The story of the sacred harp at sacred harp singings, the country churches of the american south resound with the harmonious pulse of song. While the style has a long history, it became widely known as sacred harp music in the mid1800s, during a period called the second great awakening. Jul 31, 2015 the sacred harp by oakland resident benjamin franklin b. The story of the sacred harp by matt and erica hinton. What sacred harp singers may lack in technical attainment in these areas, they more than make up for in fervor.
Dont panic the foot washing tradition is not actively practiced in australian sacred harp singings. In 2009, perkins in dearland performed weeping mary. See also this introduction to sacred harp and shape note singing on the fasola site. In 2008 they recorded a cover of weeping pilgrim for awake my soul, help me to sing the soundtrack to the movie awake my soul. The sacred harp is the name of an 1844 hymn book written in america.
Awake, my soul the story of the sacred harp youtube. Seven years of filmic devotion by directors matt and erica hinton poured into awake my soul, a thorough examination of the history of sacred harp singing. Aug 21, 2020 it is there where t bone burnett recorded nearly 40 sacred harp songs for use in the soundtrack of the cold war movie cold mountain. The story of the sacred harp is a documentary about sacred harp singing, a haunting form of a cappella, shape note hymn singing with deep roots in the american south. When the sacred harp hymnal was first published in 1844, sacred harp singing was already wellestablished in america. Various artists awake my soulhelp me to sing amazon. It is there where much of the iconic sacred harp documentary awake, my soul was filmed. In it, music notation is written in four different shapes. You can learn about it yourself just by talking to folks outside any sacred harp singing anywhere and they are everywhere, or you can watch filmmaker and singer matt hintons 2007 great documentary, awake, my soul. Sacred harp a cappella shape note singing from a song book titled the sacred harp. Singing democracy during the second great awakening teachrock.
Awake, my soul is a feature documentary that explores the history, music, and traditions of sacred harp singing, the oldest surviving american music. If awake my soul consisted of only authentic sacred harp singing, it would be an invaluable archive of a form of music that few have heard of, much less heard. Awake, my soul is the first feature documentary about the sacred harp singers, a lost tonal tribe who, in the deep south, continue to sing some of the ol. King put together a collection of more than 250 popular and original songs, called the sacred harp. I purchased this cd because i love sacred harp, but also because i wanted to experience my grandparents and great grandparents lives in rural eastern alabama in the 1800s. It was in ericas documentary film class at georgia state that the seed for awake, my soul. Jan 01, 2009 providing a 75minute journey into the wondrously vivid and idiosyncratic music known as sacred harp or shapenote singing, awake, my soul tells the story of what may be americas oldest. The sacred harp uses notation developed by the progressive new england singing masters william little and william smith, who published the easy instructor in 1801.
Tell students that the style of singing they saw in the video is called sacred harp singing, a unique form of american religious music. The story of the sacred harp by matt and erica hinton, standard onedisc and special twodisc editions the hintons, filmakers and sacred harp singers from atlanta, georgia, produced a featurelength documentary film and dvd, released in 2006, on the history, music, and traditions of sacred harp singing. Sep 24, 2006 awake, my soul is a documentary about the sacred harp tradition, kept alive by amateur shapenote singers in the rural south. Sacred harp singing, based on four notes, or shapenotes sung in different octaves and a cappella rounds to form otherworldly harmonies, has survived since early colonists rebelled against a musical dearth caused by puritanism by inventing this lovely congregational singing style. The sacred harp is the human voice, and shapenote singing is an unaccompanied a capella style of performance. Published in hamilton, georgia in 1844, the sacred harp was one of the last of the old fashioned four shaped oblong songbooks compiled in america. Join us on a visit to the georgia state sacred harp singing convention. His great uncle, doris, was an active composer and singing school teacher in the n. The story of the sacred harp includes over 4 hours of bonus material not featured in the original moviecontainer. It is really that original book that constitutes the sacred harp of awake, my soul. Cullman county has the only courthouse left in america with sacred harp singing. Documentary film awake, my soul matt and erica hinton, singers and documentary filmmakers, completed seven years of production on the first feature length documentary about the sacred harp tradition. The story of the sacred harp the soundtrack includes traditional sacred harp singing, recorded in rural georgia and alabama. He was the general chairman of the committee that crea.
The roots of sacred harp extend back to an eighteenthcentury new england singing school movement that spread the rudiments of choral music south and west with songs that drew upon folk melodies as well as original compositions by the earliest. Singers have been welcomed to use my courtroom for the last 20 years, and as far as i know, cullman is the only courthouse in the united states where they still meet and sing. Hugh mcgraw 20 february 1931 28 may 2017 was a leading figure in contemporary sacred harp singing. Matt and erica hinton, are sacred harp singers from atlanta, ga who met while they attended georgia state university, where erica studied english and film and matt studied religion and english. The sacred harp, a songbook compilation that gave its name to the major. Girl singing from the sacred harp book at the bethlehem primitive baptist church old. The name is derived from the sacred harp, a ubiquitous and historically important tunebook printed in shape notes. The first feature documentary about sacred harp singing, a haunting form of a capella shape note hymn singing with deep roots in the. Their shapenote system was designed to teach sightreading and enable users to sing complex, sophisticated music. You can buy a copy online, but delivery is 46 weeks, so you may want to find out if you can buy your books at a singing, where the sacred harp is often available to borrow or buy. 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. Sacred harp singing directional sign for the lookout mountain sacred. Beyond the pleasure of sacred harp singing itself, he is an amateur researcher into the history of the sacred harp.
