Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Sunday, June 9

Arrival, Registration, and Orientation

Campers arrived at Camp McDowell at 4:00 p.m., and received their room assignments, schedules, and t-shirts. Campers met with Camp Director, David Ivey, at 7:00 p.m. for an orientation meeting, followed by class singing.

Class Singing

7:30 p.m. Led by Advent Lodge campers. The class was called to order by Ginnie Ely leading 34b. The invocation was led by Dan Brittian. Leaders: Dan Brittian 70t; Lisa Bennett 42; Jacob Lindler 284; Sara Sandberg 176b; Lena Strayhorn 49t; Tim Gregg 300; Pat Morse 186; Kathy Manning and Wanda Everett 212; Lucas Jordan 159; Hazel Heinze 438; Daniel Lee 489; Paul Robinson 56b; Linda Booth 481; Cyprian Stevens 324; Lloy Cook 503; Nathan Rees 374; Diana Farrar 268; Judy Caudle 389; Deborah Taube 31t; Andy Ditzler 182; Jesse Karlsberg 172; Helen Brown 542; Fran Miller 228; Eric Sandberg 299; Idy Kiser 155; Syd Caldwell 434; Justin Bowen 371; Alec Williams 30t; Ted Brown 37b; Ewa Lichnerowicz 102; Susan Cherones 349; Tom Booth 123t. Ginnie Ely led 62 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Dan Brittian. The evening devotional was given by Kate Fine.

Monday, June 10

Lesson: Rudiments I / Beginner

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Lauren Bock. Lauren welcomed the class, and introduced herself. She asked campers to introduce themselves, and tell a little bit about their discovery of Sacred Harp. Lauren talked about sound and music. The class practiced making high and low sounds, and discussed what makes a pleasing sound. Lauren talked about the shapes and called them by name, and then introduced the scale. The class practiced singing the tones associated with the notes. The class was dismissed.

Lesson: Rudiments I / Basics

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Nathan Rees. Nathan welcome the class, and led 49t. He introduced himself, and acquainted himself with new campers. He stated that this class represents a traditional singing school, and began by leading the class in singing scales. He referred to the Rudiments, page 13, section 6, which defines the aspects of musical notation. He said today he would focus on melodics, and went on to talk about the four shapes of notes in the scale, the intervals between each note (half step and whole step), thirds, fifths, fourths, and tonic notes. The class sang interval exercises including lines from songs on pages 359, 163b, 30t, 214, and a line of notes created by the class. Nathan answered questions, and then dismissed the class.

Lesson: Rudiments I / Advanced

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Samuel Sommers. Samuel welcomed the class, and led 24b. He offered prayer. Sam talked about the importance of time in Sacred Harp music. He referred to the Rudiments, pages 15 and 16, and the class practiced singing and keeping time using the exercises found on those pages. Ginnie Ely led 344. Sam talked about traditions, and said “I pass on to you that which was first passed to me.” He gave good advice on developing good leading skills. Brenda Dunlap led 572. Sam called attention to measures in songs, stating that each measure is full of characters (rests or notes), and that time keeping should begin and end with the hand up. Derek Buckland led 268. Sam talked about the motion of the hand, as in down and up or down, down, up. He said that down is toward the center of the earth. Alec Williams led 330t, and Inga Huebner led 320. To practice compound time and time changes, Dan Brittain led 329 and Syd Caldwell led 301. Sam passed out copies of “Call John”, and the class sang it through once. Sam led 409, and dismissed the class.

