Yesterday we learned about shape note singing, a form of participatory American church music that empowers the community to sing intricate four-part harmonies by simplifying the musical notation. We figured it was simple enough for us to master with kids in class…and of course we figured wrong — it’s still tricky. But in this lesson — it’s a long one that doesn’t get to the actual singing for a while, so feel free to fast forward — we at least start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.
Tag Archives | Shape note
Shape Notes Sound Stunning in Maine
“Shape note” singing is an American cultural creation, a distinctly democratic way to engage an entire community in song. Singers don’t need to know how to read traditional musical notation, but instead identify notes by shapes associated with tones and know what to sing based upon the relationship of the notes to one another, resulting in a glorious — and often quite complicated — four-part harmony. The approach, sometimes called “sacred harp singing” because of the “Sacred Harp” songbooks most singers use, originated in church communities in New England in the 18th and early 19th centuries and spread widely around the United States, particularly to the South. (Spoiler alert: this week we try it in class.)
