Category: Cheese Notes

Singing Together: How Sacred Harp Unites Voices Beyond Belief

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In Hole in the Stone (Summer 1995, Vol. 6, Iss. 4), singer Alix Baillie shared her unique perspective on Sacred Harp singing in an article titled Down-Home Singing Frenzies: Sacred Harp for Pagans. Though Baillie comes from a Pagan background, she found herself captivated by the raw, communal power of Sacred Harp. Her story serves as a beautiful reminder of the unwritten rule in Sacred Harp singing: “Leave your politics and religion at the door.”

Although Sacred Harp is deeply rooted in the Christian tradition, Baillie reflected on how warmly the community welcomed her, despite her different spiritual background. She emphasized how the power of the music, the open harmonies, and the shared tradition of singing together transcended any differences. While some Christian singers might have been puzzled had they known about her spiritual beliefs, Baillie discovered a space where music brought everyone together.

She described how Sacred Harp singers “live out” the love and unity that many faiths aspire to, focusing on the singing instead of theological differences. Baillie’s experience is a testament to the Sacred Harp tradition of inclusivity: while the lyrics may be overtly Christian, the power of the music transcends belief systems.

As Baillie’s story illustrates, Sacred Harp is best when it welcomes all singers with an open heart. The community thrives because we put aside differences and unite in song. You can find Alix Baillie’s name listed in the Sacred Harp “Minutes” around that time, a testament to her participation in this vibrant tradition.

–Kevin Isaac

P.S. It’s worth noting that Alix Baillie’s article was written nearly 30 years ago, and her views or perspectives may have changed since then. However, the piece offers an interesting snapshot of one enthusiastic singer’s attempt to bring her unconventional musical passion to an unconventional audience—an audience that might not otherwise have been open to reading about Christian hymnody. Baillie’s experience reflects the inclusivity and welcoming spirit that continues to be a hallmark of Sacred Harp singing, even as our community evolves.

Down-Home Singing Frenzies: Sacred Harp for Pagans

The sound whirls in the center of the room with the roar of a funnel cloud. Hundreds of voices — clear, rumbling, nasal — join in powerful harmonies, swept along over an inexorable, throbbing pulse. An outdoor ritual? No, a Sacred Harp convention. The singers seat themselves, not in a circle, but in the “hollow square,” facing each other in voice sections. They are singing from a book whose tradition has been carried on in these meetings since 1844, and which belongs to an even longer tradition reaching back to the eighteenth century. The book is The Sacred Harp, and even though the words are about Jesus, the music is, in the words of one Pagan visitor, “way too good for the Christians to have all to themselves.”

As it turns out, the Christians don’t have it all to themselves. I recently posted a query on an Internet list, asking non-Christians how they felt about singing The Sacred Harp’s texts, and asking Christians how they felt about non-Christians participating. The response from both groups was quite positive. I heard from Unitarians, Jews, agnostics, atheists, people who are a bit of everything, people who were nothing in particular. A woman in Eugene, Oregon, who identified herself as an atheist, reported that some folks up there substitute Goddess for God. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a woman who describes herself as a traditional Roman Catholic uses The Sacred Harp’s hymns in her private devotions. Many of the respondents were people who feel alienated from their Christian upbringing, but find community, spiritual satisfaction, and a connection to the past in Sacred Harp singing.

The connection to the past is very real, and is reiterated at every Sacred Harp convention. At some point, usually just before the midday dinner, one or two singers read aloud the names of singers who have died in the past year. One of the readers, usually an elder in the Sacred Harp community, gives a talk about death — that it waits for all of us, but that it is nothing to fear. Although this is all in a Christian context, the emphasis is not on platitudes like “they’re all with Jesus now,” but rather on the continuity of death and life. In one sense, the dead singers — all the dead singers, for countless generations — live on as we invoke their memory and sing the songs they loved. Stress is also laid on the fact that everyone sitting in the room will pass through the Veil someday. This is not grim, but joyous: not only will we be remembered in our turn, but we’ll be able to sing together endlessly in the biggest convention of them all on the other side.

Many of the songs in The Sacred Harp and the traditions that accompany them, go back to colonial New England. They flourished in the singing schools advocated by Rev. Thomas Symmes in the 1720s as a remedy against the sad state of rote-learned church music. Typically, a singing master would set up in a church or tavern for a week or two and hold daily classes for adults and children. He would charge a nominal fee for the lessons, and make most of his money from the sale of his particular songbook/textbook. He would teach the rudiments of music using the old four-syllable English solfege: FA, SOL, LA, MI. The students would learn the unaccompanied polyphonic music first, part by part, then put the parts together. At the end of the school, the community would have a core of good sight-singers, and the singing master would move on to the next town.

The appeal of the singing schools was not strictly musical. In strait-laced New England, the singing school provided a parentally-approved way for young people to flirt. Musicologist Irving Lowens cites a 1782 letter written by a Yale undergraduate: “I am almost sick of the World & were it not for the Hopes of going to singing-meeting tonight & indulging myself a little in some of the carnal Delights of the Flesh, such as kissing, squeezing &c &c I would willingly leave it now.” The singing school, and the periodic singing-meetings that succeeded it in some places, also provided an enjoyable way for scattered rural families to socialize. The idea of gathering from far-flung parts for a day of meeting, eating, and singing continues today in the tradition of all day singing and dinner on the grounds.

The New England singing-school phenomenon peaked in the 1770s and 1780s. The Yankee composers/singing masters all had other trades and were usually self-taught in music. Their tunes are modal, powerful, and expressive — and ignore the rules of “correct” counterpoint and harmony. Besides plain tunes, in which all the parts move together, they wrote so-called fuguing tunes. These are not formal fugues, but have sections where the voices enter separately, in melodic imitation. William Billings, in the preface to his Continental Harmony, gives the best description yet of a fuguing tune: “Now the solemn bass demands [the listener’s] attention, now the manly tenor, now the lofty counter, now the volatile treble, now here, now there, now here again. — O enchanting! O ecstatic!”

The wild harmonies and exuberant expression of the Yankee singing-school music gradually lost favor in New England. Churches acquired organs, and Lowell Mason and the “better music boys” sought to “improve” American music by replacing it with watered-down European art-music. As singing masters began to move west and south at the turn of the nineteenth century, the first tunebook in shape notes appeared, William Little and William Smith’s Easy Instructor. Earlier teachers had tried various means of representing the solfege syllables visually, but Little and Smith’s system proved the best; it is still used in The Sacred Harp. Each syllable has a unique shape:

Without worrying about keys, a singer can learn to sight-read quickly.

This effective new tool was taken up in the South. In 1815, Ananias Davisson published his Kentucky Harmony in the Shenandoah Valley. This book marked a turning-point in singing-school music: Davisson put some of the most popular songs from round-note Yankee books into four-shape notation, and added new compositions in a Southern-folk idiom. Davisson and other Southern composers wrote new tunes in the folk idiom and adapted ballads and dance-tunes to hymn texts. Their arrangements, too, were folksy, sometimes more like the English-folk sound of the Yankees, sometimes like bluegrass. Although this vigorous unaccompanied singing was born in New England, it was nurtured and carried into the present in the South.

B.F. White and E.J. King’s Sacred Harp, first published in 1844, was one of the last four-shape tunebooks; by the 1850s the tide had turned to seven-syllable solfege (the modern DO RE MI) with seven shapes. Most tunebook publishers changed with the times; along with the new notation came sweeter harmonies and gospel-music influences. The Sacred Harp, however, kept to its traditions of four-shape notation, raw open-fifth harmonies, and Anglo-American tunes. Some efforts were made to update the book. B.F. White’s son edited a revision in 1909 which included several tunes reworked into “correct” harmony. The free-ranging countermelodies were brought into close harmony positions and made to function as chordal harmony parts, losing their own melodic interest. Needless to say, this book did not find much welcome in the Sacred Harp community.

The more successful revisions have kept B.F. White’s underlying principles, but added new songs in the old style with each edition. One update that still raises controversy among arch-purists is the addition, in the 1911 James Revision, of alto parts to most of the old three-part songs. Some claim this addition softens the harmony too much by filling in the thirds of the chords — but anyone who’s ever heard a good paint-peeling Southern alto can testify there’s nothing softening about the alto part.