Elective: Learning Songs / Basics

10:45 a.m. Teacher—Justin Bowen. Justin welcomed the class, and led 49b. He related some details of his first exposure to Sacred Harp singing through watching the documentary “Awake My Soul”. He referred to the Rudiments, page 14, and led the class in singing the major scale. He said a great way to learn is by singing songs that are well known. The class sang “Twinkle, twinkle little star” using shaped notes. Another way to learn the notes is to speak the shapes until easily recognized. Justin led 52t, and then 358. Justin said that there are a lot of gems in the Rudiments, and referred to page 14, section 6. He spoke about repeats, and reviewed the information about D.C. and D.S. Leaders: David Brodeur 30t; Hazel Heinze 438; Kate Fine 48t. Justin cited some ways to learn through recordings: audio and video tapes and DVDs, YouTube, and FaSoLa apps. Sitting beside an experienced singer at singings and conventions is also an excellent way to learn. Tim Gregg led 417. Justin led 36b, 55, 138b, and 32t. After questions and answers, the class was dismissed.

Elective: Team Tunesmith I—SH Composition =101 (t? b?)

10:45 a.m. Teacher—Aldo Ceresa. Aldo welcomed the class, and led 101t. He discussed the song, citing the use of 4 notes in the melody, while treble and bass are pentatonic. He reviewed some general hints about composing, and there was discussion. The hints were use the Sacred Harp as a guide; learn from living composers; learn the function and characteristics of each of the four voice parts; study Sacred Harp harmony; sing your music; make sure your tune is set in the correct mode of time; keep accent in mind; pay attention to the poetry; and finally, remember that writing involves trial and error. Aldo talked about practical steps to writing a fasola tune, starting with the tenor part, then writing the bass part, then the treble part, and last, the alto part. There was discussion about each of these steps, and the class divided into teams. Class was dismissed.

Elective: Paine Regained-The Paine Denson Manuscripts

1:00 p.m. Teacher—Aldo Ceresa. Aldo welcomed the class and led 543. He passed around booklets entitled the Birmingham Collection, which included copies of unpublished manuscripts of Paine Denson’s music. Ginnie Ely led page 9, “Songs of Praises”. Aldo recited the distinguished provenance of the manuscripts, stating that Paine Denson gave them to his sister, Ruth Denson Edwards, who passed them on to Hugh McGraw, who then placed them in the Sacred Harp Museum, Carrollton, Georgia, where they remain today. Leaders: Lisa Bennett page 10, “McClendon”; Alanna Goodman page 17, untitled; Brenda Dunlap page 11, “Whitman”; David Smead page 15, “Meditation”; Justin Bowen page 13 “Awake My Soul”; Andy Ditzler page 14, “Joy to the World”; Helen Brown page 18 “Fairhope”; Jesse Karlsberg page 16 “Parting Day”; Aldo Ceresa page =28 (t? b?) “Seek Ye the Lord”. Aldo and the class discussed similarities and differences in these songs and published songs by Paine Denson. He made closing remarks, and the class was dismissed.

Elective: Song Writing/Composing and Word Painting

1:00 p.m. Teacher—Dan Brittain. Dan welcomed the class, and talked about the components of a good melody. The class sang 163b. He talked about tradition within the Sacred Harp community, and among composers. He explained word painting by pointing out how the music brings the text to life. He gave some tips on writing a song, such as keeping notes within the staff (singer friendly), staying within tradition guidelines when choosing the key, and keeping rhythmics simple. He encouraged campers to write a melody (tenor part) first. Find inspiration in other compositions. Class was dismissed.

Lesson: The Music and Mystery of E.J. King

2:10 p.m. Teacher—Jesse P. Karlsberg. Jesse welcomed the class, and explained that all songs in this class would be sung in 3 parts, as there was no Alto part in the original versions. Andy Ditzler led 101t. Jesse talked about E.J. King, relating the few known facts of his life. King was born in 1821 near Macon, Georgia. He moved with his family to west Georgia in 1828, where he met and was trained in music by B.F. White. He became the co-compiler of the Sacred Harp, but died in 1844 while the book was still in the publication process. King is credited with writing twenty-four songs for the 1844 edition: some are arrangements of folk tunes, and some are original compositions. Twenty-two of King’s songs are still in the Sacred Harp book today. The class sang a number of King’s songs, and between leaders, had discussion about King’s unique use of chords. Leaders: David Smead “Talbotton”; Lauren Bock 123t; Emily Stutzman 82t; Jeannette DePoy 87; Ginnie Ely 99; Inga Huebner 33b; Justin Bowen 113; Samuel Sommers 98; Ted Brown 100; Brenda Dunlap 102; Gillian Inksetter 77t; Helen Brown 227; Robert Kelley 234. Jesse made some additional remarks, and dismissed the class.

