journey through 19th-century rural New York. On March fourth at the Old Songs Community Art Center in Voorheesville, NY, the tale of Azariah was told through participatory singing.

Set in the "burnt-over district" in late 1844 (so-called because there was no more "fuel left to burn," meaning "people left to convert"), the story follows a young man named Azariah, a member of the Millerite sect, that believed Jesus would return to earth by October 22, 1844. After the prophecy failed, during the "Great Disappointment" that followed, Azariah begins to have visions in which he encounters mysterious prophets, who speak to him through song.

This web site documents Azariah: Whom Jehovah Helps. The site features a description of the event and a complete recording of the Azariah singing (recorded by Alex Chechile). The site presents the poetry and prose texts that comprise Azariah's story, features pictures from the singing, and contains information about shape note music and Millerite history, with links to other resources on the Internet.

The story, words, and music for Azariah: Whom Jehovah Helps was written by Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg. Jesse designed the Azariah tunebook. The tunebook was printed by Digital Page in Albany and was bound by Jesse, Shira Chess, and Bethany Wright. Jesse designed Azariah event. The singing was documented by Alex Chechile (sound), Bart Woodstrup and Zulma Aguiar (video), and Mark Karlsberg (still photography). Azariah was Jesse's Masters Thesis project at iEAR. Jesse's Thesis committee included Kathy High, Pauline Oliveros, and Mary Zwolinski, and was chaired by Neil Rolnick.