Every Sunday during three-hour Amish church services, the congregation sings from a thick, un-notated hymnal called the Ausbund. First compiled in 1564 by Anabaptist prisoners in Passau Castle, Germany, it holds the distinction of being the oldest Christian hymnal in continuous use in the world.
Singing Without Musical Instruments
The Ausbund contains no musical notes—only German lyrics. Tunes are memorized and passed down orally across generations. Singing is done strictly unison (without harmony or instruments) at a slow, solemn pace, with a single song lasting up to 15 or 20 minutes.