Lesson: Leading Workshop / Beginners

3:40 p.m. Teachers—Gillian Inksetter and Judy Caudle. Gillian welcomed the class, and led 32t. She talked about the importance of leading. She said leading is a conversation, and the leader communicates through hand motions. Judy introduced the exercises on pages 15 and 16 of the Rudiments. The class practiced singing and keeping time. She referred to section 12, page 16, about the manner of marking time, and also section 15 about tempo. Gillian talked about beginning every song with the hand in an up position, and encouraged leaders to make eye contact with the front bench to help with starting and stopping. She explained repeats: both mandatory and optional. Various campers choose songs to lead for the remainder of the class, and then were dismissed.

Lesson: How Fast Should I Go? A Historical Perspective

3:40 p.m. Teacher—Robert Kelley. Robert welcomed the class. He related that Sacred Harp doesn’t have tempo markings, but that 16th century standards were about one second per arm motion. The class compared songs using three main considerations: mode of time, number of syllables per measure, and evenness of syllabic rhythm. Also considered were character of text, familiarity of the songs, and the skill of the class. Some songs lent themselves very well to a faster tempo, while others did not. Robert said the tradition of speed leading has varied over the history of Sacred Harp singing, starting out very slow, and speeding up in mid-20th century. He cited comments by several note-worthy singers, composers, and teachers of the past including Marcus Cagle, Raymond Hamrick, and Hugh McGraw. Class was dismissed.

Elective: Keying Music

4:50 p.m. Teachers-Lauren Bock and David Ivey. David and Lauren gave practical considerations for keying. David referred to the Rudiments, Chapter III, section 4. Volunteers practiced keying songs with the teachers coaching. The class was dismissed.

Class Singing.

7:30 p.m. Led by St. Luke’s Lodge campers. Chairman Lloy Cook called the class to order by leading 46. Chaplain Diana Farrar offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Jeannette DePoy 201; David Brodeur 24b; Donna Carlson and Helen Brown 300; Inga Huebner 31t; David Smead 177; Pam Nunn 454; Jonathon Smith 383; Samuel Sommers 334; Kate Fine 217; Gillian Inksetter 291; Dan Brittain 440; Derek Buckland 131t; Linda Symonds and Frank Griggs 49t; Cathy Bonk 354b; Robert Kelley 428; Karen Ivey 34t; Frank Griggs 362; Lucey Rose Karlsberg and Lauren Bock 186; Ginnie Ely 228; Aldo Ceresa 343; Helen Brown 299; Alanna Goodman 522; Brenda Dunlap 392; David Ivey 298; Alec Williams 99; Andy Ditzler 227; Justin Bowen 93; Emily Stutzman 35; Ted Brown 549; Tim Gregg 165; Deborah Taube 40. Lloy Cook led 347 as the closing song. Diana Farrar offered the closing prayer. Wanda Everett led the devotional.

Tuesday, June 11

Lesson: Rudiments II / Beginner

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Lauren Bock. Lauren welcomed the class, and reviewed shape notes and scales. Dividing the class into two sections, and using two pointers, she directed campers in singing intervals in harmony. Jonathon Smith talked about time signatures and keeping time. He referred to the Rudiments, page 15, using the exercises there for practice. Kathy Manning led 53 and Emily Stutzman led 275b. Class was dismissed.

