Special Sub-Topic: Sacred Harp (shape-note) Singing Click Here To Play: Sacred Harp (shape-note) Singing

Sacred Harp is called "shape note" singing because in the printed notation, the notes are different shapes. What are the four shapes that the notes are written in?

triangle, circle, square, diamond. Many different shaped note systems were invented in the 18th and 19th centuries to make sight-reading easier for singers. The four-note system used in the Sacred Harp is triangle (fa), circle (sol), square (la), diamond (mi). These shapes are certainly easier to print than one attempt at a shape note system that included shapes of flamingo, lizard, rat, snail and spider!

True or False: "The Sacred Harp" as published today remains unchanged from the original published in 1844.

false. There are two groups that publish "The Sacred Harp", so there are two editions: the Cooper Edition and the Denson Edition. Both publishing groups frequently revise their publications to include new songs and to correct errors in the original editions.

How would you sing an ascending major scale in the style of the Sacred Harp?

fa, sol, la, fa, sol, la, mi, fa. The fa, sol, la, fa, sol, la, mi, fa was a simplification of the six- note ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la system invented in the 11th century. This simplification occured in Elizabethan England, so American Sacred Harp singing is not the only tradition to use it. The fa, sol, la system makes it easier to learn the songs, especially because they are more suited to the harmonies used in the Sacred Harp than the modern do, re, mi system.

Who is allowed to lead songs at a National Sacred Harp Convention?

Anyone is welcome to lead the singing. At most Sacred Harp Singings, including two- and three-day conventions, everyone is welcome to lead a song (even if you've never lead a song before!). When it's your turn to lead a song, you call out the number of the song you want to lead, stand in the middle of the square and beat time with your hand.

Which one of these well-known hymns is not found in "The Sacred Harp"?

Ave Maria. Some of the songs in the Sacred Harp are tunes still sung in many churches today. Many of the words are written by reformation hymn-writers like Charles Wesley and Isaac Watts, so even though the tunes may be unfamiliar, the words are well known.

Which part normally carries the melody in the Sacred Harp?

tenor. Although all the parts are melodic in the Sacred Harp, it is the tenor section that sings the popular melody. In the Sacred Harp tradition, as well as the four parts of treble (soprano), tenor, bass and alto, the first three parts are sometimes sung in a different octave. So, if you're usually a treble singer, you could shift over and sing with the basses and sing an octave higher than everyone else. This means there could be 7 parts going at once!

What does a Sacred Harp singing event look like?

Everyone sits in a square facing inward to the leader. Usually people sit in a square that faces inwards. Because Sacred Harp music is not written as "performance" music, we face inwards so everyone can hear how wonderful it sounds. It sounds best to the leader, who stands in the middle. When people get together to sing, they often invite newcomers to stand in the middle next to the leader so they can hear all the parts equally.

One of the most famous shape-note composers is William Billings (1746-1800). Where was he born?

Boston, Massachussetts, US. In his short life, William Billings wrote some of the best loved songs in the Sacred Harp, including "David's Lamentation" and "Africa". He was America's first significant composer, and was born to a poor family in Boston. Billings, Montana was built in 1882, and was named after William Billings.

My favourite songs in the Sacred Harp are the "fuguing" tunes, like "Lenox" and "Bear Creek". What is a fugue?

A piece in which the same theme occurs successively in each part. A fugue is a piece in which the same theme (but not exactly the same melody) is sung by each part in turn and everyone ends together. Some of these can be very complicated, and you really have to concentrate, otherwise it's easy to end up singing someone else's part. This is not the same as a canon (or round), where it is exactly the same part that is sung by everyone, but at different times.

True or False: You have to be authorised by the Sacred Harp publishers to teach music from the Sacred Harp.

false. Anyone can run Sacred Harp singing schools, singings, or conventions. All you need is a copy of the book and to find some other people who like to sing.