Question: What kind of church is it that Ada is singing in, because I have never seen it with the hands like that on the music.
Dorothea van der Poel-Zuidema
24th Mar 2014
Cold Mountain (2003)
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Chosen answer: The hand movements you refer to are called "time setting." The purpose is to maintain the beat of the song, and keep the singing on track, particularly in the old back-woods churches where there had rarely been instrumental accompaniment. It also has the added benefit of enhancing the energy of the musical experience for the participants. I am not certain if the denomination of the church was ever explicitly stated, but it was likely Pentecostal.
Michael Albert