See You at the Next Singing!

Sacred Harp shape note singing is a community musical and social activity, emphasizing participation, not performance. Everyone is invited to come and sing (or just listen), regardless of musical experience or ability. Our events have no membership requirement and no affiliation: religious, political or otherwise.

The next singing is Thursday, February 23th, from 7-9pm at The Kennedy School. Great singing for beginners: Sacred harp 101!

PoSH singing at the Lone Fir Cemetery

Some of us sang as part of the Lone Fir's annual "Tour of Untimely Demises," which raises money for the care and preservation of the cemetery.

What are you practicing at home?

Here are the three I've been working on:

42 Clamanda
Tune: Unknown
Words: Collection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1814
Meter: Long Meter Double (8,8,8,8,8,8,8,8)
Say, now ye lovely social band,
Who walk the way to Canaan’s land;
Ye who have fled from Sodom’s plain,
Say do you wish to turn again?

Oh have you ventured to the field,

Well armed with helmet, sword and shield?

And shall the world, with dread alarms,

Compel you now to ground your arms?

95 Vernon

Tune: Lucius Chapin, 1813

Words: Charles Wesley, 1742

Meter: Long Particular Meter (8,8,8,8,8,8)

Come, Oh Thou traveler unknown,

Whom still I hold, but cannot see;

My company before is gone,

And I am left alone with Thee.

With Thee all night I mean to stay,

And wrestle till the break of day.

In vain Thou strugglest to get free,

I never will unloose my hold;

Art Thou the Man that died for me?

The secret of Thy love unfold.

Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,

Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

173 Phoebus

Tune: William Billings, 1770

Words: Isaac Watts, 1719

Meter: Common Meter Double (8,6,8,6,8,6,8,6)

Lord, in the morning Thou shalt hear

My voice ascending high:

To Thee will I direct my prayer,

To Thee lift up mine eye;

Up to the hills where Christ is gone

To plead for all His saints,

Presenting at His Father’s throne

Our songs and our complaints.

Thou art a God before whose sight

The wicked shall not stand;

Sinners shall ne’er be Thy delight,

Nor dwell at Thy right hand,

But to Thy house will I resort,

To taste Thy mercies there;

Thy word into our minds instill;

And worship in Thy fear.

Shapenote songwriters discussion group

If you have an interest in writing shapenote tunes, or just want to eavesdrop on contemporary tunesmiths, check out the shapenote songwriters discussion group.

Sing, beat time, sketch...

Portland treble Eleanor Clagett's singing self-portrait!

All is Well

Fa me fa so fa me fa so la fa-so, la fa so-la fa me fa? Fa me fa so fa me fa so la fa-so la fa so-la fa me fa? La-fa so so so-la la-fa fa fa fa-la so la la so so so la so-fa me-so fa me fa so la fa so la fa so-la fa me fa!

Halloween singing

This year some of us participated in the Tour of Untimely Departures at the Lone Fir Cemetery. The evening was cold and crisp, but thankfully dry - hot drinks and wraps kept the cold at bay. As the dark decended, we had to squint to make out the leader, and lean in close to hear the other parts, but afterwards the neighboring docents, who were telling stories to the crowds, complained that it was difficult to be heard over our vigorous racket!

More convention photos

(download)

Mickey Ronningen took these photos of our 2011 convention to accompany his wife's article about Portland Sacred Harp. Here we have the dessert table, the Chair, Lyle Linsdey, addressing the singers, and some nice shots of Elene Stovall of Birmingham, Alabama, who taught this year's singing school.