Lesson: Rudiments II / Basics

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Nathan Rees. Nathan welcomed the class, and began by singing scales, and then intervals. Nathan talked about rhythmics and dynamics. He explained time signatures, and the class practiced beating time with smooth, clear motions. Nathan led 227, and the class practiced keeping time while singing. He talked about accent, both primary and secondary. The class looked at songs on pages 45t, 347, and 360, discussing the accent in each tune. Nathan pointed out that the song on page 346 has interesting syncopation. The class practiced singing the minor scale, and then sang 159. Class was dismissed.

Lesson: Rudiments II / Advanced

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Samuel Sommers. Samuel led 358, offered prayer, and welcomed the class. He briefly reviewed yesterday’s topic, and again, stated the importance of time, which gives the music life. The focus of this class was melodics. Sam encouraged campers to learn to sing tenor when leading. He emphasized the point by asking the tenor section to recite “Mary had a little lamb”, while he, standing before them, recited something else entirely. Sam and the class practiced singing scales and intervals. He gave the class an opportunity to sing a different part. Judy Caudle led 218 (notes only), then turned one quarter turn, facing the basses as the new tenors and led 218 again; altos sang the bass part; trebles sang the alto part; and tenors sang the treble part. Derek Buckland led 87. Sam directed attention to the 4th measure where a note is commonly erroneously sung. The class sang the exercise on page 23 of the Rudiments, demonstrating the relationship between major and minor. Kate Fine led 411. Sam reviewed pages 21 and 22 of the Rudiments, explained harmony and the use of chords for achieving harmony. Inga Huebner led 431. Andy Ditzler led “Call John”. Sam led 285b, and dismissed the class.

Elective: Thoughts on Sacred Harp Etiquette

10:45 a.m. Teacher—Buell Cobb. Buell started by saying that etiquette was not a satisfactory term by itself, but would have to do—and that his views came from long and close observation of Sacred Harp practices, but also inevitably reflected his own personal biases. He pointed out that Sacred Harp etiquette or standard singing procedures have changed over time, and gave examples, including from old convention constitutions and bylaws. One thing, though, has not changed—and it’s a crucial underpinning: that the tradition and the singing sessions themselves work best when they emphasize the things that unite us and avoid those things that would divide. Standard boilerplate language from the old convention documents state that the convention in question “show no partiality for the various opinions that divide the public” and no favoritism for any religious point of view. He gave examples of incidents when that policy was put to the test.

He led a discussion of proper and effective leading, from the point of view of the class, particularly the front-bench tenor, as well as the individual leader. He made pointers in regard to the duties of the arranging committee: use variety in selecting leaders, mixing leaders of variable abilities, but also using the hours before and after lunch to highlight the presence of visiting singers. Throughout the hour he told anecdotes to illustrate his points.

Elective: Greatest and Ungreatest Hits

10:45 a.m. Teacher—Jesse P. Karlsberg. Jesse welcomed the class and began by saying that “Hallelujah” is the most led song and that “Tolling Bell” is the least led song in the Sacred Harp tune book. Jesse and the class discussed the some of the reasons that songs are popular: people know them, they are musically inspiring, easy, short, requested by listeners, and some serve as opening and closing songs. There was discussion about unpopular songs including offensive texts, tricky rhythms, long and difficult, big range, and three-liners. There were a few things that don’t seem to effect popularity including placement in the book, when it was composed or added, and major or minor. Campers led popular and unpopular songs with comments between. Leaders: Robert Kelley 459; Cathy Bonk 63; Nathan Rees 225b; Tim Gregg 36b; Inga Huebner 413; Gillian Inksetter 68b; Judy Caudle 69b; Syd Caldwell 318; Frank Griggs 484; David Ivey 185; David Brodeur and Andy Ditzler 450. Jesse reviewed a chart showing popular songs in different areas of the world. Class was dismissed.

