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2 Varieties of shape note music 3 Resources |
The idea behind the tradition is that the parts of a choral work can be learned more quickly and easily if the music is printed in shapes, corresponding to syllables with which the notes of the musical scale are sung. Thus, for instance, in the shape note tradition of the Sacred Harp, the notes of a C major scale would be notated and sung as follows:
Shape notes
C fa triangle
D sol oval
E la rectangle
F fa triangle
G sol oval
A la rectangle
B mi diamond
C fa triangle
(The shapes may be viewed at http://www.originalsacredharp.com .)
When a song is first sung by the group, they use the syllables and shapes to help solidify their command over the notes. Later, they sing the same notes to the words of the music.
The syllables and notes are not tied to particular pitches (e.g. fa to C); rather, they depend on the key of the piece, so that the tonic note of the key always has the same syllable (here, fa), and similarly for the other notes of the scale. Some refer to this as a moveable "do" system.
The system above, for Sacred Harp music, is a "four shape" system. Other systems have existed as well, notably seven-shape systems that give a different shape and syllable to every note of the scale. Such systems use for syllables the traditional Italian scale "do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do". In the seven-shape tradition, the notes of a C major scale would be notated and sung as follows:
C do equilateral triangle D re half circle (half of a circle with a flat top) E mi diamond (normal four-sided diamond) F fa right-angle triangle G sol oval A la rectangle B ti diamond (rounded top, as a baseball field diamond) C do equilateral triangleThis and other seven-shape systems may be viewed at " class="external">http://fasola.org/introduction/note_shapes.html.
The shape note tradition that currently has the greatest number of adherents is Sacred Harp music, discussed in its own Wikipedia article. But there are many other traditions, still existing, that sprang from the same roots. Among the four-shape systems, the Southern Harmony has remained in continuous use at one singing in Benton, Kentucky, and is now experiencing a small amount of growth. The present-day shape note revival has also brought about the institution of new singings from defunct books, such as the Missouri Harmony, as well as new books by modern composers, such as the Northern Harmony.
The "seven-note" system has a capella singings of a similar type to the Sacred Harp, such as the Christian Harmony and the New Harp of Columbia, but is also used in numerous "gospel" or "Southern gospel" singings where musical instruments are used (most often a piano). The participants in these gatherings sing old gospel songs like "Sweet By & By" and "Shall We Gather at the River". Although "seven-shape" books may not be as popular as in the past, there are still a great number of churches in the South that use hymnals that are printed in the "seven-note" system, both in church services and at singings. Singers at Christian Harmony and New Harp of Columbia singings usually "sing the notes", as is done at Sacred Harp singings. In gospel seven-shape note music, the notes (syllables) are normally only sung during the learning process at singing schools.
Resources
Books
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