Recorded by alan lomax and george pullen jackson in august, 1942 date. This book was entitled original sacred harp, denson revision, and was itself revised 1960, 1967, and 1971. You can also buy a copy of the book at most of the singings. The shenandoah harmony is a new shapenote book published in 2012. All events and opportunities are open to the public, free of charge, and require no prior experience or skill. All singing from the 1991 denson edition of the sacred harp, unless otherwise noted. Seaborn on april 9, 1854, and thomas on january 20, 1863. Forms part of the alan lomax and george pullen jackson collection of sacred harp music. Saturday session followed by annual meeting of sacred harp musical heritage association, 3. Learn sacred harp with free interactive flashcards. Mar 03, 2020 the denson edition of the sacred harp the denson book as it is generally calledis the most widely used of the hardback old song books used at shapenote congregational singings in churches throughout alabama. Choose from 7 different sets of sacred harp flashcards on quizlet.
It concludes by directing the curious to the national sacred harp website. The best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use. Recorded at the sacred harp singing convention in birmingham, alabama venue. Sacred harp is a uniquely american tradition that brings communities together to sing fourpart hymns and anthems. The sacred harp publishing company is the nonprofit publisher of the current and future editions of the sacred harp 1991 denson edition. This is a wonderful book of traditional style of sacred harp singing. The denson edition of the sacred harp 1991the denson book as it is generally calledis the most widely used of the hardback old song books used at shapenote congregational singings in churches throughout alabama. Several of its authors and contributors have ties to the philadelphia area. Home ordering the sacred harp books and recordings like cords around my heart audiobook original sacred harp. The denson edition of the sacred harp 1991a the denson book as it is generally calleda is the most widely used of the hardback old song books used at shapenote congregational singings in churches throughout alabama. This revision trimmed back some of the older, less popular songs to incorporate new songs, many by the highly prolific denson family of alabama. In this essay, i argue that the walls scholars erected between shape note. Published first by the sacred harp publishing company, founded by alabamian tom denson in 1933, the denson edition continues to have strong alabama ties in its later. From a publishing standpoint, the worlds of dispersed and close harmony were deeply intertwined.
The reason for the nickname derives from the history of the book. Fourth sunday and saturday before alabama state sacred harp musical convention eugene fitzgerald student center, jefferson state community college jefferson campus, 2601 carson road, birmingham. Denson sacred harp archives uk sacred harp calendar. The spread of sacred harp singing in modern times edit in recent years, sacred harp singing has experienced a resurgence in popularity, as it is discovered by new participants who did not grow up in the tradition. The board of directors of the sacred harp publishing company has approved a revision of the sacred harp. Just about every day somewhere in the world sacred harp singers find joy and spiritual fulfillment singing songs written by the denson family members who gathered around a big log fire to sing in the sacred harp at night. Denson familyseaborn mcdaniel denson 18541936 and thomas jackson denson 18631935 were born in arbacoochee in cleburne county. It also acts as caretaker of the sacred harp museum in carrollton, georgia.
May 07, 2019 the denson edition of the sacred harp the denson book as it is generally calledis the most widely used of the hardback old song books used at shapenote congregational singings in churches throughout alabama. Sep 10, 2019 in 1936, the first denson edition of the original sacred harp book was published. Books fasola philadelphia sacred harp and shapenote. Officially titled the sacred harp, 1991 edition with the word edition on the outer cover replaced by the word revision on the inside title. Ordering the sacred harp buy yourself a copy of the sacred harp, 1991 edition songbook. Ordering information to support guidelines to help continue reading. The most common nationwide nickname for this book is denson book. The denson book is the most widely used of the hardback old song books. The best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use, denson revision, 1971 edition by huge mcgraw. Original sacred harp denson revision 18441977 and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
However, if you wanted to purchase a copy you can buy direct from the publisher in the us, the sacred. It traces its roots back to the tradition of using shapes and syllables to learn musical notes in eleventhcentury italy. Notes this edition of the sacred harp was the forerunner of the 1936 denson edition the direct ancestor of the current 1991 edition. Denson revision the best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes. Bay area sacred harp bash exists to promote and preserve sacred harp and shape note singing in the san francisco bay area region.