The current (1991) revision of The Sacred Harp includes works from the earliest Yankee singing masters, works by living composers, and pieces from every generation in between. Convention customs, too, go back to the colonial singing schools. At modern Sacred Harp singings, the group of singers is called the class; each leader in turn stands in the center of the hollow square to lead a lesson. The procedure is completely democratic: anyone at the singing can lead any song, provided it hasn’t already been sung, or used, that day. The arranging committee tries to make sure that everyone who wants to lead gets a chance. As each leader gets up, s/he calls out a page number. The leader or a designated pitcher finds a workable tonic pitch (hardly ever the actual printed pitch); each section finds its starting pitch from this. Then the whole class launches into the cacophony of singing the notes — everyone sings hir own part with the solfege syllables. Finally, the leader calls out the verses s/he wants, and the whole class sings, washing the leader and each other in waves of glorious sound, beating time with their hands and tapping their feet. At midday, they feed each other, in the potluck feast modestly called dinner on the grounds (from the tradition of picnic tables set up on the grounds of tiny country churches).

The texts Sacred Harpers sing all day are about Jesus and his God, but these are not the wimpy lyrics of standard church hymnals, nor are they as exclusively Christian as might appear. The texts are filled with death; life was harsh for the people among whom the shape-note books flourished originally. The God portrayed in many songs is a raging Old Testament God; the raw power of the Divine-in-Nature and of Nature Herself is feared and celebrated. Some of the songs are gentle and comforting, but in a sincere, not sappy, way. It is this directness of expression that seems to appeal to both Christians and non-Christians. One Christian woman wrote me:

“The words are specific, strong, and even offensive to some, but that is part of their power. …The faith expressed in the Sacred Harp is a specific faith believed by a specific group of people. …Their faith had depth because it was a specific experiential faith. …maybe Sacred Harp people respect this faith because they already know that experience means more than abstract theory.”

I heard similar expressions from non-Christians trying to describe the power of Sacred Harp. For me, the power of the sound itself, the psychic force of dozens or hundreds of people singing together, the absolute acceptance of anyone who joins the hollow square — in perfect love and perfect trust — far outweigh the disagreements I have with the specific theology of the texts. Georgian Richard F. Whatley recently posted an article called “Celestial Fruits on Earthly Ground” to the Internet list, in which he remarks that the single most impressive thing about the huge Midwest Convention is the number of different religions gathered under one roof. “Sacred Harp has a way of attracting people from all the spiritual walks who are willing to put their differences on the back burner; people who expect a miracle and come prepared to let it happen.” He concludes: “Where two religious sects are gathered in His (sic) name is called a war; where 20 are gathered is called a Sacred Harp convention.”

The Crone-like lyrics and earthly harmonies made me want to tell Pagans about Sacred Harp a year ago. I’m glad I waited, though, because in that year I’ve learned that the real magic of Sacred Harp is its community — people who actually live out the unconditional love most religions merely hold up as an ideal. The Sacred Harp has Christian words, but if you visit with an open, respectful attitude, you will be welcomed as an old friend. You may even find something you can adapt!

RESOURCES

  • The Sacred Harp. 1991 Revision. Bremen, GA: 1991. Available ($13 postpaid) from Sacred Harp Publishing Co., 1010 Waddell St., Bremen, GA 30110.
  • Cobb, Buell E., Jr. The Sacred Harp: A Tradition and Its Music. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press, 1978; paperback, 1989.
    The best introduction to Sacred Harp history and culture. This is available directly from Mr. Cobb; I have his address somewhere.
  • Davisson, Ananias. Kentucky Harmony or, A choice collection of Psalm tunes, hymns, and anthems, in three parts. Ananias Davisson, 1815.
    Facsimile edition, 1976, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, Minn.
  • Jackson, George Pullen. White Spirituals in the Southern Uplands. N.p.: The University of North Carolina Press, 1933. Reprint, with an introduction by Don Yoder, Hatboro, PA: Folklore Associates, 1964.
    The first scholarly notice taken of shape-note music; deeper history than Cobb.
  • Lowens, Irving. Music and Musicians in Early America. New York: W. W. Norton, 1964.
    Includes essays on New England school and the invention of shape-notes.
  • Directory and Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings.
    Published annually by the Sacred Harp Publishing Company. Lists all Denson-Revision annual conventions and some smaller singings, including:
    • Rocky Mountain Sacred Harp Convention, third Sunday of September and Saturday before, Fort Collins. Contact John Ramsey, 303-221-9589 for more info on the convention and singings in CO/WY/NM. There are monthly singings in Fort Collins, Denver; probably elsewhere as well.
Cheese Notes

Before The Sacred Harp: How 1830s Reformists Targeted Shape Note Singing

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The following article, published in Musical Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3 for July 1835, was part of a journal edited by Thomas Hastings, a prominent American composer and music educator who played a central role in advocating for the reform of sacred music in the United States.

This article provides a critical overview of American sacred music, with a particular focus on early collections like Lyon’s and Billings’, which it disparages as being of low quality. It reflects the growing efforts of the musical reform movement, or “better music movement,” which sought to replace the widely embraced shape note system with European-style round notes. The reformists viewed shape notes as unsophisticated and backward, and some of their criticisms became especially harsh. This article is notable for coining the term “dunce notes,” a derogatory label for shape notes, underscoring the hostility of reformers toward the tradition. However, the essay’s harsh stance on shape notes came just nine years before the publication of The Sacred Harp in 1844, a book that would go on to solidify the shape note tradition as an enduring and beloved American musical form.

Despite the reformers’ efforts to push European musical conventions, the shape note tradition persisted and even thrived in many communities. The article’s dismissive tone toward earlier American composers and popular singing practices like shape notes reflects a broader elitist attitude of the reform movement, which often prioritized formal musical education and round note systems over the accessibility and community-focused nature of shape note singing. While the reformists may have gained influence in cities like Boston, their push to homogenize American music overlooked the deep cultural roots and lasting appeal of the shape note tradition.

In its closing, the article calls for musicians to prioritize usefulness and service to God, but its bias against shape note singing reveals the reformers’ narrow vision, one that underestimated the lasting impact and value of shape note music in American sacred song.

–Kevin Isaac

MUSICAL AUTHORS AND PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.

Published in Musical Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3 for July 1835.

Among the singing books that have been published in this country, the earliest we recollect to have seen, was Lyon’s Collection, printed in one of the Southern States. The work was executed by a miserable engraver, and the subject matter was of a corresponding character. As early perhaps, as seventy or eighty years ago, it had some circulation.

Williams and Tansur’s well known collection, was reprinted “and sold by Daniel Bailey, at his house next door to St. Paul’s Church, Newburyport, 1771.” This contained the old parochial melodies, badly arranged. Subsequent corrections and improvements in the scores of these melodies, occasioned much dissatisfaction among a multitude of teachers, who were prone to regard every emendation, even to a “printer’s blunder,” as a felonious violation of the original; while at the same time nothing of the tunes in question, save the melodies, had the least claims to originality. Teachers are now better informed in this respect, but are ready to run into the opposite extreme of encouraging unnecessary alterations of standard tunes. This evil needs the application of a remedy.

Billings commenced his train of publications, we believe, not far from the same period above mentioned. He had some genius, but very little learning. His first publication, during the Revolutionary conflict, was ridiculous in the extreme. The theme of one of his anthems, was a mawkish parody upon a passage of the scriptures,—”And the enemy said, let us draw a line from York to Canada! Oh wonderful! Oh horrible!” &c. Some of his subsequent compositions had rather more merit. His Amherst is on the whole, a decent tune; his Brookfield has been deservedly popular; his Anthem for Easter, contains some interesting traits, and was formerly much admired. His Jordan, if indeed the melody was ever invented by him, had claims somewhat beyond mediocrity. It has lately found its way into one of the leading publications of Boston, an honor, however, of which it is not worthy.

Billings may be regarded as the father of fuging music in this country. He derived his models from some of the most insignificant publications of England. Old Milford, Thirty-fourth, and Luke Anthem, by Stevenson, and the compositions of W. Arnold, and others of a similar character, supplied him with models in abundance. The public taste was thus misled for a season, but good sense finally prevailed. Billings’ efforts as a whole, are not to be lightly spoken of. He did what he could; and who, with his opportunities, would have effected more?