Elective: Singing Poetry of the Isaac Watts Metrical Psalter

1:00 p.m. Teacher—Robert Kelley. Rob welcomed the class, and led 86. He explained that “The Songs of David” imitated the language of the New Testament. He said that Watts was very skilled in setting Psalms in metrical notation. Watts was a dissenter, forced by ill health to quit working, and lived with friends, while he wrote texts, sermons, and poetry. The class led songs and noted the Psalms from which Watts’s texts were taken. Leaders: Jeannette DePoy 171 (Ps 5); Gillian Inksetter 391 (Ps 19); Robert Kelley 437 (Ps 23); Andy Ditzler 26 (Ps =62); Syd Caldwell 183 (Ps =73 (t? b?)); Ginnie Ely 547 (Ps =89); Syd Caldwell 336 (Ps =90); Derek Buckland 435 (Ps =92); Jacob Lindler 169 (Ps =95); Inga Huebner 36t (Ps =103); Brenda Dunlap 377 (Ps =117); Sara Sandberg 315 (Ps =139); Ginnie Ely 353 (Ps =145 (t? b?)); David Smead 301 (Ps =147 (t? b?)); Jacob Lindler 28t (Ps =48 (t? b?)); Justin Bowen 91 (Ps =27). The class was dismissed.

Elective: Sacred Harp Harmony

1:00 p.m. Teacher—Aldo Ceresa. Aldo welcomed the class, and led 56t. He instructed the class to look carefully at the song, noting that it is an example of a pentatonic song, in a classic Sacred Harp style: melodically easy and with a sweet sound. Aldo discussed the use of parallel fourths, fifths, and octaves, unresolved dissonances, and crossing voices, describing Sacred Harp style of writing music as dispersed harmony. Aldo referred to the Rudiments, page 22, section 8, and read about concords and discords. Helen Brown led 565 (notes only), first with four parts and then with three parts. The class noted a clear difference musically. Alec Williams led the notes of 163t, pausing to show two discords in the last measures. Aldo associated these discords with the text (trembling shakes). Eric Sandberg led the notes of 573, pausing on the next to last chord. Tracy Weaver led the notes for 369, pausing on a particular range of notes that was described as rubbing up against each other. Aldo led the notes of 462, noting that there are six discords on unaccented beats, and are not noticed. Aldo and the class discussed parallels, singing examples of that motion, and noting the hollow but very solid harmony. Aldo continued pointing out stylistic notes used by composers in 186, 97, 348b, and 434. Class was dismissed.

Lesson: The 150th Anniversary of the 1869 Revision

2:10 p.m. Teacher—Aldo Ceresa. Aldo welcomed the class, and led 76b. He talked about the compilation of the fourth, and last, edition of the Sacred Harp tune book under the supervision of B.F. White. White eliminated some fifty songs to make room for one hundred twenty-nine new additions. Aldo passed around hand-outs with biographies of the music committee, a chart showing new tunes in the edition, and copies of songs not included in the revision. This edition included many songs with alto parts, a definite change from previous editions. Aldo briefly reviewed the bios of the music committee: B.F. White (senior editor), Edmund Dumas, Absalom Ogletree, R.F. M. Mann, Marion Patrick, and J.P. Reese. Leaders: Gillian Inksetter 34t; Inga Huebner 348b; Derek Buckland 105; Ginnie Ely 108b; Aldo Ceresa “Ode on Pious Life”; Frank Griggs 274t; Alec Williams 112; Justin Bowen 384; Lisa Bennett 224; Robert Kelley 460; Jeannette DePoy 448t; Samuel Sommers 434. The class was dismissed.

Lesson: Leading Workshop

3:40 p.m. Teachers—Helen Brown and Gillian Inksetter. Helen welcomed the class and led 45t. She referred to the Rudiments, page 16, section 12, and stated that leading is about communication. Special guest, Aldo Ceresa, performed an exercise in how not to lead. He used the song on page 47t, and demonstrated large, swinging motions of hand and arm, uncertainty in beginning and ending the song, and varied tempos within the song. Leaders: Marcia Willsie 268; Cyprian Stevens 117; Joe Kwiatkowski 143; Diana Farrar 457; Sara Lennox 171; Lizzie Sanders 33b; Alanna Goodman 101t; Kate Fine 426b; Ewa Lichnerowicz 383. Class was dismissed.

