Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention
Encyclopedia
The Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention is an annual gathering of shape note singers. Songs are sung a cappella
from the Sacred Harp
tune book. The Convention was organized on April 28, 1900 at the Round Top School House, in Caldwell County, Texas
, as the South Union Singing Convention. It is the second oldest continuous Sacred Harp convention in Texas
. Several older conventions are no longer extant.
During its history, the Southwest Texas Musical Convention has been held in at least a dozen Texas counties. Originally an annual two or three day convention, the delegates later changed to meet on each fifth weekend of the year. The Convention presently meets on Saturday and Sunday of Fifth Sunday weekends in the spring and fall. The spring session is held at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, at McMahan, Texas. The fall session is held in Austin, Texas. The current "textbook" of the Convention is The B. F. White Sacred Harp (2006 Edition), first revised by W. M. Cooper
and others in 1902.
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
from the Sacred Harp
Sacred Harp
Sacred 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 :...
tune book. The Convention was organized on April 28, 1900 at the Round Top School House, in Caldwell County, Texas
Caldwell County, Texas
Caldwell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. In 2000, the population was 32,194. Its county seat is Lockhart...
, as the South Union Singing Convention. It is the second oldest continuous Sacred Harp convention in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Several older conventions are no longer extant.
During its history, the Southwest Texas Musical Convention has been held in at least a dozen Texas counties. Originally an annual two or three day convention, the delegates later changed to meet on each fifth weekend of the year. The Convention presently meets on Saturday and Sunday of Fifth Sunday weekends in the spring and fall. The spring session is held at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, at McMahan, Texas. The fall session is held in Austin, Texas. The current "textbook" of the Convention is The B. F. White Sacred Harp (2006 Edition), first revised by W. M. Cooper
Wilson Marion Cooper
Wilson Marion Cooper of Dothan, Alabama, was a notable musician and music teacher within the Sacred Harp tradition. Marion Cooper was born in Henry County, Alabama, the son of W. S. and Elizabeth Ann Cooper. He was a cousin of Alabama governor William C. Oates.- Overview :W. M. Cooper prepared a...
and others in 1902.