List of shape-note tunebooks
Encyclopedia
Shape note
s are a system of music notation designed to facilitate choral singing. Shape notes of various kinds have been used for over two centuries in a variety of sacred choral music traditions practiced primarily in the Southern region of the United States.
The following is a partial list of the shape note tunebooks published over the last two centuries. The list is divided according the two main systems of shape notes--four-shape vs. seven-shape--and within these two categories is sorted chronologically.
For full information on shape-note tunebooks, see Shape note
.
Shape note
Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The notation, introduced in 1801, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools...
s are a system of music notation designed to facilitate choral singing. Shape notes of various kinds have been used for over two centuries in a variety of sacred choral music traditions practiced primarily in the Southern region of the United States.
The following is a partial list of the shape note tunebooks published over the last two centuries. The list is divided according the two main systems of shape notes--four-shape vs. seven-shape--and within these two categories is sorted chronologically.
For full information on shape-note tunebooks, see Shape note
Shape note
Shape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. The notation, introduced in 1801, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools...
.
Four-shape shape-note tunebooks
- The Easy Instructor, William Little & William Smith (1801)
- Repository of Sacred Music, John Wyeth (1810)
- Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, John Wyeth (1813)
- Kentucky HarmonyKentucky HarmonyThe Kentucky Harmony is a shape note tunebook, published in 1816 by Ananias Davisson. It is generally considered the first Southern shape-note tunebook....
, Ananias DavissonAnanias DavissonAnanias Davisson was a singing school teacher, printer and compiler of shape note tunebooks. Davisson was born February 2, 1780 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. He spent his last years living on a farm at Weyer's Cave, about 14 miles from Dayton, Virginia, and died October 21, 1857. He is buried in...
(1816) - Tennessee Harmony, Alexander Johnson (1818)
- The Missouri Harmony, Allen D. Carden (1820) (reprinted 2005)
- Columbian Harmony, William Moore (1825)
- The Virginia Harmony, James P. CarrellJames P. CarrellJames P. Carrell , of Lebanon, Virginia, was a minister, singing teacher, composer and songbook compiler. He compiled two songbooks in the four-shape shape note tradition.-Musical compilations:...
and David L. Clayton (1831) - Genuine Church Music, Joseph FunkJoseph FunkJoseph Funk was a pioneer American music teacher, publisher, and one of the first American composers.Joseph Funk was born April 6, 1778 , in Berks County, Pennsylvania, the son of Henry and Barbara Funk, and a grandson of Bishop Henry Funck...
(1832) - The Southern HarmonySouthern HarmonyThe Southern Harmony is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker. The book was released in 1835 under the full title of The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing....
, William WalkerWilliam Walker (composer)William Walker was an American Baptist song leader, shape note "singing master", and compiler of four shape note tunebooks, most notable of which was The Southern Harmony.-Life:...
(1835) - Union HarmonyUnion HarmonyThe Union Harmony is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Caldwell. The book was released in 1837, and is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing....
, William Caldwell (1837) - The Sacred HarpSacred HarpSacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that took root in the Southern region of the United States. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note music.- The music and its notation :...
, B. F. WhiteBenjamin Franklin WhiteBenjamin Franklin White was a shape note "singing master", and compiler of the shape note tunebook known as The Sacred Harp. He was born near Cross Keys in Union County, South Carolina, the twelfth child of Robert and Mildred White.-Musical career:White and Elisha J...
& Elisha J. King (1844) - Hesperian HarpHesperian HarpThe Hesperian Harp is a shape note tunebook published in 1848 by Dr William Hauser. Subtitled A Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, Odes and Anthems, it is named after Hauser's plantation, Hesperia, in Jefferson County, Georgia. The word "harp" is often found in the titles of such tunebooks, most...
, Dr. William HauserWilliam HauserThe Reverend Dr. William Clarke Hauser was a minister, medical doctor, teacher, composer, and music publisher. He was born December 23, 1812 in Bethania, Forsyth County, North Carolina, USA, and died September 15, 1880 in Wadley, Jefferson County, Georgia...
(1848) - The Social Harp, John Gordon McCurry (1855)
- The Colored Sacred Harp, Judge Jackson (1934)
- Northern Harmony, Larry Gordon (1979; 4th edition 1998)
- An Eclectic Harmony, Eclectic Harmony Music Committee, Liz Bryant, Chair. Atlanta, (1999)
- An American Christmas Harp, Karen E. Willard. Puyallup, WashingtonPuyallup, WashingtonPuyallup, Washington is a city in Pierce County, Washington about five miles east of Tacoma. The population was 37,022 at the 2010 Census. Named after the Puyallup Tribe of Native Americans, Puyallup means "the generous people."-History:...
(2000; 2nd ed. 2009) - Oberlin Harmony, Chloe Maher and Charles Wells (2002)
- Norumbega Harmony, Stephen A. Marini, Boston, Massachusetts (2004)
- The Christian Harmony (4-shape edition of Jeremiah Ingalls' 1805 tunebook), Thomas B. Malone self-published, (2005)
- The Georgian Harmony, Raymond C. Hamrick (2010)
Seven-shape shape-note tunebooks (partial)
- The Christian Minstrel, Jesse B. Aiken (1846)
- Harmonia SacraHarmonia SacraHarmonia Sacra is a Mennonite shape note hymn and tune book, originally published as A Compilation of Genuine Church Music in 1832 by Joseph Funk ....
, Joseph FunkJoseph FunkJoseph Funk was a pioneer American music teacher, publisher, and one of the first American composers.Joseph Funk was born April 6, 1778 , in Berks County, Pennsylvania, the son of Henry and Barbara Funk, and a grandson of Bishop Henry Funck...
(1851) - Warren's Minstrel, J. S. Warren (1857)
- Christian HarmonyChristian HarmonyThe Christian Harmony is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker. The book was released in 1866¹. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing....
, William Walker (1866) - The New Harp of ColumbiaNew Harp of ColumbiaThe New Harp of Columbia is a seven-shape shape note tune book first published in 1867 in Knoxville, Tennessee by Marcus Lafayette Swan. This book was the successor to The Harp of Columbia published by W. H. and M. L. Swan in 1848....
, Marcus Lafayette Swan (1867) - The Temple Star, Aldine Silliman KiefferAldine Silliman KiefferAldine Silliman Kieffer was a leading 19th century proponent of shape note musical notation, music teacher and publisher....
(1877) - Olive LeafOlive leafOlive leaf is the leaf of the olive tree . While olive oil is well known for its flavor and health benefits, the leaf has been used medicinally in various times and places. Natural olive leaf and olive leaf extracts , are now marketed as an anti-aging, immunostimulator and an antibiotic...
, Dr. William Hauser (1878) - The Good Old Songs, Elder C. H. Cayce (1913)
- Harp of Ages, Archibald Newton Whitten (1925)
- Favorite Songs and Hymns, Morris, Stamps, Baxter, Combs (1939)
- Heavenly Highway Hymns, Stamps-Baxter (1948/1976)
- An Eclectic Harmony II, Eclectic Harmony II Music Committee, Sharon Kellam and Berkley Moore, Co-Chairs. Boone, North CarolinaBoone, North CarolinaBoone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, (2001) - The Christian Hymnary, The Christian Hymnary Publishers (1972)