Lesson: Sight Singing

3:40 p.m. Teacher—Andy Ditzler. Andy emphasized the importance of being able to read new songs, new parts, and from new books. He began by leading the class in singing intervals: first major and then minor. He led the class in reading “Invitation” by E.J. King, initially singing the tenor part in unison, followed by the three parts. Andy identified and discussed the different melodic patterns in Sacred Harp music. The class sang 112. Andy pointed out the melodic patterns used by the composer. He identified melodic patterns in 296, 522, and 293. Andy identified rhythmic patterns in Sacred Harp music and pointed out the importance of beating time when sight reading, particularly in compound time. Andy led the class singing 342. The class sang “The Goodly Land”, written by J.T. White, and was dismissed.

Elective: Readings and Reflections: An Hour with Buell Cobb

4:50 p.m. Teacher—Buell Cobb. Buell read excerpts from his books, and made comments along the way. He and the class sang the bass line of the song on page 129. Buell noted the beautiful melodic quality. The class then sang the alto line of the song on page 69t. Buell remarked about the fortune of being a part of a tradition that produces such beauty in parts other than the tenor part. Class was dismissed.

Class Singing.

7:30 p.m. Led by Gribbin Lodge campers. Chairman Alec Williams led 124 to bring the class to order. Cyprian Stevens offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Eric Sandberg and Tracy Weaver 225t; Paul Robinson 117; Susan Cherones 300; Bill Hayes 551; Fran Miller 397; Linda Booth 361; Joe Kwiatkowski 143; Hazel Heinze 99; Lisa Bennett 372; Cyprian Stevens 159; Ewa Lichnerowicz 383; Jacob Lindler 169; Nathan Rees 272; Syd Caldwell, Buell Cobb, and David Ivey 131b; Daniel Lee 278t; Lucas Jordan 481; Kathy Manning 377; Diana Farrar and Gillian Inksetter 496; Judy Caudle 76t; Justin Bowen and Pam Nunn 507; Pat Morse 203; Inga Huebner 359; Idy Kiser 208; Jesse Karlsberg and Lauren Bock 351. Alex Williams led 549 as the closing song. Syd Caldwell offered the closing prayer. Paul Robinson presented the devotional, and the class was dismissed.

Wednesday, June 12

Elective: Coffee and Discussion on Future of Camp FaSoLa

7:00 a.m. Jeannette DePoy called the meeting to order, and welcomed about a dozen campers to talk about the future of SHMHA’s Camp FaSoLa. David Ivey had copies of graphs showing the flow of attendance since 2003. There was discussion about having one camp, two camps, or none. Further discussion revealed likes and dislikes, as well as some practical ideas.

Lesson: Rudiments III / Beginner

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Lauren Bock. Lauren welcomed the class. She played a vintage recording of 63 “Coronation”, and directed attention to the accent. She referred to the Rudiments, pages 15 and 16, and the class practiced singing with accent. Lauren introduced the minor scale, and the practiced singing and noted that different sound. Leaders: Lauren Bock and Wanda Everett 313b; Frank Griggs 274t; Linda Symonds and Lauren Bock 312b; Wanda Everett 40. The class was dismissed.

Lesson: Rudiments III / Basics

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Nathan Rees. Nathan welcomed the class. Nathan and campers practiced singing scales and intervals. There was discussion about the topics covered in class the previous two days. Nathan reviewed accent with the class, and encouraged practice during the rest of camp. He also gave some tips on how to choose a song to lead. Leaders: Sara Lennox 178; Cyprian Stevens 445; Joe Kwiatkowski 46. Syd Caldwell led 45b, and the class was dismissed.