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. Sacred harp in contemporary culture sacred harp australia. Shape note singing has survived over 200 years tucked away from notice in the rural deep south, where in old country churches, singers break open the sacred. Furthermore, although the songs are spiritual in nature no church affiliation is attached to the singing. Feb 2, 2018 shaped note singing a continuous, glorious american tradition of spirit and song.
Sacred harp singings from the denson1991 book in georgia and alabama. Recent films, books and recordings critic jon pareles called matt hintons help me to sing twocd sacred harp compilation a brilliant idea, and paste magazine describes as haunting. Jun 04, 2007 this essay explores the history, geography, and contemporary practices of sacred harp one form of a cappella, shapenote musicin the us south. As i was told by a sacred harp singer when i first started, you are always welcomed with open arms. Many of you have heard of our sacred harp documentary, called a.
Sacred harp singing treats every human voice as holy. Story of the sacred harp note this two disc special edition of awake, my soul. 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. This dvd documentary reveals the power of the human voice in sacred harp singing, giving us a modern look at a cherished tradition. Listening to this cd is almost the same as being at the singings. Come join us march 2016 jeff campbell local writers. Keith willard has edited a collection of essays on the sacred harp experience, written by several singers of varying experience and perspective. And above all else, it is there where the annual ivey memorial sacred harp singing and henagar union convention take place. As richard ivey describes this experience in awake, my soul. Sometimes, i feel that im just being lifted up off the ground. Her book has been described as penetrating and subtle. Vermonts sacred harp communitys singers perform shape note hymns. It is filled with the raw fullvoiced sound that is central to sacred harp. It follows the folk tradition of sacred harp singing, a type of shapenote singing, kept alive by amateur singers in the rural american south.
Get enough people singing weird harmonies at the top of their voices and you start feeling a little sorry for the devil. Awake, my soul is a feature documentary that explores the history, music, and traditions of sacred harp singing, the oldest surviving. The work was first published in 1844 and has reappeared in multiple editions ever since. Shape note singing in the twin cities shape note, or sacred harp singing is one of our countrys oldest, most vital, and soul stirring musical traditions, resonating through the rafters for over 200 years. Somehow i missed the original airing on pbs, but a few weeks ago stumbled across a site that mentioned this documentary awake my soul and i had to. The sacred harp is a 19th century shapenote songbook which contains many of americas earliest songs. Dec 31, 2016 raymond cooper hamrick 19152014, of macon, georgia, was a wellloved singer, composer, and scholar whose intellectual curiosity, generosity of spirit, and kindness seemed boundless. Sacred harp singing is a vital part of our history. Awake, my soul is a documentary about the sacred harp tradition, kept alive by amateur shapenote singers in the rural south. Delving into hymns from the sacred harp, a 160year old hymnal still presently used, awake my soul shows choirs at shoal creek church in georgia and henegar union convention in alabama, among others, singing christian songs that sound as if they were written in the renaissance. Sacred harp singers have gathered from international locations and from many u. The story of the sacred harp upcoming screening in atlanta ga. If awake my soul consisted of only authentic sacred harp singing, it would be. See more ideas about singing, sacred, sacred heart.
This is the first ever collection of popular music adaptations of sacred harp songs. Denson edition of the sacred harp encyclopedia of alabama. The only courthouse in america with sacred harp singing. The sacred harp also refers to human voice, a natural godgiven instrument. Describes recordings and other resources relating to sacred harp singing and other. White, was published in the spring of 1844 and has had four editions published since. Sacred harp is a style of a capella choral music that is popular in the american south. Around this time, in the early 19th century, two important shapenote books wer. Learning to lead sacred harp from videos now shall my. Awake, my soul the story of the sacred harp american.
Jun 03, 2020 courtesy matt hintonfrom the film, awake, my soul. You cant always see olivers hands, but this is still an excellent video with excellent sound quality. May 12, 2009 it is really that original book that constitutes the sacred harp of awake, my soul a tunebook that preserved a singing tradition, a compositional style, and also a religious practice. Kiri millers book traveling home describes the sacred harp diaspora and how nontraditional singers approach shape note singing. The story of the sacred harp, and some of you have probably seen it, either when it aired on american public television, or else you have seen a dvd of it. This is relevant mainly to our sacred harp singing friends. Liner notes awake my soul, help me to sing awake productions 426 mathewson place atlanta, georgia. Mcgraw helped stem the decline of sacred harp singing on its. The story of the sacred harp kiri millers book traveling home describes the sacred harp diaspora and how nontraditional singers approach shape note singing. Awake, my soul is the first feature documentary about the sacred harp singers, a lost tonal tribe who, in the deep south, continue to sing. Summary a documentary about sacred harp singing, a haunting form of a cappella, shapenote singing with deep roots in the american south. Filmmakers matt and erica hinton have done a fine job capturing the history, sound and spirit of this unusual but compelling art form that, trust me, you dont have to be religious to appreciate. The story of the sacred harp is a 2006 documentary film directed by matt and erica hinton, and narrated by jim lauderdale.
It was in landscape mode, like an art book, with the title the sacred harp. The courthouse is again host to one of the united states best kept musical secret. Or if youre in georgia, its not that hard to talk to hinton himself. See also this introduction to sacred harp and shape note singing.
In addition, narration by jim lauderdale edited into archival. Sacred harp singing treats every human voice as holy atlas. You can find out more about the movie at and more abou. This is a packedfull collection of sacred harp singing in its natural form as it was being sung by communcal gatherings in several locations across the south. A few years ago a friend in georgia told me about a documentary that featured his sacred harp group, about the history of sacred harp shape note singing, etc. Sacred harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in new england and was later perpetuated and carried on in the american south. However, it also boasts a second disc, help me to sing. The book is prefaced by a short essay, music, by ruth denson edwards, and. This is a movie trailer for the documentary movie awake, my soul.
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