Sacred Harp Singing

Sacred Harp singing is a non-denominational community musical event emphasizing participation, not performance. Singers sit facing inward in a hollow square. Each individual is invited to take a turn “leading,” i.e. standing in the center, selecting a song, and beating time with the hand. The singing is not accompanied by harps or any other instrument. The group sings from The Sacred Harp, an oblong songbook first published in 1844 by B.F. White and E. J. King. The music is printed in “patent notes,” wherein the shape of the note head indicates the syllables FA (right triangle) , SOL (oval) , LA (rectangle) , and MI (diamond) . The repertory includes psalm tunes, fuging tunes, odes and anthems by the first American composers (1770-1810), and also settings of folk songs and revival hymns (1810-1860). The current 1991 Edition contains many songs in these styles by living composers.

This style of singing stems from singing schools in the colonial period. Preserved in the rural South, Sacred Harp singing (also called fasola singing or shape-note singing) is making a major resurgence in cities and campuses throughout North America. North Mississippi is fortunate to have traditional all-day singings within easy driving distance. Most singings last from about ten in the morning till three in the afternoon, with an hour break at noon for dinner on the grounds.

Singing schedules and minutes.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ).
Regional singings and conventions on the Web.
All-day singing, Oxford, Mississippi, March 11, 2012
Dinner on the grounds: regional recipes.
The Makers of the Sacred Harp.
- Review by Tim Eriksen
- Review by Robert Bowman
- Addenda and corrigenda.
Shape Note Resource Guide by Steven L. Sabol.
Articles and essays by diverse authors.
Reviews of books and recordings.
A selection of song texts.
Photos of Mississippi singings, 1981-1986.
Audio samples of Sacred Harp singing.
Video samples of Sacred Harp singing.
Samples of musical notation.
Sacred Harp art works by Ethel Wright Mohamed and Bethanne Hill, and a West Gallery painting by Thomas Webster.

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Acknowledgments.

Other online resources:

Fasola home page.
Photographs of Sacred Harp singings by Martha Beverly, Mary Whitehurst and Robert Chambless.
Shape note bibliography (2d ed.) by John Bealle.
Ishmael’s shape notes.
Sacred Harp Publishing Company
Old Harp singing in East Tennessee.
The Sacred Harp, 1860 edition online.
Southern Harmony, online edition: texts, notation, MIDI.
Harmonia Sacra online edition.
Hesperian Harp online edition (Berkley Moore)
Supplement to the Kentucky Harmony online edition (Berkley Moore)
Gallery music and psalmody (England).
West Gallery Music Association (England).

Warren Steel (mudws@olemiss.edu)