Rev. Andrew Law, L.L. D., commenced his compilations not far from the same period with Billings, whom he greatly excelled in scientific qualifications. Though he felt compelled to aid in the circulation of much real trash under the name of music, which had gained the public favor, he introduced many pieces in connexion, derived from the best English works then extant, which exerted great influence in the progress of cultivation and refinement. His abundant labors in pursuance of this object, should be remembered with lasting gratitude. In his latter days, he sickened with discouragement at the public apathy, and as a last resort, took up the “lozenge characters,” threw aside the musical staff, and endeavored by thus paying court to the general indolence of singers, to arouse them to a more active and vigorous cultivation. The end in view was worthy of a better expedient. But if he here erred in judgment, as most certainly he did, his case is not a solitary one. The late Dr. G. K. Jackson, once lent his name to such an object. Even at the present time, there are some excellent men who are filling the Valley of the Mississippi, with patent notes, which are destined, we fear, to hold back the progress of musical improvement in that region, for half a century to come.

Mr. Law was a good man. His own compositions were of little note, except the single tune Archdale, which is beginning to be revived in a new harmonic dress.

Sometime after Mr. Law commenced his earlier labors, productions of an ephemeral character began greatly to multiply. Men who could pitch a tune correctly and distinguish themselves in the noble art of fuging, thought proper to turn composers and offer their wares to the public. Some of the better read, among them, had caught a glimpse of Tansur’s notable Grammar, which, illiterate as it was, held the highest place on the mount of privileges. The writer of this article, was at that time, among the many who coveted in vain the exalted favor. Of some fifty or a hundred composers, most of them too inconsiderable for special notice, we recollect the names of Benham, Bronson, Gillet, Swan, Shumway, French, Morgan, Little, and Smith. Passing over the first five of this list, we may mention French the sixth, as remarkable for his theory of concords. He said there could be no discords in heaven, ergo there ought to be none on earth. So he made up a collection of mangled specimens of music, in illustration of his favorite principle.

Morgan is a name of more notoriety. His Huntington and Montgomery were universal favorites among the lovers of the fuguing style. His Judgment Anthem was quite famous. Had he really intended it as a burlesque, he could scarcely have invented a worse thing. But public taste was then extensively perverted. The man, as we well recollect, was in good standing when he wrote the piece, and he doubtless did his best to produce good music. The words were awfully solemn, and this circumstance gave for a while, great celebrity to the tune.

Little and Smith, we regret to say, are names which must stand in musical history, closely connected with wholesale quantities of patented “dunce notes.” Probably no other book in the country had ever such an amount of purchasers as theirs; or did so much, in the day of it, to hinder the progress of taste. This, however, was to be attributed, chiefly to the enterprise of money making publishers. The compilers, we believe, were never the richer for their undertaking. Had there been no such practice as literally forcing books into the market, the work last mentioned, we are bold to say, would have never come into general notice. And yet the fact, that some fifty thousand copies of any book, can, within a few years, in this manner, be palmed upon the public, is triumphantly quoted, as evidence of its great utility. What if the same inference were to be drawn in reference to the sales of the Life of Stephen Burroughs, and of Paine’s Age of Reason! We mean not the slightest reflection upon the character of individuals. There is a dearth of correct information. Let the public be better informed, and more can be trusted to the discrimination of purchasers.

For a long while after the period of the revolution, there was a general disposition to dispense, as far as possible, with foreign fabrics and inventions. This was very consonant with national pride and the love of independence in an infant republic. It had its advantages and its disadvantages. Among the latter are to be reckoned some of the musical incidents above enumerated. The general disposition to which we have alluded, was strongly felt by the untutored minstrels and compilers of sacred song. It grew at one period, almost to a mania which threatened the total vitiation of taste; and but for such men as Mr. Law and his successors, it is difficult to see how such a crisis would have been prevented. But the leaven of a better taste, slow and almost imperceptible in its operations, was continually at work till its influence had pervaded the general mass of performers. As the demand for good music increased, American authors and compilers began to improve the character of their publications.

Reed’s compositions manifested some traits of genius. His Stafford was comparatively of a chaste and durable character. His Windham is yet in favor, and has been on the whole a very useful tune. Though he did not wholly discard the fuguing style, he gave it some check, and indulged himself in it, with moderation. He was a worthy man, and for aught we can tell, may be still living, in anticipation of a holier minstrelsy in the regions above.

Bull’s collection, published at Hartford, Connecticut, contained many melodies of a chaster character, with simple harmony, not very scientifically arranged. But it was a great improvement upon the fuguing style and led the way for better things. Report says, that the author was remarkable for having conquered the difficulties of a bad voice and imperfect ear. The teacher who had repeatedly pronounced him incorrigible, became at length his docile pupil. This, when the old notion of instinctive qualifications prevailed, was thought to be a strange thing, an event almost equal to a Popish miracle. The man, who thus succeeded in the face of such a discouraging theory, was entitled to much credit for his perseverance.

The names of Gram, Holyoke, Holden, Mann, and Kimball might have been sooner mentioned. The first three of this number, living at Boston, Salem, and Charlestown, published in 1795, a small quarto of about one hundred pages, entitled the Massachusetts Compiler. Full one third of the work was devoted to musical theory, in the presentation of which, there was more of technicality than of sound science or rational simplicity. This portion of the work was ill-digested: but the musical selections were highly creditable. Gram was a well bred organist, of the German school. During the American revolution, or soon afterwards, he published in the Worcester collection, a patriotic anthem “Bind Kings with chains.”

Holyoke, a man also of liberal education, published a large quarto collection, of 489 pages, embracing Watts’ Psalms and Hymns, each set to a special piece of music in score. A large quantity of the music was original, which had scientific merit, but nothing more. It is presumptuous for any musician of any age to draw so largely upon his own resources, for such an object, in such a limited space of time. The unwieldy Repository sunk by its own weight into speedy oblivion.

Holden also published a separate collection which had little merit compared with the Compiler. His compositions partook of the light phraseology of the day, but were less illiterate than the generality of contemporaneous specimens.

Mann, who, in his latter days resided in Northampton, published considerable music, which was somewhat above mediocrity; and gained the reputation of a worthy, skilful teacher. His compositions would about rank with Holden’s.

Kimball, so far as we can learn, never published a book of psalmody: but the few pieces he wrote manifested some genius and cultivation. He was a musician of the secular school, and his compositions are somewhat in a corresponding style.

Tukey, an organist of Boston, was author of a full anthem, and perhaps of nothing more that was published. The Ninety-seventh Psalm tune, which bears his name, is an extract from his anthem, dressed up by other hands.

Gardiner some forty or fifty years ago, was distinguished as a violinist of “astonishing powers.” He had been a pupil of Giardini, and left England for this country, probably on account of some real or alleged misdemeanor. Many anecdotes are related of him as he went about incog to astonish the natives; but he did little for the cause of sacred music, except as an accompanist, and a theoretical instructor.

Chandler, an American, who spent his last days in Catskill, New-York, deserves a passing notice. He left a quantity of unpublished music which evinces industry and cultivation. A complete musical education would have done wonders for him.

But to return to Hartford: Olmsted’s Musical Olio, succeeded to Bull’s Collection, and passed through two editions. He had a better taste than his predecessor, and was by no means destitute of genius. Had his opportunities been greater, he might have been the Handel of America.

The Olio was succeeded by Robert’s collection, which passed through one edition, and gave place to the American Psalmody, by Messrs. Dutton and Ives which is now in circulation.

Benjamin’s Collection might have been sooner mentioned. It was an earlier work, issued but a little time previous to the death of its compiler, who is said to have fallen a victim to the undue exercise of his vocal powers. His collection was made from the best English books of that period; and he published the pieces we believe, without the slightest alteration, which was a matter of some importance at a time when few men were good judges of music.

