Greenwich (Sacred Harp 183) shape note singing

Shape note singers at the Michiana Singing Convention really get into this traditional song.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sacred
• harp
• shape
• note
• singing

[MoyerMusic]

Nice video. Was it intentional to sing a whole-step between all the 5ths and 6ths? They are supposed to half-steps.

[PLBrayfield]

@MoyerMusic Yes, it was intentional. Many Sacred Harp songsin a 'minor mode' use the Dorian scale which raises the 6th tone of the scale by a half-step. Singers and groups of singers vary in whether they do or do not use this scale for some or all minor mode songs. Some singers always use the 'natural minor.' And I think it's safe to say that most traditional singers 'just do it' the way the older singers did it, and do not even think about music theory, much less discuss it.

[buenamb]

Sacred Harp is sung acapella in the minor, and the singers usually form a circle. Shaped note singing is usually sung with piano, using the 7-note scale. The syllables are Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti. Singing conventions are held frequently to sing the new songs from new songbooks that are published annually, some are published twice each year. Sight-singing is a must because the songbooks change so frequently. The shaped note system is perfect for sight-singing the 4-part harmony songs.

[PLBrayfield]

@buenamb Any music written in shape (or shaped) notes can be called shape note music. Sacred Harp is one type, so-called because its the name of the book we sing from; sung a capella in a 'hollow square' with leader in the center. It is written using only 4 shapes, but the same 7-tone scale we all know. And yes, the shape note system makes sight reading easier.

[PLBrayfield]

@buenamb Not all Sacred Harp songs are in a minor mode. But yes, LOT more Sacred Harp songs are minor compared to those in mainstream hymnbooks and other types of gospel or shape note singing.

[Grisbi6]

If all church services featured this kind of singing, attendance would triple. People like me would come to church.

[PLBrayfield]

@Grisbi6 Well, at these shape note singings, virtually everyone who comes, comes on purpose to sing. I'm not sure attendance at church would triple, if people knew they would be expected to sing, not just listen to the choir! What do you think?

[Rcksaltnnails]

When you have such a raw, and powerful voice as this, each one building on the other, and each doing a part different from the other, you have no need for instrumentation. This is both primative & crude and amazing and complicated. Just proves taht you do not need 10k worth of instruments, 100K worth of studios, and million dollar contract singers to have moving music. I must now go and allow my goosebumps to settle!

[writer47]

For those who have not experienced this first-hand, it is astonishing.

[sflorman]

@origamimadness A lot of churches don't even have hymnal arrangements in 4-part harmony anymore, and a lot of "sacred" music was written in the 1970s and sounds better around a campfire with a guitar, or at a social justice rally. That's OK if that's your thing, but shape note music is old-time worship music at full voice from the heart, and it's very moving.

[JoeyRace01]

Shape Note singing it's just so beautiful.



[MoyerMusic]

Thank you! Your response was very helpful.



[ams1230]

@buenamb great video!

[ams1230]

@buenamb Minor correction: the 7-note scale is used but the only solfege syllables used in shape-note are Fa, Sol, La, and Mi

[venus19000]

@buenamb Actually, Sacred Harp uses a 4 note solfege system, not a 7 note system, and there are as many songs in the major keys as in minor ones. In the major key, the scale goes: fa so la fa so la mi fa. The books don't change very frequently at all. The last re-publication of the Denson Sacred Harp was in 1991, with few changes. At most, some verses that aren't commonly sung are removed. This music was created to teach people to sight read, so sight reading ability is not at all needed.

[origamimadness]

@PLBrayfield This is because most hymnbooks have been selected and reharmonized to fit late-romantic-era notions about chord structure and voice leading; this makes it easier to sight read during a service, but degrades the musical diversity of the repertoire. It also makes a lot of people think they hate sacred music because they've gotten tired of the conventional hymnal writing style-- a shame, really.