September 14, 2024

In the American South prior to the Civil War many homes had only two books; a Bible and an oblong hymnal of sacred American folk music that has come to be known as songs for “shaped-note” singing or music of “the Sacred Harp.” This music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries had a profound impact on the religious life of all Americans and has produced songs that are still sung in thousands of churches across the globe even today.

The St. Paul Choir will present a concert and participatory celebration called “Music of the Sacred Harp” on Sunday, September 22, 4:00 PM, in the historic 19th century nave of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 416 SE Grand Avenue in Lee’s Summit, MO. The program is free and the pubic is invited. A Wine and Cookie Reception will follow the performance, provided by the Friends of St. Paul’s Music.

The St. Paul Choir will perform eight Sacred Harp-era hymns in beautiful arrangements by Alice Parker, considered one of the most prominent authorities on the genre. Parker, 1925-2023, was a composer, conductor and arranger who had a special affection for American folk music and a remarkable capacity to create interesting settings of the music that were both interesting to modern ears and true to the inherent sound and quality of the hymns. She was the chief arranger for the famed Robert Shaw Chorale, considered by many to be the finest professional choir ever assembled. She created two sets of Sacred Harp hymn arrangements that were memorialized in recordings by the Robert Shaw Chorale, “Wondrous Love” in 1960, and “Sing to the Lord” in 1967. Many of these choral arrangements are standard repertoire in church, school, civic and professional choirs throughout the nation. The St. Paul Choir will honor Alice Parker’s memory with the performance of her arrangements of Sing to the Lord, Come Ye That Love the Lord, Teach Me the Measure, Lord What is Man?, I Will Arise, O Thou in Whose Presence, Bright Canaan, and Worthy the Lamb.

There were dozens of oblong hymnals produced in the early 19th century, complied and marketed by itinerant “singing school masters” traveling the South from Missouri to Virginia to Georgia. In 1844, a Georgian, Benjamin Franklin White, compiled a collection of the most popular tunes in a volume he called “The Sacred Harp.” The collection was so definitive and became so popular that White’s title became the common name for the genre of music.

Dr. William Baker, Music Director for the St. Paul Episcopal Church since 2020, has long been an enthusiast for music of the Sacred Harp. “My master’s thesis was a comparative study or American “Sacred Harp” music, African-American spirituals, and early 20th century gospel music,” Baker said. Through his semi-professional chorale, William Baker Festival Singers, the conductor has led hundreds of performances and dozens of recordings of this American folk music in a career that is approaching fifty years.

Following the concert portion of the event on September 22, members of the audience will be invited to be seated in a square and be taught the traditional method of singing several examples of the songs. The parts will be lined out in shaped-note solfege as would have been done in the 19th century. Once the parts are lined out the choir and audience will sing through the songs in Sacred Harp style. The plan is a fun way to gain a sense of the experience enjoyed by our ancestors.

As an advocate for authentic performances of Sacred Harp music, Baker warns that the real experience might be different than some people might expect. “Like a lot of historical practices there has arisen in the last few decades a picture of Sacred Harp music that is crass and unsophisticated. In truth, the melodies of these songs are profoundly beautiful. The harmonies are stark, but have a distinctly American richness. Many of the texts are from the brilliant dissenter giants of hymn-writing of 18th century England, Isaac Watts, 1684-1748 and Charles Wesley, 1707-1788. Other texts whose authorship is known only to God reflect a poetic maturity and Biblical insight that would rival seminary graduates in our modern day of, supposedly, the most well-educated society in history.”

The Music Ministry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has become one of the busiest in the region. The St. Paul Choir, St. Paul A Cappella, St. Paul Men’s Choir and St. Paul Ringers support the weekly and special liturgies of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church throughout the calendar years, while also offering many public concerts and outreach events throughout the year.

For information, contact the church at 816-524-3651 or [email protected].