Boston, for a long period, held its course steadily onward in the march of improvement, unaffected by the surrounding changes; and that city is still more remarkable than any other place in the Union, for its success in musical cultivation. Its example has had great influence upon other portions of the country; never greater perhaps than at the present moment. The worthy musicians of that city therefore are placed in circumstances of trying responsibility. What they do well (and there is much of it) must ultimately stand; and what they do amiss, though it be never so little, will find a multitude of luckless imitators. This is indeed, more or less true, of all distinguished musicians of the present day, who labor in the sacred department; and it becomes them to look well to the character of their influence. A musical reform has for several years past been in progress; and though its march has been slow and its influence not very widely extended, it seems destined to ultimate success; and very possibly, the foundations of a genuine national taste, may very soon be laid.

Within the last twenty-five years there has been a gradual improvement in the character of our musical publications. The various editions of the Worcester Collection, followed by those of the Village Harmony, and the Songs of the Temple, opened the way for the “Handel and Haydn Society” collection of psalmody, published by Mr. Lowell Mason, of Boston; who also issues among other useful works, Lyra Sacra, the Choir, and the Boston Academy’s Collection; which last work is of recent date and destined no doubt to have an extensive circulation.

The works of Zeuner, of a recent date in that city, though less extensively known, are certainly not destitute of merit. Of these and many others, we may chance to speak on future occasions, should we find sufficient leisure for a thorough perusal of their contents.

We shall not include, our own publications in this brief sketch. Some of them have been long before the public and others are of a recent date. Many other collections now in use, have more or less merit, but as our list of titles is imperfect, and as we are unwilling to appear invidious, we shall omit the enumeration, at the present time. Among works of a miscellaneous and scientific character, it may suffice our purpose to name a few of the most prominent. Kollman’s Essay on Harmony, and Callcott’s Musical Grammar, both European works republished in this country, the latter of which has passed to a second edition: Burroughs’ Musical Primer, an important little work on thorough base reprinted at Boston: Ives and Mason’s manuals of elementary instruction: dissertation on musical taste: oratorios of the Messiah and the Creation, republished: Old Colony Collection of Anthems, Choruses &c.: Handel and Haydn Collection, of oratorial extracts. Collections similar to the latter, though less in size, have occasionally been issued in this city; and as to catalogues of secular music, one might as well attempt to count the leaves of the forest which after flourishing for a season are withered by the Autumnal frost and scattered by the winds of heaven.

Cheese Notes

Timeline of “Sacred Harp” Editions

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A Timeline of Sacred Harp Editions, Illustrated and with Minimal Bibliographic Detail.
by Kevin Isaac

“Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” —Ecclesiastes 12:12

INTRODUCTION

NOTICE:
THIS IS AN IN-PROGRESS PROJECT, PUBLISHED “EARLY” FOR COLLABORATIVE PURPOSES.
EXPECT CHANGES TO OCCUR AS LONG AS THIS NOTICE IS POSTED.

This timeline presents a selection of at least fifty different editions and iterations of The Sacred Harp by B.F. White and E.J. King, first published in 1844. It includes cover images and is based on Jesse P. Karlsberg’s work here. Significant contributions were made by Robert Vaughn, and additional thanks go to David Smead.

Many books followed the 1844 edition, with some clearly distinct from one another and others less so. While there has been thorough research on this topic, I believe this timeline is unique in its attempt to compile all known derivative works into a single, bibliographic format.

The Sacred Harp has numerous “branches,” and titles within the same branch often changed over time. I have chosen to present the information in a linear format, although I have not determined the precise order for books released in the same year if that information was not available.

Of interest to the reader who asks “why are there so many different branches” is this item from Newnan Herald & Advertiser (Newnan, Ga.) 1909-1915, September 15, 1911:

The “Sacred Harp” convention being in session at Broughton’s Tabernacle, in Atlanta, and having a desire to hear the old songs of by-gone days, we visited the convention and listened to a thousand voices, making these old songs ring. We were cheered to the very core of our heart, and felt like we were mingling voices with the friends of lung ago. The convention was presided over by Col. J. S. James, author of the “Union Harp,” a revised edition of the old “Sacred Harp.” the most noted song hook of the South, which was compiled in the 40’s by Maj. B. F. White, who died in Atlanta a few years ago. His son, Pref. J. L. White, also has out a revised edition of the famous old book, which he is anxious to perpetuate in memory of his father; but it seems that the copyright of father had expired, and, failing to renew it, he lost out. Col. James now claims to possess the copyright to the book, hence the split in the convention. Prof. W. M. Cooper, of Dothan. Al., is also publishing the same book by reason of a copyright which be procured several years ago. Now. it seems to us that this copyrighting business is run in a very slipshod manner by Uncle Sam, and needs a little knocking by some one. We had the pleasure of meeting with many old friends, as well as a lot of new ones, at the convention. Among them were Prof. E.T. Pound, author of several music books, and one of the finest singers in the South, and his brother. Rev. William Pound, who is also the author of several musical works. We were greatly pleased to form the acquaintance of Prof. W. M. Cooper, of Alabama, and Prof. Allen, of the same State. A year hence the convention will meet in Broughton’s Tabernacle by request of Dr. Broughton.

I have color-coded the different branches of The Sacred Harp by adding each branch’s “Informal Name” in a specific color after the book’s basic details. I’ve also included The New Sacred Harp, which was a seven-shape note book compiled by B.F. White’s two sons but ultimately failed. Additionally, I’ve included The Colored Sacred Harp in the timeline, even though it is not part of the King and White book’s printing history. This is due to its significant interest within the singing community and its intriguing placement alongside The Sacred Harp in the publishing timeline.

As a final nontraditional feature, I have noted the years in which significant editors and compilers of The Sacred Harp passed away. Notably, at least three of these individuals died before their respective “branches” were published, starting with E.J. King, one of the original compilers of the first edition.

Two items worth mentioning, though not included in the timeline, are books by J.S. James, editor of the “James Book” that later became the “Denson Book”:

  1. Sacred Tunes and Hymns (1913) – This approximately 190-page tunebook served as a short-lived “companion” to James’ Original Sacred Harp. It features songs in four shape notes and four voices, with additional lines of music intended for instruments at the bottom of the page. The Preface acknowledges the contributions of Prof. S. M. Denson, highlighting his role in the volume’s arrangement. James is noted for framing The Sacred Harp in a nostalgic light, but this book represents a departure from his usual format.
  2. Union Harp and History of Songs (1909) – This 220+ page tunebook established the page format for James’ Original Sacred Harp, published two years later. It includes biographical and historical sketches of the tunes and composers, which later became known as “cheese notes” due to James’ note about John Leland attached to the song “Religion is a Fortune.”

BRANCHES DETAILED HERE

“The Sacred Harp” (1844-1870)
“Cooper Book” (1902-CURRENT)
“White Book” (1909-1911*)
“James Book” (1911-1929*)
“Denson Book” (1936-CURRENT)
“New Sacred Harp” (1884)
“Colored Sacred Harp” (1934-1992)

*The chart above leaves off two recent “commemorative” editions of the “White Book” in 2017 and “James Book” in 2017 from their “usage date ranges”, though they are part of the timeline chart below. Both have been used in modern singings, but are extremely limited in usage, especially compared to the “Denson Book” and “Cooper Book” usage.

INCOMPLETE, AMATUER, AND SOMEWHAT SPECULATIVE

This study is informal and should not be considered definitive. It has been compiled with earnest effort by an amateur bibliophile, aiming to correlate original research with information from various sources. I have consulted with others and will continue to do so, but this work has only been developed over a few weeks, amounting to just a handful of hours. Additionally, the complete printing history of each state, edition, and branch of The Sacred Harp is not fully known, even to long-time scholars, so this study is necessarily incomplete.

The images included come from my own collection, contributions from collaborators, auction listings, used book websites, random online sources, and some academic references. There is a possibility that some sources may have inaccuracies regarding the edition or year of the depicted books. I have strived to use only clear and trustworthy images.

The legend below explains the preferred amount of information for each listing. Please note that this level of detail may not be available for every entry.

All original research presented here is placed in the public domain and may be used freely. If you have information that this collection lacks or if you can provide corrections, please reach out to me at baltimoreshapenote@gmail.com.

LEGEND

(YEAR PRINTED) – (TITLE AS APPEARS ON COVER) – (EDITION/STATE NOTES) – (BRANCH)
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER – IF KNOWN)
(NOTES)

The year printed may be different than the year associated with the edition. For example, there are several very different books that all state they are the 1971 printing of the Denson branch.

