ll tell you later.)@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA> (02/05/85)
A recent message, commenting on the hymn "Simple Gifts", noted that it was
a "Shaker" hymn, rather than a "Shape-note" hymn (which is correct), but then
went on to suggest that both categories are designed to be easy to sing. Not
necessarily so, I'm afraid . . .
Shaker hymns are simply those hymns written by and/or for members of the
sect known as the "Shakers", who were primarily based in New York and Kentucky.
Because the sect required sexual abstinence, there are very few members left.
Several of the lines in "Simple Gifts" refer to other Shaker practices, such as
circle dancing. The general notion of "simplicity" was a cardinal one for the
group, and lead to the development of a number of inventions still in use today,
such as the coat hangar.
Shape-note hymns are a totally different thing, entirely. During the 18th
century, when "camp meetings" (religious revivals held in large tents) became
very popular, many preachers recognized that it would be desirable to have their
congregations singing hymns in tune, maybe even in harmony. Since most of their
parishioners couldn't even read the words, let alone the music, this posed a
problem. Shape-note hymnals were the solution.
The shape-note system does exactly what the name implies -- substitutes
different shapes (diamond, square, triangle, inverted triangle, etc.), for the
standard oval note on the music staff. The shape is placed in the same location
as the note would be. All music for this system, by the way, uses tunes limited
to a diatonic (7-note) scale, rather than a chromatic (12-note) scale. Once the
user had learned the basic relationships between the shapes [square = do; dia-
mond = re; and so on], all the hymn leader had to do was to use a pitch pipe
to tell the group what note was to be associated with do in the hymn that was
about to be sung, and the audience could take it from there.
There are actually two different shape-note systems in this country. One
uses seven different shapes, while the other uses only five, repeating two of
them. Both are still in use throughout America, primarily in New England and
the Bible Belt areas.
The hymns sung by shape-note groups are not simplistic music in the least.
They are designed for four-part harmony (standard SATB), and often involve what
is referred to as "Fuguing", in which a choral melody is repeated in a canonic
form by each voice. There are few recordings of shape-note singing available,
and most don't reflect its real power. The best way to enjoy it is to find a
local shape-note group and go and listen.