by Duane Howard
Newsletter for March, 2007
The Present Song List.... Practice these.....
Endless Day - Ingalls - #8
Holy Manna - Sacred Harp #59
Love Divine - Sacred Harp #30
Mear - Sacred Harp - #49B
Northfield - Sacred Harp - #155
Old Hundred - Sacred Harp - #49T
Primrose - Sacred Harp -#47T
Prodigal Son - Sacred Harp #113
Russia - Sacred Harp - #107
Star In The East -Walkers Christian Harmony
The Converted Thief - See Ingalls #50
Wedding Hymn - Ingalls - #50
Wondrous Love - Sacred Harp - #159
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Meeting Times & Places
March 25 Sun. - 2:00P.M. - Brocht residence
April 1 Sun. - 1:30P.M. - St. Paul's Ridge Off Garrett Shortcut near Shaffers Cross Roads (go past the big silo) Sing "The Converted Thief"
April 12 Thurs. - 7:00 P.M. Mt Union Church
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Shape-note Hymnal
Encyclopaedia Britannica - Online
Also called patent-note hymnal, or buckwheat-note hymnal, American hymnal incorporating many folk hymns and utilizing a special musical notation. The seven-note scale was sung not to the syllables do–re–mi–fa–sol–la–ti but to a four-syllable system carried with them by early English colonists: fa–sol–la–fa–sol–la–mi. Differently shaped note heads were used for each of the four syllables: fa sol la mi
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Linda has been working long and hard to provide us with a Website; and, while not complete, it is now up and running. Go to www.mtunion.org to see her efforts. This gives us National and International exposure. Anyone who is interested in locating us, will now be able to search us out and contact us. This may attract visitors and new members.
Happy Birthday Linda... and Happy Retirement!
Known upcoming practice and invitations to sing: Reserve these dates.
2nd Thursday of each month:
April 11 Mt. Union Church;
May10 Mt. Union;
June14 Mt. Union;
July 12 Mt. Union;
August 9 Mt. Union;
Sept 13 Mt. Union;
Oct 11 Mt. Union;
Nov 13 Mt. Union;
Dec 11 TBA
Invitations to sing: 1 April - St. Paul's Ridge Church off Garrett Short Cut.
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Mt. Union Church Services you may want to attend - Contact Clark or check www.mtunion.org
The Great Vigil of Easter - Saturday, April 7th 2007 at 7:00 PM
The Ascension of Our Lord - Thursday, May 17th 2007 at 7:00 PM
A Hymn Sing - - Sunday, September 23rd 2007 at 2:00 PM
A Civil War Christmas - Sunday, December 2nd at 2:00 PM
The Epiphany of Our Lord - Sunday, January 6th 2008 at 2:00 PM
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Beginning on page 13 of the Sacred Harp Songbook are the Rudiments Of Music. Among the many good things to know is - when to say "thuh" and when to say "thee". Page 21- #6 says, "The" is pronounced "Thee" when it precedes a word beginning with a vowel (a-e-i-o-u-sometimes, w or y, or vowel SOUNDS! Otherwise, especially if unaccented, it can be pronounced "thuh." THEE Angel - THEE Iron fetters - Thee Honor (Note that an "H" is considered a vowel sound.)
Page 21 also says... "Every word should be pronounced clearly and distinctly." This is true no matter what kind of songs are being sung. If each of the vowels are sung clearly by all the singers the best sound will be rendered.
To tell whether a song is in a MINOR or MAJOR key, simply look at the last note of the BASS line. If it is a LA it is sung in a MINOR scale..... If the last note a FA.. the song will be sung in a MAJOR scale.
Practice your FASOLA by singing your part to a very slow song.. like MEAR.
A brief history of our singing group...
A small group of singers started learning a song written in shape notes in Feb. 2006 to prepare for the Civil War weddings to be held at the Mt. Union Church on July 9th 2006. At the end of July, it was decided to keep the group going and open it to new members. Later that Summer, Linda Marker attended a week at Camp FASOLA in Anniston, AL, where she was introduced in a grand way to Shape Note Singing. Upon her return, a special invitational evening was sent out to all who might be interested and there was a showing of the movie "Awake My Soul." Attendance was good and enthusiasm runs high. The group has been invited to sing for several special events in the area. As we continue to meet for rehearsals our number of singers continues to grow. We invite, and welcome, all who would like to sing with us.
NEW MEMBERS are essential for our group to continue and the best way to get new members is to introduce your friends and relatives to it... first hand. Here is your task: Right now... sit down and write down the names of TWO or more people you think would enjoy singing with us. Then call them, or visit them, and tell them that you will pick them up and bring them to our next practice.
Newsletter ideas or articles should be given to Duane
Phone/FAX 814-926-3709 [email protected]
If you have access to a computer... go to http://www.awakemysoul.com/ and www.fasola.org