The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

[Matthew.Rector]

Today I was looking on the internet for some lyrics to a particular song. I happened to run across this great site. I'm unsure if this link has been posted before on the old AC forum or this one. I apologize if it has been.

THE SOUTHERN HARMONY, AND MUSICAL COMPANION:
CONTAINING A CHOICE COLLECTION OF TUNES, HYMNS, PSALMS, ODES, AND ANTHEMS; SELECTED FROM THE MOST EMINENT AUTHORS IN THE UNITED STATES: TOGETHER WITH NEARLY ONE HUNDRED NEW TUNES, WHICH HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN PUBLISHED;
BY WILLIAM WALKER

I believe this was published around 1854.

http://www.ccel.org/s/southern_harmony/title.html

[Iron Scout]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Matthew,

Thanks for posting this. I've recently used it (the lyrics index) to look up two sets of lyrics from the Cold Mountain sountrack. This publication is generally known as one of the main 19th century Sacred Harp hymnals that were very popular in the South. Several of us in the PLHA have developed an interest in "shaped note" or "fasola" singing so this is very timely. I'd love to see this publication reproduced if anyone out there has an original copy. Thanks again for sharing.

Regards,

Neill Rose
PLHA

[vbetts]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

There is a 1993 reprint from the University Press of Kentucky, but I haven't seen it to know whether the cover matches my original. It does have a new introduction and a new index from the 1966 ed.

Vicki Betts
vbetts@gower.net

[James A. Page]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

The town of Benton, in Marshall County Kentucky (in the western part of the state) has an annual festival called "Big Singing Day" (fourth Sunday in May) that celebrates Walker's shaped note style. A few hundred people assemble in the County courthouse every year and sing from the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. This event is a MUST for the Civil War era historian! Go this year!

Each hymn starts with a "reading" of the notes. Each specially shaped note has a particular pitch and phonetic "pronunciation" based on fasola. A reading goes like this: Fa fa fo la so fa, so on. The congregation read the song aloud phonetically (to make sure that everyone gets a feel for it) then the second time through is done with the lyrics just as Walker proscribed it to be done.

Unfortunately, as with many other things, interest in this style is waining as the generations that grew up with it are beginning to pass away. I attended a few years ago and was the only person under the age of 50 present.

James, please sign all of your posts with your full name - Mike Chapman

[Spinster]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

I haven't been able to find a "for sale" copy of the UK reprint text, but its front does match the original front.

Hiding my modern binding under a black cloth cover,

[markj]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Hi,

Here's a very nice website dealing with "fasola" or "shape-note" singing:

http://fasola.org/

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Possum Skinner]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Sorry I haven't posted recently, but I forgot my password and such, so when I reregistered I had to change my user name. I hope Paul doesn't skin me for it.

Another great site to check out fasola singing is www.loudhymns.com

Although I was was brought up Southern Baptist, my grandparents and their parents were brought up as Primitive Baptists, and I still have several old shape note songbooks in my possession. The Sacred Harp and a few others. I hate to admit it, but I've never even been to a Sacred Harp singing, and there's a Primitive Baptist Church not 2 miles from my house where my ggggrandfather, a sergeant in the 36th Georgia is buried.

I think the "Cold Mountain" thing will cause more people to become interested in this type of singing, and may just save it from near extinction. It's still pretty prevalent here in Alabama, but most of the singers are getting very old.

[Spinster]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Hey Ben!

Have I got a deal for you!

Singing School at the Wesley Foundation, University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, begins at 7:00 pm on Friday Feb 13, with an all day singing and dinner on the ground(okay, in the dining hall) the next day, February 14 from 9-3. Singing school by Mr. Ivey, one of the Cold Mountain Singers from Henegar, Alabama.

Raise a company and come on---bring your bedrolls. I'll even move the living room furniture and give ya'll boys some floor space. Dress for these things is Baptist Casual--that means the men have got on a white shirt, but only the preachers wear a tie......

Now I have NO trouble at all getting my husband to agree that a singin' is a fine place to spend Valentine's Day--but y'all boys may find that a greater challenge!

[Matthew.Rector]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

There are some great links posted on this thread!! Glad too see that a good discussion has developed.

If you haven't checked it out, go to the NPR review of Sacred Harp Singers. They provided some great sound clips there.
Thanks to Mark Jaeger for posting the link that got me there. http://fasola.org/

"Preserving the Sacred Harp Singing Tradition
Tunebooks, Shaped Notes and Full-Body Harmonies in Alabama"

http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_1534280.html

[Kate Vogel]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Terre,

If only Alabama weren't so darn far from the Great Frozen Tundra of Michigan!!!!!!!!

[Spinster]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Terre,

If only Alabama weren't so darn far from the Great Frozen Tundra of Michigan!!!!!!!!

Honey, thats what the Minute Book is for.

