To the Editor:

Learn about and participate in America’s oldest hymn tradition from the Albany Sacred Harp. The public is invited to the program hosted by the New Scotland Historical Association at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Wyman Osterhout Community Center in New Salem at 7 The Old New Salem Road. Admission is always free.   

“Sacred Harp” is a style of singing using shape notes. Dating back to the 17th Century in New England, hymns and psalms were being sung from shape-note hymnals.

On its website, Albany Sacred Harp explains that this kind of music is printed using four shape notes given to the syllables fa, sol, la, mi. The shape notes enable singers who do not know how to read music to be able to sing by sight.

This shape-note notation was first seen in a book published in Albany, New York in 1802 called “The Easy Instructor.” In 1844, B.F. White and E.J. King published “The Sacred Harp,” which was among the most popular of “shape-note hymnals,” so much so that today shape-note singing is often called “sacred harp.”

Although originating in New England, shape-note singing became very popular in the South. Yet, this style of singing was in danger of dying out in the 20th Century until being “rediscovered” by folklorists in the 1930s. Today Sacred Harp gatherings are held throughout the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe. 

Come join us for this tuneful and robust program presented by the Albany Sacred Harp. Quoting from its website, “We are an informal friendly group of people from the greater Albany, NY area who sing Sacred Harp music together …. Open to all ages, all voices, all levels of (in)experience … The best way to learn everything you need to know about Sacred Harp singing is to come … to your local practice singing! There are no auditions, rehearsals, or performances, just singing for joy when you wish to do so.”

The New Scotland Historical Association Museum will be open for a half-hour before the program.

Judy Kimes

Publicist

New Scotland Historical Association