QUAKER-ROOTS-L Archives

Archiver > QUAKER-ROOTS > 1999-04 > 0923028394


From: "Donald E. Beck" <>
Subject: Re: Shape Note singing
Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 23:46:34 -0500


Barb & all,

My dad grew up in Georgia at the beginning of this century and taught
himself to play the piano using music written in shape notes. He played
the piano very well. I never saw anything but shape notes in church song
books until just recently.

Not being terribly musically inclined myself, I never realized much
advantage from song books with shape notes.

Don Beck

Barbara Walters Eberly wrote:
>
> I live in the Appalachians. There are still pockets of "shape
> note" singing which are alive and well and being taught to the
> youngsters. One church which still uses it less than a mile from
> my house. In fact, just tonight, one of my daughters had her
> boyfriend over going through my music collection looking for
> shape note songs. They had been to a presentation and were
> interested enough to come back here and look for more.....
> Barbara
>
> "Horace D. Satcher" wrote:
> >
> >>
> > Briefly Sacred Harp is a form of singing without musical accompaniment using
> > shaped notes. It is a four (or six) part harmony. In the USA it originated
> > in New England in the 18th century and spread south. The Primitive Baptist
> > Church which does not permit musical instruments has kept the form alive
> > although it is about to disappear.
>
> ==== QUAKER-ROOTS Mailing List ====
> Post a Quaker Query - http://www.rootsweb.com/~quakers/queries.ht

This thread: