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This is a unique form of folk hymn singing dating to colonial times whose popularity is making a sizable return. The renewed interest across the country, and as far away as England, may be due, in part, to its recent inclusion in the film "Cold Mountain." While a few of our area shape note singers were involved in the film, the resurgence of the Central Connecticut Shape Note Singing group is due largely to the persistence of several devotees and Wesleyan Professor of Music Neely Bruce.
"The group had temporarily disbanded after several members moved away," says composer and pianist Bruce, "but when a few more shape note singers moved to the area, it all began to fall into place again.
"We now hold singings at the newly refurbished Wesleyan Chapel. It’s a wonderful space for this and every second Sunday we have anywhere from 15 to 25 people come to sing."
"The process is very democratic," adds Bruce. "Anyone can join the singing and anyone can choose one of the songs from the book by calling out its listed number. There is no leader, so the person who calls out the number can lead, or, should they prefer, allow someone else to lead their chosen song."
The singing of shape note music is a participatory event, and while folks are certainly permitted to sit and just listen, they will not be hearing the full impact without participating. In shape note tradition, the singers sit in an inward-facing square. The tenors face the altos and the sopranos face the bass. The sound can become quite loud with clear melodies supported by multiple harmonies. To hear the full power of the music, one would need to be sitting in the square and singing along.
Newcomers unfamiliar with singing are assisted to their correct placement and are shown the basics of reading shape note music. Extra song books are kept on hand for all who care to join.
The same methods used in colonial times are still practiced today in an approach that works for all levels of musical ability. The basic premise is matching a musical sound, "la," "sol," "mi," to an easily recognizable notation on the page. Think of Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music" and the "Doe, a deer ... ," she sang to her small herd of von Trapp children and followed with the full major scale of "do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do."
Many of us who cannot read staffs of music on the page are able to instantly sing that first "do," and in so doing, orient ourselves to the first "root" note of a scale in "C." This kind of "ear" training is at the heart and soul of the centuries-old practice of shape note singing.
The term "shape note" refers to the actual shapes used to signify the notes and the notes differ from what many imagine when picturing a written score. Shape note consists of four notes, and when repeated, they make the musical scale.
There is one note that looks like a pennant flag -- with a clearly defined triangular shape. The next looks like a football. Next a square, and lastly, a square tilted onto one corner. The corresponding sounds are: flag = "fa," football or oval shape = "sol," square = "la" and a tilted square = "mi."
The group sings each song first in the sounds to establish the melody and harmonies. Then the song is sung again with words. To quote the premiere song book used, each song is "pitched in the key of convenience." Whomever chooses to lead a particular song may also establish the key or "root" note the others will follow.
The songs are drawn from several available collections, the most commonly used being The Sacred Harp. The first edition of the Sacred Harp dates back to 1844, and, as there is no harp, or any other musical accompaniment, it is believed the name refers to the oblong shape of the book and in that it opens across one’s lap similar to a harp.
Later, folklore suggests that it references this ancient instrument and implies the human voice as being the oldest instrument. The most recent edition came out in 1991 and includes 18 living composers, including Neely Bruce, who wrote #484 titled "Heavenly Union."
The Central Connecticut Shape Note Singing group meets at the Wesleyan University Memorial Chapel on the second Sunday of the month from 2:30 to 5 p.m. and it is open to anyone and free of charge. In October, singing will be at South Congregational Church in Middletown; returning to its usual site at the Wesleyan Chapel in November.
Four times a year, Bruce offers a singing school at The Church of St. Paul and St. James. The next classes are today and Nov. 18, and the church is located on the corners of Chapel and Olive streets in New Haven.
A large shape note event will be the final evening of the SummerSings 2004 series hosted by The Con Brio Choral Society and Cappella Cantorum and led by Bruce.
They are expecting more than 60 singers for the event and will be singing in the traditional hollow square. The event will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 56 Hammock Pond Road, Old Saybrook, Monday at 7 p.m.
For information on the monthly Central Connecticut Shape Note Singing and the classes at The Church of St. Paul and St. James, contact Bruce at nbruce@wesleyan.edu.
For information on the SummerSings 2004 series information, call (860) 434-9750 or 388-5032.
