THE MUSIC MINISTRY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS UMC

JUNE 1, 2009

Music Notes
Sweet Affliction
“Liberals and conservatives, believers and atheists–a# are welcome in the Singing the Sacred Harp
ho#ow square of Sacred Harp singing.” Most sacred Harp singings begin
by selecting a leader that intones
(NOTE: Much of the material related here is taken from the spring edition of the Southern
Journal published by Vanderbilt University and written by David Carlton. Jim has blended in the scale for the song. The
his memories and thoughts based on his attendance years ago at one of the Sacred Harp leader usually sits encircled by
Conventions in Nashville. His mother learned to read music from those schools in North the singers, in the center of a
Carolina and Tennessee and drug Jim to them. He now wishes he had paid more attention to semi-circle of singers or in a
the shaped-note singing schools.) square. The leader then begins
with a pounding stick
The first Sacred Harp hymnal–The Sacred Harp: A Tradition and Its Music, Buell E. Cobb–was establishing the tempo of the
published in 1844 and has periodically been updated ever since. It is wider than it is tall and song by pounding the floor with
is laid out with each of the three or four parts on a separate staff. The melody or the “lead” the stick or by slapping his/her
voice, is in the tenor line, with altos and trebles above and the basses beneath. Each voice
hand upon the knee which
has a line independent of the melody which often interweave in elaborate patterns know as
others often imitate. The singing
“fuging tunes.”
is always robust, full toned and
Singers begin by “singing the the shapes.” [A triangle (fa), a circle (sol), a square (la, a loud. John Wesley would be
diamond (mi), etc.] Their relationship to each other in the scale is critical to understanding proud to know that they follow
the structure of the music. The shapes were “invented” around 1800 as a device to aid the his instructions to singing found
itinerant singing-school masters of the day in teaching people how to read music. (In the in the front of every United
early 1900s hand signs were “invented” to the solfege method of teaching children to match Methodist Hymnal. Sacred Harp
pitches based upon intervals by Zolton Kodaly and an entire method of teaching sight singers especially follow Rule
singing has arisen within many elementary schools throughout the world.) Later, shaped note Number IV, “Sing lustily and
systems were used employing seven shapes with both fixed and movable “do” or tonic notes. with a good courage. Beware of
singing as if you were half dead,
Some shaped note tunes have moved into the mainstream such as “Wondrous Love,”
or half asleep; but lift up your
“Amazing Grace” and tunes in the soundtrack of the movie Cold Mountain. even as a major
Sacred Harp revival has been moving in New England, New York, the Midwest, on the West voice with strength. Be no more
Coast in Great Britain. Yet the south still draws singers from throughout the world to their afraid of your voice now, nor
singing schools. The schools’ popularity are ever growing and the enthusiasm of their mare ashamed of its being heard,
singing fills the human spirit with hope, comfort and excitement! than when you sung the songs of
Satan.”

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 THE MUSIC MINISTRY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS UMC
MEMBER & FAMILY NEWS
(If you have information to share about Congratulations to Stacey Woods
yo u o r yo u r fa m i l y, p l e a s e s e n d on her Violin recital at CHUMC
information in email jimlyon@mac.com. If on May 30. She was wonderful!
we inadvertently omit your name )om
the birthday list or omit information you Fasinating Freshman Swims
have submitted, contact Jim. )
Happy June Birthdays
Hard to believe, but no June
birthdays.
Kicking Up Their Heels
Pictured is Adam Griffith
Sullivan
South’s
Soccer
Te a m i s
led by
Senior
Captain
Adam Griffith, son of Dr. Mark
and Holly (Front Porch computer
operator) and Senior goalie Aaron
Pinto, Daughter of Tim (Front
Porch Sound engineer) and Vicki
Pinto. Congratulations on Sullivan
S o u t h’s winning season.
Unfortunately for us, the Griffiths
are moving on June 1 and will be
leaving us for life on the farm.
Pictured is Aaron Pinto (far left)
Congratulations!
Melissa (Mel) Hight (soprano)
received her certificate in Massage
Therapy last month. She also
recently announced her
engagement to JC Gryder (tenor)
in our choir. Best wishes to them!
WWW.CHUMCKPT.ORG
JUNE 1, 2009
Strings and more Strings
June Anthems
June 7 (Peace with Justice Sunday
& Holy Communion)
Canon in D
(Pachelbel/Goemanne)
to Awards
Ad a m Tw e r, June 14 (Holston Annual
grandson of Dr. Conference & John’s
Island Mission)
Sam (bass) and
I’m Gonna Rise When the Son
Joan (Soprano) Comes Down! (Marsena)
Wiles, proved
his worth while
in Carmel High June 21 (Father’s Day)
Canticle of Creation (Burrows)
S c h o o l
swimming in
the 100-yard June 28 (John’s Island Team
Celebration) O for a Thousand
backstroke, 200 individual medley,
Tongues to Sing (Miller)
200 freestyle and 400 freestyle
relay. He is a freshman at the
University of Kentucky where he
was recently honored as the most Remember When?
outstanding freshman swimmer at
t h e a n n u a l Aw a r d s B a n q u e t .
Congratulations!
What Wondrous Love
As mentioned in the article on
Sacred Harp singing, this beloved
hymn tune stems directly from the
tradition of the Sacred Harp. The
melody first appeared in print in
the 1840 edition of The Southern Men’s Quartet
Harmony. Its tune and it stanzaic
structure from the worldly song
about the famous pirates Captain.
The link between the two songs
may be seen clearly if one sings the
“Wondrous Love” tune to the
following words:
My name was Robert Kidd,
when I sailed; when I sailed
My name was Robert Kidd,
when I sailed;
My name was Robert Kidd, CHUMC & Lebanon
Cemetery before the
God’s laws I did forbid,
Ministry Center
So wickedly I did when I sailed,
when I sailed,
so wickedly I did when I sailed.
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