All of the books are “Sacred Harp” but the cover title was changed many times, sometimes to establish different “branches” of the book sometimes as a marketing strategy.

The “edition notes” is a brief statement about what unique printing the book is, based on either what the book has stated, what researchers have posited.

As there were many publishers involved in the different editions, and many different printers, I’ve detailed that information on the second line. The role of the publisher and the printer can vary greatly depending on the time and project. Early on the printer would have typeset everything, but more recent editions would often have often been typeset by the publishers, etc.

The third line will be used (sparingly) for any additional notes I would like to add that helps further identify and differentiate editions/states/printings.

NOTICE:
THIS IS AN IN-PROGRESS PROJECT, PUBLISHED “EARLY” FOR COLLABORATIVE PURPOSES.
EXPECT CHANGES TO OCCUR AS LONG AS THIS NOTICE IS POSTED.

The Illustrated Bibliographic Timeline

1800s

1844 – E.J. KING DIED

1844 – The Sacred Harp – First Edition, First Printing – “The Sacred Harp”
B.F. White & E.J. King, Hamilton, GA / T.K. & P.G. Collins
This is the first printing of the first edition.

1847 – The Sacred Harp – First Edition, Second Printing – “The Sacred Harp”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1848 – The Sacred Harp – First Edition, Third Printing – “The Sacred Harp”
B.F. White & Joe King, Hamilton, GA / T.K. & P.G. Collins
This appears to be a third printing of the first edition with cover and title page featuring the year 1848. Note that Joel Kings name has replaced his brothers on the cover as a “proprietor.”

1850 – The Sacred Harp – Second Edition, First Printing “To Which Is Added an Appendix” – “The Sacred Harp”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1857 – The Sacred Harp – Second Edition, Second Printing “To Which Is Added an Appendix” – “The Sacred Harp”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1860 – The Sacred Harp – Third Edition “To Which Is Added Appendix I … Also, Appendix II.” – “The Sacred Harp”
S.C. Collins, Philadelphia
A facsimile of this edition was produced in 1968.

1869 – The Sacred Harp – Fourth Edition, First Printing “Fourth Edition, Much Improved and Greatly Enlarged” – “The Sacred Harp”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1870 – The Sacred Harp – Fourth Edition, Second Printing – “The Sacred Harp”
Chas. P. Byrd, Atlanta / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1879 – B.F. WHITE DIED

1884 – The New Sacred Harp – “New Sacred Harp”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1897 – The Sacred Harp – Fourth Edition, Third Printing – “The Sacred Harp”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1900s

1903 – The Sacred Harp – 1902 Edition, First Printing “Cooper Book”
W.M. Cooper & Co., Dothan, Al
This first edition of the “Cooper Book” is dated 1902, but was not available until 1903.

1907 – – “Cooper Book”
W.M. Cooper & Co., Dothan, Al
This is a photo of a copy owned by the Texas State University in San Marcos.

1909 – The Sacred Harp – Fifth Edition – “White Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1909 – The Sacred Harp – “Cooper Book”
W.M. Cooper & Co., Dothan, Al
(NOTES)

1910 – The Sacred Harp – _____ – “White Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1911 – “Original Sacred Harp” – First Printing – “James Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
Mr. Karlsberg has written about this “branch” at length here: https://jpkarlsberg.com/tag/original-sacred-harp/

1911 – “Original Sacred Harp” – Second Printing – “James Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1911 – “Original Sacred Harp” – Second Printing – “James Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1911 – The Sacred Harp – _______ – “White Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

19?? – The Sacred Harp – 8th Edition, Alternate State – “Cooper Book”
W.M. Cooper & Co., Dothan, Al
This example of the Eighth Edition was personally owned by S. J. Patterson of Newsome, Texas; dated May 28, 1916. We’re assuming the date inscribed may be close to the date this edition was printed.

1916 – W.M. COOPER DIED

1921 – “Original Sacred Harp” – Fourth Printing – “James Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)
LINK: INTERNET ARCHIVE

1925 – J.L.WHITE DIED

19??– The Sacred Harp – “1927, 9th Edition” – “Cooper Book”
“Distributed by B.P. Poyner”
The cover of this book states “Distributed by B. P. Poyner,” and was apparently a printing done by Poyner after Cooper’s death and before the 1927 edition. Not much else is known about this edition.

1927– The Sacred Harp – “1927, 9th Edition” – “Cooper Book”
Dr. R. D. Blackshear, Panama City, Fla., Owner and Publisher.
The first printing of the 1927 edition still retained the name R. D. Blackshear as the publisher. He was Cooper’s son-in law. There are at least two other 9th edition printings (says 9th edition on the back) that vary slightly in the covers. There is a 9th edition that has the names of B. P. Poyner, B. F. Faust, and W. M. Faust on it (otherwise the same book, so far as I can tell). There is another 9th edition printing with the names B. P. Poyner and Saxon P. Poyner on it.

1929 – “Original Sacred Harp” – Fifth Printing – “James Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1934 – The Colored Sacred Harp – First Edition, First Printing – “Colored Sacred Harp”
J. Jackson / (PRINTER)
This first edition was a paperback book and printed in a run of 1,000 copies.

19??-1947 – The Sacred Harp – “1927, 9th Edition” – “Cooper Book”
B.P. Poyner Sr. & Saxon P. Poyner, Dothan, Al / (PRINTER)

19??-1947 – The Sacred Harp – “1927, 10th Edition” – “Cooper Book”
B.P. Boyner Sr. & Saxon P. Poyner, Dothan, Al / (PRINTER)
Apparently, the next time B. P. and Saxon Poyner printed this book, they put 10th edition on the back cover. Maybe they forgot to do that with the first printing?

1935 – T.J. DENSON DIED

1936 – S.M. DENSON DIED

1936-‘?? – The Sacred Harp – “1927, 9th Edition” – “Cooper Book”
B.P. Boyner (Dothan, Al), W.M. Faust & B.F. Faust (Ozark, Al)
The Poyner-Faust-Faust, is a printing of the 1927 9th edition. The assumption is they three owned it, and then the Fausts were bought out by Poyners’ son.

1936 – “Original Sacred Harp” – Denson Revision – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Haleyville, Alabama / (PRINTER)
There are three distinct variants I have documented that have been noted as being a 1936 edition. The first cover shown has a very distinctive typography, that reflects the title page inside the book, but also the title page of the red/orange cover. The photo showing the third variant was published in a recent online story and had the caption: “Two women sing from the 1936 revision of The Sacred Harp at the United Sacred Harp Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, 1940s.”

1947 – The Sacred Harp – 11th Edition – “Cooper Book”
Saxon P. Poyner, Dothan, Ala. / (PRINTER)
The Saxon Poyner 11th edition book was done sometime after his father died, but before the Sacred Harp Book Company was created — so apparently 1947-1948.

1949 – The B.F. White Sacred Harp – 12th Edition – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Co. Inc., Troy, Al / (PRINTER)
The 1949 edition examined has silver lettering on the cover, and the 1950 edition has gold(ish) lettering on the cover. However, the way one can be sure to tell them apart is just look inside and see whether it has the 1949 committee or 1950 committee.
Below is a red cloth cover also identified by a source as a1949 edition.
Because later editions used blue cloth, one could assume the red was printed first, but there is no direct evidence of the printing order.

1950 – The B.F. White Sacred Harp – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Co. Inc., Troy, Al / (PRINTER)
See note above.

1955 – PAINE W. DENSON DIED

1960 – The B.F. White Sacred Harp – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Co., Inc., Troy, AL / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1960 – “Original Sacred Harp” – “1960 Revision” – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc. & Denson Music Publishing Co. Cullman, Alabama Owen W. Denson- Owner. (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1960 – “Original Sacred Harp” – “1960 Supplement” – “Denson Book”
Published by Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Cullman Alabama / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1964 – The Sacred Harp: James Edition – “James Book”
Denson Music Publishing Company
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
This is a facsimile edition of the “James Book”

1966 – “Original Sacred Harp” – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Cullman, AL. / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1968 – The Sacred Harp – Third Edition* – “The Sacred Harp”
Broadman Press, Nashville, TN / (PRINTER)
This is a facsimile of the Third Edition published in 1860. It has a new Preface from Davis C. Woolley and includes “The Story of the Sacred Harp 1844-1944” by George Pullen Jackson. Following that is a Postscript by William J. Reynolds.

