Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The annual Plymouth/East Sandwich All-Day Singing met at the East Sandwich Friends Meeting House on Saturday before the second Sunday in February. Bill Holt led 52t to bring the class to order. Liz Cantrell offered the opening prayer.

Bill Holt welcomed the class, and introduced Ben Bath to teach a singing school. Mr. Bath went over some of the basic mechanics of Sacred Harp singing, beginning with four-syllable solfege. He noted that the Sacred Harp system is a specifically English-language solfege deriving from renaissance England. He reviewed the significance of time signatures in Sacred Harp singing, noting that the time signature indicates a mode of time, and is a tempo marking. He led 268 at a typical 2/4 tempo, faster than we often do, noting that the song changes in character when sung according to the mode. Further, just as the modes of time define patterns of musical accent, the song’s poetry dictates its own iambic pattern of text accent, and in many familiar songs these two patterns do not everywhere coincide. At these places in the song, preference is given to word accent over music accent. The distinctive sound of the song as a whole results from the combination of the two different accentual patterns. Mr. Bath led 101t and 42 as examples of this practice.

The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Bill Holt; Vice Chairman—Chuck Micciche; Secretary—Willis McCumber; Treasurer—Alvaro Witt Duarte; Chaplain—Liz Cantrell; Arranging Officer—Laura Hodges.

Leaders: Bill Holt 47t; Willis McCumber 33b; Laura Hodges 91; Liz Cantrell 107; James Baumgartner 556; Christina Wallin 228; Patrick Friesen 406; Bob Parr 391; Laura Borrelli 274t; Justin Geyer 347; Brian Harris 63.

RECESS

Micah John Walter called the class to order leading 148. Leaders: Chris Coughlin 445; Liz Patton 32t; Julius Pasay 457; Faiz Wareh 292; Anna Kellar 102; Andrew Forsthoefel 300; Vicki Hayes 45t; Alvaro Witt Duarte 81t; Mary Andrews 564; Cora Lynn Wareh 124; Deidra Montgomery 234; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 538; Rachel Taylor 40; Celia Divine 515; Emma Swartz 177; Joanne Fuller 196; Leon Pulsinelle 29b; Jesse Vear 345b; Philippa Stoddard 309; Andal Sundaramurthy 512; Pattie Wareh 112. Liz Cantrell asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Liz Cantrell brought the class to order leading 73t. Leaders: Emma Rose Brown 336; Mike Nord 573; Sasha Hsuczyk 328; Robert Stoddard 397; Christine Andrews 567; Ian Quinn 419; Linda Shea 306; Angharad Davis 30b; Tarik Wareh 279; Ben Bath 270; Paula Picton 137; Alex Forsyth 214; Mary Skidmore 70b; Matthew Leger-Small 377; Alvaro Witt Duarte 440; Elizabeth Stoddard 80t; Keillor Mose 222; Lynne deBenedette 383; Mike Richards 362; Chris Holley and Kathe Pilibosian 532; Micah John Walter 215; Patrick Friesen and Jesse Vear 396; Philippa Stoddard 498.

RECESS

Willis McCumber brought the class to order leading 319. Leaders: Sasha Hsuczyk, Leon Pulsinelle, and Alex Forsyth 388; Faiz Wareh 394; Angharad Davis and Christina Wallin 546; Emma Rose Brown, Christine Andrews, and Mary Andrews 129; Keillor Mose, Bryan Harris, and Justin Geyer 48t; Joanne Fuller and Mary Skidmore 444; Emma Swartz and Chris Coughlin 421; Liz Cantrell and Chuck Micciche 269; James Baumgartner and Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 475; Anna Kellar 87; Elizabeth Stoddard and Robert Stoddard 302; Julius Pasay 277; Matthew Leger-Small and Linda Shea 367. The Treasurer reported that expenses were met. Announcements were made.

Bill Holt, Chuck Micciche, and Willis McCumber led 62. Liz Cantrell offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Bill Holt; Vice Chairman—Chuck Micciche; Secretary—Willis McCumber