The heading for each song is the title of its tune, not the first line of the lyrics. In this essay, queen of the sacred harp, ruth denson edwards shares memories of her musical childhood home. Denson edition of the sacred harp encyclopedia of alabama. More immediately it is a revision of, and successor to, the original sacred harp. This website is a learning resource for both experienced and new shapenote singers. The best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use, denson revision, 1971 edition mcgraw, huge on. Speech by paine denson, excerpt from a field recording, speeches about the sacred harp sound recording 1 sound disc.
The quite clever singers in texas have produced a comparison list looking at the latest editions of the denson sacred harp and the cooper sacred harp, for the tunes that the two books have in common. Loaner books will be available, and there will be a break for socializing and snacks. Guide to a denson sacred harp page this pdf explains each element of a typical song windham in the denson sacred harp. Past events chicago sacred harp singing chicago, il meetup. The annual national sacred harp singing convention is held the third week in june at a host church in birmingham, and singers from all over come to sing from the denson book for three days.
Denson this revision of the sacred harp continued the tradition of the original sacred harp of joe s. Annual sacred harp singings university of mississippi. Denson established the sacred harp publishing company, which published the original sacred harp denson revision in 1936. Original sacred harp denson rev 1971 by sacred harp and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The sacred harp is the human voice, and shapenote singing is an unaccompanied acapella style of performance. Officially titled the sacred harp, 1991 edition with the word edition on the outer cover replaced by the word revision on the inside title page.
The 1991 edition the successor to the denson revision is the more widely used of two major editions of the sacred harp in use today. Frequently asked questions this pdf covers the mostoftenasked. The book has been revised every generation since its first publication in 1844 and has always included the music of living composers. Welcome to the sacred harp publishing company the sacred. Speech by paine denson, excerpt from a field recording. The patriarchs of north alabama sacred harp music, they produced the seminal sacred harp songbook and for more than 50 years wrote and sang this traditional music and conducted singing schools from georgia. Notes, this edition of the sacred harp was the forerunner of the denson edition the direct ancestor of the current edition. In the lineage of sacred harp editions, it is a descendent of the 1844 tunebook the sacred harp by b. Densonparris sacred harp singers the good old way youtube. A cooper sacred harp page is similar, but some elements are not present. Loaner copies of the sacred harp 1991 denson edition song book will be available at all the singings so dont feel as though you need to bring a copy with you.
Sacred harp books generally contain a section on rudiments, describing the basics of music and sacred harp singing. Denson brotherssacred harp music alabama legacy moments. Johns episcopal church, 1 roanoke ave, jamaica plain, ma 02. The music of the sacred harp is eclectic in origin, and can be roughly grouped into the following categories of songs listed chronologically in the examples listed below, songs are identified by the page number in the two most prominent modern versions of the sacred harp.
Recorded by alan lomax and george pullen jackson in august, 1942. In 1936, the first denson edition of the original sacred harp book was published. King and the 1911 revision called original sacred harp compiled by joseph s. Genre spanning in the close and dispersed harmony shape note. Officially titled the sacred harp, edition with the word edition on the outer the most common nationwide nickname for this book is denson book. Guides and tutorials pacific northwest sacred harp singers. The denson edition of the sacred harp 1991the denson book as. The 1991 edition of the sacred harp was produced with an editorial committee headed by hugh mcgraw 19312017 of bremen, where the sacred harp publishing company is now located. Hesperian harp 1848, william hauser, wadley ga one of the best collections of songs in the 1800s including several of hausers own compositions. It is famous for its cheese notes see notes to song no. Excerpt from paine denson s impromptu speech on sacred harp singing. Check out the davis area sacred harp dash facebook group for more info on davis and sacramento singings.