1971 – “Original Sacred Harp” – 1971 Edition, First printing – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Bremen, GA. / Kingsport Press, Kingsport Tennessee
(NOTES)
LINK: INTERNET ARCHIVE

1973 – The Colored Sacred Harp – First Edition, Second Printing – “Colored Sacred Harp”
H.J. Jackson, Ozark, Alabama / Paragon Press, Montgomery, Alabama
This is the first hardback printing. A small note at the end of the front matter reads: “This project is jointly supported by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. a Federal Agency.”

1977 – “Original Sacred Harp” – 1971, Second Printing? – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Cullman, AL.
The cover reads “(Denson Revision) 1844-1977”, so I’m assuming the end date was the year of printing and not a typo. The Cullman, Alabama address seems like it might imply an earlier printing, as a previous and subsequent books are out of Bremen, Georgia.

“…I sell 5,000 books a year…” –Hugh McGraw “Sacred Harp Singing in Mt Zion GA (July 1977) & Extended Interview with Raymond Hamrick” (link)

1980 – “Original Sacred Harp” – 1971, Third Printing – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Bremen, GA. / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

An article in The Columbus Ledger (Sun, Sep 11, 1983 · Page 21) notes that Hugh McGraw, of The Sacred Harp Publishing Co., “ships 3,000 books a year of the unique music all over the United States and overseas.”

198_ – “Original Sacred Harp” – 1971 Ed., 4th or 5th Printing – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Bremen, GA. / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

198_ – “Original Sacred Harp” – 1971 Ed., 4th or 5th Printing – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Bremen, GA. / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1983 – The Colored Sacred Harp – Second Revised Edition – “Colored Sacred Harp”
H.J. Jackson, Ozark, Alabama / Brown Printing, Montgomery, AL
In addition to the small note about funding added to the previous edition, the following was added to the same page: “Compiled and edited by H.J. Jackson, Ozark, Alabama, with assistance from Henry Willett, Assistant to the Director/Folklorist, Alabama State Council on the Arts and Humanities.

1987 – Original Sacred Harp – Denson Revision 1987 – “Denson Book”
(PUBLISHER) / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1991 – A Proposed Selection of Music 1991 Revision of The Sacred Harp – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Bremen, GA / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1991 – The Sacred Harp – 1991 Revision – “Denson Book”
Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Bremen, GA / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

1992 – The Colored Sacred Harp – Third Revised Edition – “Colored Sacred Harp”
H.J. Jackson, Ozark, Alabama / Brown Printing, Montgomery, AL
A section titled “Autobiography of Judge Jackson” was added to the front matter, and the Rudiments were expanded by a page.

1992 – The B.F. White Sacred Harp – Revised Cooper Edition – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Company, Samson, Alabama / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

2000s

2000 – The B.F. White Sacred Harp – Revised Cooper Edition – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Company, Samson, Alabama / (No Printer Noted)
(NOTES)

2006 – The B.F. White Sacred Harp – Revised Cooper Edition – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Company, Samson, Alabama / (PRINTER)
(NOTES)

2007 – The Sacred Harp – 2007 Edition” – “White Book”
Weelyrd Publishing, Buckley WA / Colson Printing Company, Valdosta, GA
Completely retypeset version of the J.L.White “Fourth Edition, With Supplement” with new front matter and indices. The two printings have been “merged” to create what would technically be a new edition.

2012 – The Sacred Harp – “Revised Cooper Edition” – “Cooper Book”
The Sacred Harp Book Company, Samson, Alabama / Colson Printing Company, Valdosta, GA
(NOTES)

2015 – “Original Sacred Harp” – “James Book”
Pitts Theology Library & Sacred Harp Publishing Company / Bookmasters
This “Centennial Edition is a restored “James Book” created from a second edition in the collection of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company. There is new introductory matter added.

2017 – HUGH McGRAW DIED

March Lesson: The Easy Instructor

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At our March singing we reintroduced “lessons”. Some will be about the history of shape note singing, some will be based on rudiments. The goal is to present enjoyable information that can make the group enjoy singing and feel they have a better understanding of the traditions and technics.

When appropriate, we will post lessons on the blog as well, as we have below.

Just like song leading, any singer is welcome to give a lesson, though you need to arrange in advance, as we will only have one lesson per sing. Email us at: baltimoreshapenote@gmail.com with your idea.

The Easy Instructor

Given by Kevin Isaac, March 26th, 2024

In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear, his antagonist Edmund says “O, these eclipses do portend these divisions! Fa, sol, la, mi.”

These four note sounds from Elizabethan England made their way to America with the Pilgrims and settlers. It was here, in 1721, that John Tufts had the inventive idea to use the initials of each solmization in place of the round note heads on the musical staff. F S L M for Fa Sol La and Mi. He published the short work An Introduction to the Singing of Psalm Tunes. It’s credited as being the first musical textbook written in the new world. 

The stage was set for a real revolution in musical pedagogy when William Smith and William Little took the idea further and replaced those letters with the symbols we use, the triangle, the circle, the square and the diamond. The tunebook they compiled, titled The Easy Instructor. Or. A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony, was the predecessor to our Sacred Harp and Shenandoah Harmony tunebooks, not just in the shapes, but in structure of the book and musical idiom it presented.

We’re going to sing three songs from our tunebooks that were first printed in shape notes in The Easy Instructor. Our voices will join with those who have sung the shapes to these very tunes for 222 years.

We’ll start with page 192 in the red book:  Nehemiah Shumway’s fuging tune Schenectady, with poetry by Isaac Watts. Shumway was a living American Composer at the time this was published.

192 Schenectady – Exeter Regular Sacred Harp Singing 1/28/18

Like many tunebooks, The Easy Instructor was revised and expanded over the course of numerous editions. While the first edition was apparently represented wholly by American composers, the subsequent editors wanted to “keep up with the musical fashion” and slowly removed American composers and replaced them with popular European composers. This reflected the larger reformist movement that ended up suppressing shape notes in the north all together.

If we can turn to page 84 for Amsterdam, a tune not found in the early editions of The Easy Instructor. The poetry was by Englishman Robert Seagraves, who was born in 1693 and was believed to have died around 1759. The melody adapted from a German tune Sei willkommen, and first appeared in a 1754 tunebook.

I want to complete this ternian of tunes with one that made it’s way to our tan book. Open Shenandoah Harmony to 67 for Lewis Edson’s “Greenfield”. Edson was a blacksmith in Woodstock New York that became a Singing Master and one of America’s first composers. You can find his tune Bridgewater in the red book.

Thank you.

Cheese Notes

LPs issued by the Sacred Harp Publishing Co.

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We have taken the text from “Chapter 7: Older Recordings (Pre-1977) of Traditional Singers Reissued on CDs and Internet” found on Steven L. Sabol’s terrific internet resource, and I have inserted the appropriate YouTube videos of the albums he describes.

We have appended the track listing provided by Jeramiah Ledbetter, who uploaded the videos into a playlist.

LPs issued by the Sacred Harp Publishing Co.

Recordings from 1965-1975 by the Sacred Harp Publishing Co. currently on YouTube. An historic series of LP record albums were produced by the Sacred Harp Publishing Co. from 1965 through 1975. Five out of the six original LP recordings featured a select group of the finest traditional Sacred Harpers, many now deceased, singing representative songs in a studio under the direction of Hugh McGraw. Although these were not the first recordings of Sacred Harp singing, Buell Cobb points out that they “stand above the rest in scope and consistency.” The six LP albums were numbered 101-106. In the early 2000s, they were combined into three compact discs (and three cassette tapes) by Morning Trumpet Recordings headed by Ted Mercer and Richard DeLong. Extensive sound restoration and digital remastering were performed. The CDs featured liner notes written by Buell Cobb and graphics by Lisa Grayson. However, when the CDs were sold out, reprinting was not done and Morning Trumpet ceased operation. Hopefully the CDs will be reissued somehow in the future. In the meantime, the original LP recordings have been placed by Sacred Harp singer Jeremiah Ledbetter on his YouTube channel. Photos of the back sides of the LP record jackets are also provided. The recordings are as follows:

Vol. 101: “Original Sacred Harp Singing in Traditional Style” presents 13 tunes.

