A collection of shapenote songs, from the cooper and denson books. Denson sacred harp archives uk sacred harp calendar. The term sacred harp refers to the human voice that is, the musical instrument you were given at birth. Speech by paine denson, excerpt from a field recording. The best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use, denson revision, 1971 edition hardcover january 1, 1971 by huge mcgraw author. Original sacred harp denson revision 1987 standard melodies richard l. Officially titled the sacred harp, edition with the word edition on the outer the most common nationwide nickname for this book is denson book. Hugh mcgraw february 20, 1931 may 28, 2017 was a leading figure in contemporary sacred harp singing. Columbus sacred harp sacred harp singing in columbus, ohio. 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. Denson and his son in 1936 under the title original sacred harp denson revision. Round top center beneficent congregational church corner of weybosset. Denson edition of the sacred harp encyclopedia of alabama. Denson revision, 1960 edition,1 produced by an august music committee consisting of a.
The best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use, denson revision, 1971 edition hardcover january 1. Judy hauff of chicago, il sacred harp singing is emotional weight training. In 1936, the first denson edition of the original sacred harp book. This website is a learning resource for both experienced and new shapenote singers. This book was entitled original sacred harp, denson revision, and was itself revised 1960, 1967, and 1971. In 1933 thomas denson established the sacred harp publishing company, which bought the rights to the 1911 original sacred harp songbook, the standard collection upon which most modern revisions are based, and the brothers began the new edition.
Published first by the sacred harp publishing company, founded by alabamian tom denson in 1933, the denson edition. The most common nationwide nickname for this book is denson book. The ohio groups use the original sacred harp, 1991 denson revision, a fourshape tunebook which is a direct descendent of the sacred harp, an 1844 tunebook edited by b. Original sacred harp denson revision standard melodies. Forms part of the alan lomax and george pullen jackson collection of sacred harp music.
It is famous for its cheese notes see notes to song no. If you are new to this and wondering what it is all about, feel free to drop by to listen or, better yet, to join in. King and the 1911 revision called original sacred harp compiled by joseph s. We sing from the book the sacred harp denson 1991 edition. David waldrop of tyler, tx sacred harp is the heavy metal music of the 19th century. This edition was reportedly the most popular version of the sacred harp during the. Please send corrections, updated directions, or other information regarding singing dates and. The sacred harp was first published in 1844 missed being the first to use the shapenote technique by about 46 years, and has been continuously in print since then. Based on sacred harp singings 2019 and 2020, compiled by judy caudle, david ivey and samuel sommers and published by the sacred harp musical heritage association, with updates and corrections by annie grieshop and others. 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, particularly in the north and central regions of alabama, georgia, and mississippi, and among the many sacred harp singers outside the south. To compile the 1991 edition, a music committee of prominent sacred harp singers chaired by hugh. Bookprinted material sacred harp library of congress. 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.
Notes, this edition of the sacred harp was the forerunner of the denson edition the direct ancestor of the current edition. The sacred harp tune book, first published in 1844, has been revised and republished periodically ever since. Our hymnbooks are the sacred harp denson, 1991 and the missouri harmony revised and reprinted, 2005. All our regular singings use the sacred harp, 1991 edition. Recorded by alan lomax and george pullen jackson in august, 1942 date. Speech by paine denson, excerpt from a field recording, speeches about the sacred harp sound recording 1 sound disc. The denson book 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. Sacred harp is 200 year old folk music from america. For the first three years, the conventions were two book singings using the sacred harp denson edition, 1991 and the northern harmony, and aimed at attracting those who had been taught by larry gordon and. It is still used today throughout the south wherever there are gatherings for singing school. The word index is currently not available for the songs on page 195 and above. Singers were displeased to find the ink of its cover. The sacred harp tune book, first published in 1844, has been. Denson revision the best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever.
It traces its roots back to the tradition of using shapes and syllables to learn musical notes in eleventhcentury italy. Recorded by alan lomax and george pullen jackson in august, 1942. This edition of the sacred harp was the forerunner of the 1936 denson edition the direct ancestor of the current 1991 edition. Ordering the sacred harp the sacred harp publishing company. The sacred harp is a song book odd in shape, with an odd name, and as some think, has odd sounding songs sung by odd people. The latest edition, published in 1991, is the most popular of the fourshape tune books used in the usa and is used at almost all sacred harp singings in the uk. White sacred harp cooper revision you may look up any song by title, page number, first line, composer, poet, or meter you may also look up words or verses using the word index. You can also buy a copy of the book at most of the singings.
A landscape shaped, hardback book in very good condition, dated 1987. Denson brotherssacred harp music alabama legacy moments. Annual sacred harp singings university of mississippi. The sacred harp, 1991 edition published by the sacred harp publishing company. Original sacred harp, denson revision 1936 a revision of the 1911 james book was compiled by thomas j. He was the general chairman of the committee that created the 1991 denson revision of the sacred harp and played an important role in promoting the spread 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. The history of the uk sacred harp convention in 1996, the first two day singings known as shapenote conventions were held. Sacred harp scholar buell cobb has called him perhaps the chief promoter and good will agent of sacred harp. Caglehimself later to become an important figure in the sacred harp movement, studied music under seaborn denson. This index contains the lyrics of all songs in the b. The sacred harp is the human voice, and shapenote singing is an unaccompanied acapella style of performance. Mcgraw, elmer kitchens, hugh mcgraw, and ruth denson edwards and edited by owel denson, is remembered today partly as the subject of extramusical anecdotes. Several of its authors and contributors have ties to the philadelphia area. E veryone is welcome at sacred harp events, regardless of perceived vocal ability. In the lineage of sacred harp editions, it is a descendent of the 1844 tunebook the sacred harp by b. W e invite music lovers to experience shape note singing, a 200yearold american tradition of a capella music. The different books we sing from, and where to buy them. 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.
Officially titled the sacred harp, 1991 edition with the word edition on the outer cover replaced by the word revision on the inside title. Technically, our style of singing is shape note singing because the musical notation uses note heads in 4 distinct shapes to aid in sightreading, but it is often called sacred harp singing because the books that most singers use today are called the sacred harp, with the most prominent of these being the 1991 denson edition. Sacred harp music is sung without any instruments and is divided into four parts. 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. It is also referred to as the denson book or the red book. Recorded at the sacred harp singing convention in birmingham, alabama venue. Any type, quality, or range of voice will find a comfortable and important place with us. The sacred harp, revised cooper edition online index. This book has wide use amoung fourshape singers in the south, and is probably the most widely used tunebook among northern singers. Books fasola philadelphia sacred harp and shapenote. The term sacred harp refers to the human voice that is, the musical. 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 shape note congregational singings in churches throughout alabama.