Amish Funeral Singing — Hymns, Prayers, and the Role of Music in Plain Burial

Music Without Instruments, Performance, or Applause

There is no organ at an Amish funeral. No piano. No guitar. No choir in matching robes. Music in a plain-community funeral exists to direct attention toward God and away from individual talent — which means it sounds nothing like what most outsiders expect.

The rules around funeral music reflect the broader Amish commitment to Gelassenheit (yielding of the self). Musical instruments are prohibited because they elevate the performer. Vocal harmony is restricted in Old Order Amish settings because coordinated harmony can become a display of skill. What remains is something far more austere — and, in its own way, far more affecting — than a polished church choir performance.

Singing During the Amish Funeral Service

During the formal funeral service on Day 3, music is minimal:

• Hymns are read aloud by the bishop or deacon rather than sung by the congregation. The text serves as scripture — the words matter, not the melody.
• In some districts, a single hymn is sung at the very end of the service. It's performed in slow, unison style — everyone sings the same note at the same tempo, without vocal harmony. The language is typically German or Pennsylvania Dutch.
• The delivery is chanting. Preachers often adopt a rhythmic, sing-song cadence during sermons and prayers. This isn't performance — it's a traditional oratory style that prevents emotional manipulation and maintains a meditative pace.
• There is extended silence. During the kneeling prayer, the entire congregation holds absolute quiet. No background music, no soft organ. Just silence.

Singing at the Viewing (Day 2 Evening)

The most emotional music happens outside the formal service. On the second evening of the viewing, a group of about 30 church youth gathers near the open casket and sings four-part German and English hymns:

• "Amazing Grace" — sung in English, one of the few English-language hymns commonly performed
• "How Beautiful Heaven Must Be" (Wie herrlich muss der Himmel sein) — sung in German as the congregation files past the casket for the final look on Day 3 morning
• Comfort hymns focusing on heaven, resurrection, and reunion, according to the district's custom

This singing is specifically for the family's comfort. The youth stand close to the casket, close to the grieving relatives, and sing directly to them.

Graveside Singing

The most solemn music comes at the committal:

• "Goodnight, My Beloved" (Gute Nacht, Meine Lieben) — sung as the casket is slowly lowered into the earth by hand
• "That Will Be My Last Long Move I'll Have to Make" — sung by the family members themselves while pallbearers shovel soil onto the wooden casket

After the final hymn, the committal ends in absolute silence. The congregation stands around the open grave, praying silently as the last shovelfuls of earth fall.

How Mennonite Funeral Music Differs

Conservative Mennonite funerals take the opposite approach to singing. Where the Amish minimize congregational music, the Mennonites make it central:

• The entire assembly sings in structured, four-part a cappella harmony — soprano, alto, tenor, bass
• No instruments, but the vocal harmonies are sophisticated and practiced regularly during Sunday worship
• Members view lifelong hymn-singing as preparation for funerals — when they have to honor the deceased with clear, strong singing even while grieving
• Hymn selections come from historical nineteenth-century collections, sung in English or German depending on the conference

Modern Mennonite congregations may add organ or piano accompaniment, but a cappella remains the norm in conservative and Old Order conferences.

What Visitors Should Know

If you're attending a plain-community funeral:

• Don't request songs. Ask the local deacon or bishop what the district expects visitors to sing.
• Don't bring instruments. Even a harmonica in your pocket will give offense if spotted.
• Don't record the singing. The photography ban extends to audio recording. The music is for the moment, not for playback.
• You can sing along if you know the hymn — particularly during the English-language selections. But don't try to harmonize or stand out vocally. Blend in.

For a complete guide to what happens musically at each stage of a plain-community funeral — from the viewing through the graveside committal — the Amish & Mennonite Funeral Guide covers the liturgical structure for both Amish and Mennonite traditions.