Go to http://fasola.org/
Scroll down to the "minutes" link, then search the minute book for singings in your area. If there was one last year, then there is a 90+% chance it will be held in the same place on the same weekend of the month this year. While the Minute book only gives the details of annual singings, another section lists the monthly and quarterly singings--send them the modest fee for the hard copy, and find those events near you.

Here's the minutes for the summer singing at Kalamazoo--and you can bet that it will take place again next summer on the third Sunday in July. Its also a good bet there are monthly singings in nearby areas. The listings of monthly singings tell who to contact for information, and in the back there is an index of all the registered Sacred Harp singers, with names and addresses. Show up and sing, and get your name in print--your 15 minutes of fame right at your fingertips.....


Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings for 2002

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Kalamazoo Singing
Wesley Foundation, Kalamazoo, Michigan
July 21, 2002
"The fourth annual Kalamazoo Singing was held at the Wesley Foundation on the campus of Western Michigan University on the third Sunday in July. The class was called to order by Chair Ann Miczulski leading song on page 146. Louis Hughes offered the opening prayer.
Leaders: Bill Beverly 272; Molly Williams 183; Bill Venema 40; Lori Graber 368; John Plunkett 500; Pamela Carson 361; Judy Mincey 540; Joe Todd 375; Joan Aldridge 198; Berkley Moore 512; Annie Grieshop 107; Cathryn Baker 472; Guy Bankes 481; Eloise Clark 28b; Dennis George 220; Kay Huener 178; John Fink 186; Pauline Childers 480; James Page 182.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Jan Wright leading song on page 556. Leaders: Mark Brown 203; Beth Todd 501; Ted Mercer 333; Reba Dell Windom 224; Mary List 72b; Louis Hughes 348b; Melanie Hauff 216; James Nelson Gingerich 34t; Mary Postellon 346; John Seaton 39t; Lela Crowder 440; John Bealle 217; Mary Bachmann 158; Samuel Sommers 524; Marcia Johnson and Coy Ivey 454; Coy Ivey 222; David Rust 131b; Syble Adams “Song of Praise” (by request).

Martha Beverly conducted the memorial lesson and led song on page 434 after these comments. “This is our fourth annual singing, and we have never had a memorial lesson before. We have no local elders to commemorate, but what we have developed are bonds of love and appreciation of those people who have welcomed us at their singings and have come to Kalamazoo to share these traditions with us. People from Elkhart, Auburn Hills, Goshen, and Chicago, from Ohio and Ann Arbor, from Georgia and Alabama and elsewhere who have brought with them the wonderful legacy, which we now claim as ours. As we sing and strengthen our own experience of these tunes, of sharing the gift of food, and of socializing together as we travel and meet other singers; as we pass along our own investment in this tradition to yet newer singers, we become another step in the continuous path of this rich heritage. I wish to note this loving bond to other singers and to the singers of the past who have preserved and generously shared these tunes which give us joy, which comfort us, and which nurture us. I belong to this band, hallelujah!”

Leaders: Roger Williams 489; Nancy Yeager and Gloria Anne Lowe 47t; Henry Schuman 344; David Yeager and Gloria Anne Lowe 68b (for his mother). Mark Brown offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Samuel Sommers brought the afternoon session to order leading song on page 121. Leaders: John Plunkett 539; Pamela Carson 113; Joan Aldridge 228; Judy Hauff 456; Louis Hughes 76t; Pauline Childers 318; Berkley Moore 114; Annie Grieshop 128; Mark Brown “Sweet Beulah Land” (by request); Marcia Johnson 163t; Guy Bankes 162; Syble Adams 532; Judy Mincey 497; Dennis George 442.

RECESS

James Nelson Gingerich brought the class back to order leading song on page 29t. Leaders: John Fink 254; Reba Dell Windom 142; John Bealle 436; Lela Crowder and Coy Ivey 99, 384; Lela Crowder, Coy Ivey, and Martha Beverly 137; James Page 411; Nancy Yeager 87; Eloise Clark 212; John Seaton 269; Kay Huener 503; David Yeager 148; Melanie Hauff and Judy Hauff 215; Joe Todd 208; Beth Todd 101t; David Rust 123b.

Announcements were made and thanks given to Grace Flesche, kitchen wizard. Ann Miczulski and Martha Beverly led song on page 49b as the closing song. Mark Brown offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson - Ann Miczulski; Vice Chairperson - Jan Wright; Treasurer - Molly Williams; Secretary - Martha Beverly."



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[Kate Vogel]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Thank you so very much, Terre! I'll drop them a line as soon as I get back from my normal choir practice.

[Possum Skinner]

Re: The Southern Harmony, And Musical Companion

Ms. Terre,

Thanks ever so much for your generous offer. I would love to go see that, but unfortunately we are having a company meeting and drill day on the 14th and 15th.

I'm sure there will be some singing going on, but it will probably be of a more secular nature that weekend.