South Malling
10 am - 4.30 p.m. Saturday 4 July 2009
We
are singing from 10.00 - 4.30 with the traditional 'bring and share lunch ' in
the grounds. Refreshments are available.
Also
loaner copies of The Sacred Harp 1991 Edition
will be available on the day.
contact -
The
first half hour will be mainly a workshop for those new (or rusty) to the art
of shape note singing. It will follow the format of other Shapenote
singings across the world, many of the participants
will have been to singings in this country and
SO
WHAT IS SHAPE-NOTE MUSIC?
"Shape
note" music is an a-cappella, traditional form of
folk hymn singing that dates to Colonial times. Also known as Sacred Harp
music, after the most used tune book "The Sacred Harp," first
published in 1844. It has enjoyed a revival after being featured in the film
"
Shape note
music is a system devised at the turn of the 19th century to help untrained
singers read the music so that they could sing together in church. It is music
written with different shaped note heads, to depict which note they are in the
scale. A triangle represents fa, a circle for sol, a
square for la and a diamond for mi. The scale is Fa
Sol La, Fa Sol La, Me Fa. This corresponds to Doh Re Me
Fa So Lah Te Doh later used in European teaching. The intervals between Fa & Sol, Sol & La, etc are always the same so can
be used for any key. When rehearsing a shape-note piece singers first sing the
shapes instead of the words, this gives a picture of how it all fits together,
then they sing the text.
Also
unique is the way singers are organised — in an open
square, with tenors, bass, alto and treble voices each taking a side. Singers
take turns leading the group and beat their hands to keep time.
The result
is a loud, clear, almost astringent sound that some describe as ancient, others
like a human bagpipe or organ. And everyone is expected to participate — there
is no division between a choir and audience. You can listen to it but the
beauty of this really comes in the singing.
Sacred
Harp music was replaced in many parts of the
Further
information can be found about ShapeNote music at www.ukshapenote.org.uk