Shape-Note Singing: An American Music Tradition

by Gaylon L. Powell

This article was written for the annual Shape-Note Gathering of Mountain View, Arkansas.
Unfortunately, untimely issues prevented the use of this article. It was written under
the guidance of Charley Sandage, John Gale, Holly Ruth Gale, and P. Dan Brittain.
Thanks to Talley Beth Gale and Morris Nelms for their proofreading.

CONTENTS


• Introduction





• Four-Syllable Shape-Note Systems
  • The Easy Instructor (1801)
  • The Art of Singing (1803)
  • The Missouri Harmony (1820/2005)
  • The Southern Harmony (1835/1854)
  • The Sacred Harp (1844)
    • Denson Edition (1991)
    • Cooper Edition (2012)
    • J. L. White Edition (1911)
  • The Colored Sacred Harp (1934)
  • The Shenandoah Harmony (2012)





• Seven-Syllable Shape-Note Systems
  • Christian Minstrel (1846)
  • New Harp of Columbia (1848/1867)
  • The Christian Harmony (1866)
    • Walker Edition (1873)
    • 2010 Edition (2010)
  • The Tonic Sol-Fa Music Reader (1880)
  • Early Southern Gospel
  • Primitive Baptist Hymn and Tune Book (1902/1992)
  • The Good Old Songs (1913-1914/2020)
  • Great Songs of the Church (1921/1937/[1986])





• Conclusion