143 Pleyel’s Hymn 00:00 218 Mount Pleasant 02:44 85 The Morning Trumpet 05:43 532 Peace And Joy 07:24 268 David’s Lamentation 94 Never Part 12:53 146 Hallelujah 15:59 455 Soar Away 18:30 144 Jubilee 21:47 171 Exhortation 23:51 329 Vain World, Adieu 25:49 274t The Golden Harp 27:57 120 Chambers 29:59

Vol. 102: “Fa Sol La Music Album Sung in Traditional Style by Sacred Harp Singers of the Southland” presents 15 tunes. Volumes 101 and 102 (28 songs) were combined and reissued as a CD in 1990 by Bibletone listed on Amazon.com. The entire Bibletone album and individual tracks are also on YouTube.

45t New Britain – 0:00 36b Ninety-Fifth – 2:30 410 The Dying Californian – 4:50 235b Long Sought Home – 6:52 147t Boylston – 9:54 420 Bishop – 13:20 149 The Trumpet – 15:09 282 I’m Going Home – 18:28 358 Murillo’s Lesson – 20:25 129 Heavenly Armor – 22:53 186 Sherburne – 24:58 161 Sweet Home – 26:45 294 Rocky Road – 29:56 122 All is Well – 32:53 62 Parting Hand – 35:15

Vol. 103: “Sacred Harp at the Old Country Church” presents 15 tunes.

64 Nashville – 0:00 40 Lenox – 1:48 99 Gospel Trumpet – 3:39 445b Passing Away – 5:56 460 Sardis – 8:05 569b Sacred Throne – 9:55 288 White – 11:49 213t The Good Old Way – 14:29 392 Manchester – 16:50 126 Babel’s Streams – 19:07 326 Weary Pilgrim – 20:33 236 Easter Anthem – 23:26 290 Victoria – 26:15 512 The Spirit Shall Return – 29:07 388 The Happy Sailor – 31:49

Vol. 104: “Sacred Harp Singing with Dinner on the Ground” presents 16 tunes.

283 Sabbath Morning – 0:00 318 Present Joys – 2:14 500 Living Hope – 4:35 373 Homeward Bound – 6:52 432 Cheves – 8:34 365 Southwell – 10:23 328 Praise God – 13:34 68B Ortonville – 15:30 75 I Would See Jesus – 17:37 39b Sharpsburg – 19:19 128 The Promised Land – 20:45 101t Canaan’s Land – 22:17 361 Loving Jesus – 24:10 422 Burdette – 26:05 523b Pleyel’s Hymn – 27:38 506 The Ark – 29:27

Vol. 105: “Fa-Sol-La Is Here to Stay” presents 15 tunes, mostly of Southern origin, including ones by A.M. Cagle and Ruth Denson Edwards, who headed the company at that time and sang in the group.

63 Coronation – 0:00 192 Schenectady – 2:03 462 Faith and Hope – 4:20 316 New Hope – 7:00 77t The Child of Grace – 8:58 70t Gainesville – 11:06 57 Christian Soldier – 13:01 394 The Messiah’s Praise – 15:13 446 Infinite Day – 17:15 45t New Britain – 19:16 314 Cleburne – 21:46 543 Thou Art God – 23:45 383 Eternal Day – 26:17 528 Showers of Blessing – 29:16 518 Heavenly Anthem – 31:39

Vol. 106: “Sacred Harp Bicentennial Celebration” presents 14 tunes. It was issued in 1975-76 at the time of the U.S. Bicentennial and thus fourteen popular New England tunes and anthems, including five each by Billings and Read. CHESTER is sung with Billings’ original patriotic words. The singing on the this recording is generally very strong because of the larger number of singers at this “open” singing.

36b Windham – 0:00 107 Russia – 1:55 186 Sherburne – 3:17 280 Westford – 5:12 300 Calvary – 7:05 137 Liberty – 9:04 220 Mount Zion – 10:50 299 New Jerusalem – 12:28 155 Northfield – 14:21 91 Assurance – 15:39 236 Easter Anthem – 17:05 268 David’s Lamentation – 19:50 479 Chester – 22:20 254 Rose of Sharon – 23:58

Cheese Notes

A timeline of the Baltimore-Washington All Day

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The broad outline of shape-note singing (and four shape-note in particular) is that it emerged from New England and took hold in the deep south and some western locales where it survived largely among isolated communities. It was in the 1930s that some academics discovered this American musical form had not disappeared, and studied and partook in it. It is mostly through these scholar-practitioners, and motivated enthusiasts that the traditional music and culture has seen several revivals and has slowly expanded into a vibrant and living community of singers around the world.

The first Southern shape-note tunebook was Kentucky Harmony by Ananias Davisson, published in 1816. Philadelphia was a major publishing hub of Shape Note books, and there have even been a couple books published in Baltimore. But, compared to other areas, Mid-Atlantic has had only a moderate history of shape-note singing, though it’s not completely alien, a topic for a different blog.

It is remarkable that Baltimore and Washington teamed up to begin to present All-Day singings beginning in 2013, two centuries after the cultural flight of the music from North to South. The singings were also two-book singings, using the Denson 1991 revision of The Sacred Harp and the Shenandoah Harmony books.

Unfortunately the pandemic that occurred beginning in 2019 did a great deal of damage in many ways, and shape-note singings suffered because of it.

A timeline of the Baltimore-Washington All Day Singings

1st Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2013
Sat., Oct. 12, 2013 from 10am-3:30pm
Church of the Ascension, 633 Sligo Ave,  Silver Spring MD 20910

There is a video playlist of 12 songs from 2013 available on YouTube.

2nd Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2014
Sat., Oct. 4, 2014 from 10am-3:30pm
Church of St. Monica/St. James, 222 8th St NE Washington DC

3rd Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2015
Sat., Oct. 3, 2015 from 10am-3:30pm
Faith Community Church, 5315 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD 21214

4th Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2016
Sat., Oct. 1, 2016 from 10am-3:30pm
Cathedral of the Incarnation, 4 E University Pkwy, Baltimore, MD

5th Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2017
Sat., Oct. 7, 2017 from 10am-3:30pm
Woman’s Club of Arlington, 700 S Buchanan St, Arlington, VA 22204

6th Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2018
Sat., Oct. 6th, 2018 from 10am-3:30pm
Cathedral of the Incarnation, 4 E University Pkwy, Baltimore, MD

7th Annual Baltimore-Washington Shenandoah Harmony All Day Singing – 2019
Sat., Oct. 5, 2019 from 10am-3:30pm
Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church 201 4th St SE Washington, DC 20003

Cheese Notes

Deep Dive | Sacred Harp – 47b Idumea

Posted on

“Deep Dive” will be a series of posts where we learn specific songs from our songbooks. Not just how to sing them, but some of the history of the songs and other interesting notes. We will pull learning information from a number of sources online and offline.

This is the first time I’ve tried assembling this type of information for a song. There are a tremendous number of resources out there but I don’t have access to them all and this singer is still relatively new to shape note singing and the history of Sacred Harp.

If you see an error, or using imprecise language, please offer feedback!

-Kevin

The Song

This song is featured in the two current popular tune books that Baltimore uses during out singings: Sacred Harp (1991 Denson) and Shenandoah Harmony. The latter has a different arrangement and is truncated to two lines (the first and third lines from Sacred Harp).

In this post, we will focus on the version presented in Sacred Harp (1991 Denson).

The song as presented in The Sacred Harp takes the first two stanzas of Charles Wesley’s “Hymn 59” and divides them into four lines for the song.

Music

Poetry

And am I born to die?
To lay this body down!
And must my trembling spirit fly
Into a world unknown?

A land of deepest shade,
Unpierced by human thought;
The dreary regions of the dead,
Where all things are forgot!

Soon as from earth I go,
What will become of me?
Eternal happiness or woe
Must then my portion be!

Waked by the trumpet sound,
I from my grave shall rise;
And see the Judge with glory crowned,
And see the flaming skies!

Learning the Song

“Learn to Sing”

We’ll begin with Esther Morgan-Ellis’ terrific “Learn to Sing Sacred Harp” video on the song. Andy Ditzler joins her to sing the parts. If you’re not familiar with these videos, you should be! The screen is filled up with the musical notation (click “full screen” and watch on a real monitor or TV!) and Esther introduces the song and then each part is sung separately and then a “field recording” is played and sung along with.

