Shape Note/Sacred Harp Song Book

Just curious if I'm truly alone is appreciating this music.

[Maine-iac]

Haven't heard enough of it to form an opinion. I don't remember disliking what little I have heard, but I didn't run right out and listen to more, either.

OK, yeah, I guess it's just me.

When I was a kid my aunt was involved in a Sacred Harp/Southern Harmony revival choir that got together through several Baptist churches in Missouri...my dad played a lot of her recordings around the house.

Saw Cold Mountain the other day and remembered that odd a-tonal sound, and downloaded some stuff off iTunes. My finace's been complaining about it ever since.

For those who don't know what it is, shape-note was a style of writing music for easy group singing in parts. Around the 1840s or so there were a couple song books published in the South and used by most White churches for the next couple decades.

The music is hymn set to a four-part harmony that has a strange percussive, stark yet other-worldly sound to it...probably just because there's nothing like it in modern music today.

If you watch Cold Mountain, the scene where they're in chuch and news that the war is on, the congregation is singing in that style.

Anyway for music buffs, it's a neat and unique form of American folk. For Christians, you might recognize some of the hyms you sing, but in a much more primitive form (which stirs the soul in a different way, IMO.)

[CyberGuy2004]

Mom had some shape-note hymnals from her childhood in rural Kentucky. I probably have them now, since I have the family piano. From a pianist perspective, they're difficult to read. With a little training, I suppose they'd be easy to sing from. I don't know that I've ever heard a recording like this. Anything YouTube with it? I'd like to hear the sound style before spending $ for recordings.

Originally Posted by CyberGuy2004

Mom had some shape-note hymnals from her childhood in rural Kentucky. I probably have them now, since I have the family piano. From a pianist perspective, they're difficult to read. With a little training, I suppose they'd be easy to sing from. I don't know that I've ever heard a recording like this. Anything YouTube with it? I'd like to hear the sound style before spending $ for recordings.

Haven't heard anything on youTube.

iTunes has some recordings, which you can sample for free.

Or, rent Cold Mountain, and pay attention to the scene in the church about half hour or so in.

[Fun King ded]

Thank you for the heads up. I will look into it and get back to you.

[Listeria]

Originally Posted by Uma Karuna

OK, yeah, I guess it's just me.

I am not sure what specific sounds map to those names you listed, but I bet I have heard tham and like or love them.

You should check out the Yazoo/Shanachie record label! They have a lot of old recordings and they have one compilation of religious music on two volumes, called "How Can I Keep From Singing?" I think it might have some Sacred Harp music on it, and a lot of other good stuff. Yazoo also has an excellent compilation called "Times Ain't Like They Used to Be" and it's also the label for the Secret Museum of Mankind. I should go and check out their catalogue again myself...


here is their link:

http://www.yazoorecords.com/

COOL!!! Thanks!

Have to get this -

My Rough And Rowdy Ways, Vol. 1
Badman Ballads and Hellraising Songs
Classic Recordings from the 1920s and 30s