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Keith, Holly and I went to a Sacred Harp sing on the 23rd. Sacred Harp is
one of several parallel singing-school traditions from the 18th century,
still a living tradition though, although I much prefer the 18th and 19th
century stuff to anything written lately. I noted some of the lyrics to
share with you, taking notes while I should have been singing treble (which
is the highest part, but not the melody--the tenors have the melody).

Sacred Harp is a shape-note book, and not the seven shapes they use in one of
the other "schools," and which are in the old Broadman hymnal, but a
four-shape system called "fa-sol-la." Originally, there were three
parts--the middle voices sang melody, and that's the tenor line. Then there
was the bass line--all men. Then there was the treble line--all women, on a
descant.

As four-part singing became more popular, they added (crammed in) a (usually
boring) alto line. BUT what they gained was the ability to do in-the-round
singing (the leader stands in the middle, and people take turns leading their
favorite songs), and things with four entrances.

Some of the Baptist (and other such) hymnal stuff came from that tradition
but the tunes were modernized in the late 19th century, early 20th.

The music is in modes unfamiliar to us, and sometimes very fast and powerful,
and sometimes very slow and mournful and the chords just hanging in the air
around you running shivers through you. And the most interesting part of
all: This never stuck as church music. Some at first, but mostly it was
sung at "singings"--not church services with prayers and sermons, but
gatherings for the purpose of singing. They would start and end with a
prayer (the formal sessions still do) and if it's an annual sing, there's a
memorial about 3/4 the way through which is set aside to name those who've
died or need prayer and then they go back to the singing.

From Wondrous Love, second verse:
When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down
When I was sinking down, sinking down.
When I was sinking down, beneath God's righteous frown
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.
-----------

A tune called Cuba (tune-name unrelated to the text):

Go, preachers, and tell it to the world (x3)
Poor mourners found a home at last.

Through free grace and a dying Lamb (x3)
Poor mourners found a home at last.
--------

This one, called Africa, is an 18th century masterpiece, by Isaac Watts and
William Billings, whose names are throughout lots of hymn books and their
history. It's slow with chord changes. REALLY beautiful in the air.

Now shall my inward joys arise, and burst into a song;
Almighty love inspires my heart, and pleasure tunes my tongue.

God, on his thirsty Zion's hill, som mercy drops has thrown;
And solemn oaths have bound His love to show'r salvation down.

Why do we then indulge our fears, suspicions and complaints?
Is He a God, and shall His grace grow weary of His Saints?

[What I don't know is the "solemn oaths" part--who would God swear to? Or
who swore to God to earn this "mercy"? The verse cited at the top of the
page is "The Lord hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his
afflicted." --Isaiah 49:13]

----------------

From "Redemption," second verse and refrain:

Oh! He suffered there for guilty man, His life so freely gave
When He paid the debt we could not pay and triumphed o'er the grave.

Oh his blood was shed that we might live with Him when life is o'er
And upon the clouds of glory ride safe to that peaceful shore.

(That text is a 20th century one, but I liked it.)

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This is wonderful Sandra, thanks for sharing it.
Deb L

On Thu, 27 Dec 2001 10:27:41 EST SandraDodd@... writes:
> Keith, Holly and I went to a Sacred Harp sing on the 23rd. Sacred
> Harp is
> one of several parallel singing-school traditions from the 18th
> century,
> still a living tradition though, although I much prefer the 18th and
> 19th
> century stuff to anything written lately. I noted some of the
> lyrics to
> share with you, taking notes while I should have been singing treble
> (which
> is the highest part, but not the melody--the tenors have the
> melody).
>
> Sacred Harp is a shape-note book, and not the seven shapes they use
> in one of
> the other "schools," and which are in the old Broadman hymnal, but a
>
> four-shape system called "fa-sol-la." Originally, there were
> three
> parts--the middle voices sang melody, and that's the tenor line.
> Then there
> was the bass line--all men. Then there was the treble line--all
> women, on a
> descant.
>
> As four-part singing became more popular, they added (crammed in) a
> (usually
> boring) alto line. BUT what they gained was the ability to do
> in-the-round
> singing (the leader stands in the middle, and people take turns
> leading their
> favorite songs), and things with four entrances.
>
> Some of the Baptist (and other such) hymnal stuff came from that
> tradition
> but the tunes were modernized in the late 19th century, early 20th.
>
> The music is in modes unfamiliar to us, and sometimes very fast and
> powerful,
> and sometimes very slow and mournful and the chords just hanging in
> the air
> around you running shivers through you. And the most interesting
> part of
> all: This never stuck as church music. Some at first, but mostly
> it was
> sung at "singings"--not church services with prayers and sermons,
> but
> gatherings for the purpose of singing. They would start and end
> with a
> prayer (the formal sessions still do) and if it's an annual sing,
> there's a
> memorial about 3/4 the way through which is set aside to name those
> who've
> died or need prayer and then they go back to the singing.
>
> From Wondrous Love, second verse:
> When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down
> When I was sinking down, sinking down.
> When I was sinking down, beneath God's righteous frown
> Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
> Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.
> -----------
>
> A tune called Cuba (tune-name unrelated to the text):
>
> Go, preachers, and tell it to the world (x3)
> Poor mourners found a home at last.
>
> Through free grace and a dying Lamb (x3)
> Poor mourners found a home at last.
> --------
>
> This one, called Africa, is an 18th century masterpiece, by Isaac
> Watts and
> William Billings, whose names are throughout lots of hymn books and
> their
> history. It's slow with chord changes. REALLY beautiful in the
> air.
>
> Now shall my inward joys arise, and burst into a song;
> Almighty love inspires my heart, and pleasure tunes my tongue.
>
> God, on his thirsty Zion's hill, som mercy drops has thrown;
> And solemn oaths have bound His love to show'r salvation down.
>
> Why do we then indulge our fears, suspicions and complaints?
> Is He a God, and shall His grace grow weary of His Saints?
>
> [What I don't know is the "solemn oaths" part--who would God swear
> to? Or
> who swore to God to earn this "mercy"? The verse cited at the top
> of the
> page is "The Lord hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon
> his
> afflicted." --Isaiah 49:13]
>
> ----------------
>
> From "Redemption," second verse and refrain:
>
> Oh! He suffered there for guilty man, His life so freely gave
> When He paid the debt we could not pay and triumphed o'er the grave.
>
> Oh his blood was shed that we might live with Him when life is o'er
> And upon the clouds of glory ride safe to that peaceful shore.
>
> (That text is a 20th century one, but I liked it.)