Note: Esther has a website, a twitter. We link to the youtube channel itself on our Links page.

The video is broken down into “chapters” for you to easily find the part you want to practice.

Sacred Harp Bremen

Sacred Harp Bremen has a page for the song and a brilliant music player that gives you a synthesized tune for all the parts, and a track that combines them all: https://sacredharpbremen.org/47b-idumea/

Field Recordings

47b Idumea – Second Ireland Sacred Harp Convention, 2012
Holly Springs Sacred Harp singing: Idumea, #47b (1982)
47b, Idumea, from “The Sacred Harp” (2014, near Goshen, Indiana, the Michiana All Day Singing.)

The Source

The music of The Sacred Harp and shape note tradition often goes through many iterations over the course of their long lives.

Makers of the Sacred Harp

The book The Makers of the Sacred Harp identifies the source of “Idumea” in the following way

IDUMEA. S.M.
Words: Charles Wesley, 1763.
Music: Ananias Davisson, in Kentucky Harmony, 1816. Alto in Walker, Christian Harmony, 1867.

The Makers of the Sacred Harp, Steel, D.W.& Hulan, R. H., Urbana: Univ. of Illinois Press, 2010

I will note that printed below the title is a quote from Ecclesiastes 3:2 – “A time to be born and a time to die.” You can see variations of this line from various bibles at Bible Gateway.

Introduction to the Poetry

The CPDL website identifies the source of the poetry in the following way:

This is an hymn by Charles Wesley, originally published in Hymns for Children, 1763, as Hymn 59, with meter 66. 86. D (S.M.D.). This is not to be confused with “And am I only born to die,” with meter 886. 886, published in the same book as Hymn 64.

First Printing Poetry in Facsimile

The following was taken from an Archive.org scan, slightly cleaned up for presentation here:

First Printing Poetry Transcribed

Note: The following text replaces the archaic “long s” in the original with a modern “s”.

1.    And am I born to die,
      To lay this body down?
And must my trembling spirit fly
      Into a world unknown,
      A world of darkest shade,
      Unpierc'd by human thought,
The dreary regions of the dead,
      Where all things are forgot!

2.    Soon as from earth I go,
      What will become of me?
Eternal happiness or woe
      Must then my portion be:
      Waked by the trumpet’s sound
      I from my grave shall rise,
And see the judge with glory crown’d,
      And see the flaming skies.
 
3.    How shall I leave my tomb?
      With triumph or regret?
A fearful, or a joyful doom,
      A curse or blessing meet?
      Shall angel-bands convey
      Their brother to the bar?
Or devils drag my soul away,
      To meet its sentence there?

4.    Who can resolve the doubt
      That tears my anxious breast?
Shall I be with the damn’d cast out,
      Or number’d with the blest?
      I must from God be driven
      Or with my Savior dwell,
Must come, at his command, to heaven,
      Or else depart to hell.
 
5.    O thou who would not have
      One wretched sinner die,
Who died thyself, my soul to save
      From endless misery,
      Shew me the way to shun
      Thy dreadful wrath severe,
That when Thou comest on the throne,
      I may with joy appear.

6.    Thou art thyself the way:
      Thyself in me reveal,
So shall I pass my life’s short day
      Obedient to thy will;
      So shall I love my God,
      Because he first loved me,
And praise thee in thy bright abode
      Thro' all eternity.

The First Printed Arrangement in Facsimile

The first arrangement of “Idumea” by Ananias Davisson was printed in Kentucky Harmony (1816), and as can be seen, contains none of the lyrics of Charles Wesley’s “Hymn 59”. In fact, it contains the first stanza of the song printed in The Sacred Harp as “147t Boylston”.
Our facsimile is taken from an Archive.org scan.

First Printed Arrangement Poetry

My God, my life, my love,
To thee, to thee I call: 
I cannot live if thou remove, 
For thou art all in all.

First Arrangement Tenor Compared to Current Arrangement

If we focus on the Tenor, we can see minor differences between the 1816 and 1991 arrangements.

Christian Harmony Printed Arrangement in Facsimile

The setting in Christian Harmony (1867) is in a seven shape note style. It only includes three lines of poetry.
Our facsimile is taken from an Archive.org scan.

“Original Sacred Harp” Printed Arrangement in Facsimile

The setting in “Original Sacred Harp” (1911) is taken from an Archive.org scan.

The poetry here has four lines, the complete first two stanzas of the original hymn.
Note the following text follows the arrangement:

    The original title to these words was "And Others of Riper Years." See history of Charles Wesley on this and other pages of this work. He composed over 6,ooo hymns, and this one was among his favorites. 
    "Idumea" was printed in Walker's "Southern Harmony," in 1835, page 31; "Missouri Harmony," in 1837, page 32. It was first published in 1817. No trace can be found of A. Davidson, author of the music.

The phrase “And Others of Riper Years” was actually second half the enlarged title of a latter printing of the book that contained the original hymn: Hymns for Children, and Others of Riper Years.

Title Pages to Two Editions of Wesley’s Book

Hymns for Children
by Wesley, Charles
Bristol: E. Farley, 1763

Hymns for Children, and Others of Riper Years
by Wesley, Charles
London: R. Hawes, 1778

On Hymns for Children

[Charles Wesley.] Hymns for Children. Bristol: Farley, 1763.
2nd Bristol: Pine, 1768. [adds to title: and Those of Riper Years]
3rd London: Hawes, 1778. [adds to title: and Those of Riper Years]
4th London: Paramore, 1784. [adds to title: and Those of Riper Years]

From a document produced by Duke Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition:

When John Wesley visited the German Moravians at Herrnhut, he made note of an item (#12) in their constitution: “Our little children we instruct chiefly by hymns; whereby we find the most important truths most successfully insinuated into their minds” (see his Journal, 11–14 Aug. 1738). Encouraged by this precedent, John Wesley published a short volume of Hymns for Children (1747), including nine hymns drawn from HSP (1740), CPH (1741), and HSP (1742).
Seven of the hymns included by John Wesley in Hymns for Children (1743) were written by his brother Charles, showing their shared interest in hymns for children. Indeed, five of the hymns came from a set of seven to which Charles assigned that name in HSP (1742), 194–202. Similar hymns are scattered through Charles’s manuscript collections of verse from the early 1740s on. Moreover, he had considered gathering these into a separate volume from at least 1750. On January 29 of that year he wrote to Mrs. Mary Jones, of Fonmon Castle, Wales, that he was preparing a hymn-book for the students at Kingswood school. His plans for publishing this hymn-book were apparently delayed. A decade later, in a letter to his wife dated January 5, 1760, Charles again announced his intention to publish his “hymns for children” (almost certainly now gathered into a manuscript volume). But once again he was delayed. He developed a serious case of gout, from which he would take two years to recover. He devoted this time to Scripture Hymns (1762). Then, in early 1763, he finally published his own Hymns for Children.
This collection gathered together several different types of verse prepared by Charles over the two decades. The first thirty hymns follow closely the outline of the catechism Instructions for Children, which John Wesley published in 1745 (drawing on the work of Claude Fleury & Pierre Poiret). It is hard to imagine a more obvious use of the form of hymns to “insinuate the most important truths” into the minds of children! Moving on, in hymns 40–50 we surely encounter the core of the hymn-book that Charles was preparing in 1750 for the students at Kingswood School. The final section, “Hymns for the Youngest,” includes the only items that had been published previously, from the set of hymns for children in HSP (1742)—shown in blue font in the Table of Contents below.
Hymns for Children (1763) went through four editions over two decades. In late 1787 an abridged form was published. Given Charles’s declining health, the abridgment was surely done by John Wesley, who added a preface to a 1790 reprint. Cf. Hymns for Children (1787) in the section of this website devoted to John Wesley’s hymn collections.

Editions:
[Charles Wesley.] Hymns for Children. Bristol: Farley, 1763.
2nd Bristol: Pine, 1768. [adds to title: and Those of Riper Years]
3rd London: Hawes, 1778. [adds to title: and Those of Riper Years]
4th London: Paramore, 1784. [adds to title: and Those of Riper Years]