“Haunting ancient harmonies and lyrics that make Ralph Stanley’s ‘I’m a Man of Constant Sorrow’ sound like a jingle by comparison.”
—New York Times
“The soaring magnificence of Southern Sacred Harp: a robust, harmonically intricate blend of country joy and unearthly drone.”
—Rolling Stone
“The heavy metal music of the nineteenth century”
—Judy Hauff
“Get enough people singing weird harmonies at the top of their voices and you start feeling a little sorry for the devil.”
—Washington City Paper
—New York Times
“The soaring magnificence of Southern Sacred Harp: a robust, harmonically intricate blend of country joy and unearthly drone.”
—Rolling Stone
“The heavy metal music of the nineteenth century”
—Judy Hauff
“Get enough people singing weird harmonies at the top of their voices and you start feeling a little sorry for the devil.”
—Washington City Paper
Quotes shamelessly cribbed from our friends at Albany Sacred Harp, who have a great explanation of the music and its history here.
Below: A taste of what we sound like. 146 - Hallelujah in the Sacred Harp Tune Book. Recorded in January 2015.
Below: The Catskills Sacred Harp Musical Association on "Catskills Folk," on WIOX 91.3FM on November 4, 2014. An hour-long program with lots of songs and an introduction to Sacred Harp.
Pastor Marena Vittorio preached about the history of shape note singing in her sermon on May 3, 2015 at the Presbyterian Church of Andes. Here's an excerpt:
In the 16th century, the highly influential theologian Calvin, shared strong views about music that greatly shaped our ancestors. Calvin wrote, “Music should be strongly commended, for it exercises the mind in thinking of God and keeps the mind attentive—unstable and variable as it is, and readily relaxed and diverted in different directions, unless it be supported by various helps such as song.”
At the same time, however, Calvin made it very clear that music in worship should never be done for show, writing, “When we pray to God here in the church, and sing the psalms, it is not to show ourselves off, as hypocrites do, but to declare that we seek nothing but that God may be glorified among us.”
Due to his influence, the Puritans, who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from England in 1628, thought that the only music appropriate for worship was the singing of Psalms. Instruments were not allowed, for they felt such music was too elaborate and would detract from their devotion to God.
“Lining out” was the primary method of music. This is a form of acapella music somewhat like call and response in which a leader, called a precentor, gives each line of a psalm, before the congregation sings it. This allows the congregation to sing long pieces of scripture without having words in front of them. Because this method of sacred music does not require singers to read music or remember tunes themselves, eventually, very little music was known or sung by congregations.
By the early 18th century, some people were concerned enough about this trend, that they desired a reform in music practices. This is how singing schools, such as the one we hosted at our church last week, came to be. The debate between reading music and singing music from memory was very heated—much as the debate between using screens verses using hymnals is today.
The singing schools taught music through a system of shaped notes. Such systems existed in other places, but became most popular in America because they eliminated the struggle of learning numerous keys and note names, yet still allowed people to read music and increase their repertoire.
With this system, people were able to sing very complex four part harmonies without the assistance of any instruments!
Unfortunately, shape note singing, as popular as it became and continues to be in many places, soon came under attack. People were concerned that the music was becoming so innovative, that it was more of a show than a glorification of God. It was a raucous to have congregations sing in four part harmony and many of the songs, known as fuguing tunes, had the different voice parts all singing at different times. The people proclaimed, “God won’t be able to understand what we’re saying if we’re all saying it at a different time!” In addition, shapenote tunebooks included so many different beliefs about God, that no clear belief about God was evident!
In part due to these downfalls, few of us even realize that shape-note singing exists, let alone realize how greatly shape-note singing has influenced our American singing tradition.
Because of shape note singing, we have American church choirs, we have a huge repertoire of sacred music written by Americans, we have denominational hymnals, and we have the addition of instruments in worship to support singing in harmony.
In the 16th century, the highly influential theologian Calvin, shared strong views about music that greatly shaped our ancestors. Calvin wrote, “Music should be strongly commended, for it exercises the mind in thinking of God and keeps the mind attentive—unstable and variable as it is, and readily relaxed and diverted in different directions, unless it be supported by various helps such as song.”
At the same time, however, Calvin made it very clear that music in worship should never be done for show, writing, “When we pray to God here in the church, and sing the psalms, it is not to show ourselves off, as hypocrites do, but to declare that we seek nothing but that God may be glorified among us.”
Due to his influence, the Puritans, who emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from England in 1628, thought that the only music appropriate for worship was the singing of Psalms. Instruments were not allowed, for they felt such music was too elaborate and would detract from their devotion to God.
“Lining out” was the primary method of music. This is a form of acapella music somewhat like call and response in which a leader, called a precentor, gives each line of a psalm, before the congregation sings it. This allows the congregation to sing long pieces of scripture without having words in front of them. Because this method of sacred music does not require singers to read music or remember tunes themselves, eventually, very little music was known or sung by congregations.
By the early 18th century, some people were concerned enough about this trend, that they desired a reform in music practices. This is how singing schools, such as the one we hosted at our church last week, came to be. The debate between reading music and singing music from memory was very heated—much as the debate between using screens verses using hymnals is today.
The singing schools taught music through a system of shaped notes. Such systems existed in other places, but became most popular in America because they eliminated the struggle of learning numerous keys and note names, yet still allowed people to read music and increase their repertoire.
With this system, people were able to sing very complex four part harmonies without the assistance of any instruments!
Unfortunately, shape note singing, as popular as it became and continues to be in many places, soon came under attack. People were concerned that the music was becoming so innovative, that it was more of a show than a glorification of God. It was a raucous to have congregations sing in four part harmony and many of the songs, known as fuguing tunes, had the different voice parts all singing at different times. The people proclaimed, “God won’t be able to understand what we’re saying if we’re all saying it at a different time!” In addition, shapenote tunebooks included so many different beliefs about God, that no clear belief about God was evident!
In part due to these downfalls, few of us even realize that shape-note singing exists, let alone realize how greatly shape-note singing has influenced our American singing tradition.
Because of shape note singing, we have American church choirs, we have a huge repertoire of sacred music written by Americans, we have denominational hymnals, and we have the addition of instruments in worship to support singing in harmony.