Lesson: Rudiments III / Advanced

9:00 a.m. Teacher—Samuel Sommers. Samuel led 312b, offered prayer, and welcomed the class. Sam used visual aids to explain accent. He used four boxes of the same size, but containing various weights. Addressing 4/4 time, the first box is heavy, the second box has minimal weight, the third box has about half the weight of the first, and the fourth box is empty. He gave examples of other modes of time. The class practiced accent with the following leaders: David Broduer 132; Sara Sandberg 203; Derek Buckland 413. Sam called attention to syncopation, when the accent moves because of the poetry, in 413. Daniel Lee led 98, and Sam discussed rests. He said rests are periods of silence, and have the same duration as corresponding notes. A breach of silence would be singing, talking, or audible foot patting. David Smead led 167 and Alec Williams led 412. There was discussion and practice singing ties, slurs, and joined flags. The class sang “Call John”. Samuel led 323t, and dismissed the class.

Elective: My Sacred Harp Journey

10:45 a.m. Teacher—P. Dan Brittain.

A natural storyteller, P. Dan Brittain outlined his early years in Sacred Harp, highlighting the many chance circumstances that seemed to propel him towards becoming a Sacred Harp composer. He shared the inspirations for, or the changes made to, some of his best-known songs. Already a composer when he began writing tunes for the Sacred Harp, he said that he had to unlearn more than he had to learn. His early attempts did not have the traditional Sacred Harp sound, and the first successful tune to have that sound was “Cobb”. The class sang “Novakoski”, which was published in the wrong meter due to an engraving error. Dan also presented tunes not included in The Sacred Harp. The class sang “Pohick”, whose solemn harmonies were inspired by a 360-degree view of a cemetery from the parish hall after which the song was named; “Chmielno”, which has been translated into seven languages, and was sung by the class in polyglot fashion to the delight of all. The other songs sang were “Garden State”, “Hauff”, “Cowling”, “Maquoketa”, “Primrose Hill”, and “Dean Street”.

Elective: Poetic Meter in Sacred Harp

1:00 p.m. Teacher—Samuel Sommers. Samuel welcomed the class, and led 146, using different words to a commonly known tune. He offered prayer. Sam talked about the seven modes of time used in the Sacred Harp tune book and the relationship of time to poetic meter. Alec Williams led 30t. He noted examples of iambs: forgive, remind, return, and believe. He gave examples of trochees: thankful, lovely, order, and constant. Sam noted dactyl and anapest as the principal three syllable poetic feet. He referred to the Rudiments, page 21, chapter VII, citing accented and unaccented syllables. Sam explained that anthems often do not have meter because they are ostensibly prose. He referred to pages 572 and 232. He talked about hallelujah meter, and pointed to pages 40, 473, and 455. The class sang 167 to determine the poetic meter, which not marked. Frank Griggs led 384, in which the stress of the music is not the same as the poetry. Class was dismissed.

Elective: William Walker and The Southern Harmony

1:00 p.m. Teacher—Robert Kelley. Rob welcomed the class, and passed out a packet of song selections from The Southern Harmony. The point of the selections within the packet being to expose campers to music from The Southern Harmony that did crossover to other tune books. Robert explained that William Walker published The Southern Harmony in 1835, and it was possibly the most important tune book of the 19th century. It was certainly the best-selling tune book at the time of the Civil War. There were two revisions of The Southern Harmony: one in 1847 and another in 1854. The class sang a number of songs from the packet including “Babe of Bethlehem”, “Humble Penitent”, “Pacolet”, “Parting Friends”, “Solitude New”, “New Jerusalem”, “New Orleans”, and “Mississippi”. The class sang “Legacy” (a tune known to be sung by Abraham Lincoln), “Pastoral Elegy” (a favorite of Harrison’s), and “Hail Columbia” (now used for Vice Presidential entrances). The class was dismissed.

Lesson: The Memorial Lesson

2:10 p.m. Teachers—Helen Brown and Ted Brown. Ted and Helen welcomed the class, and led 122. Ted spoke about the history of the memorial lesson, and the fact that the sick and shut-ins were not included in earlier times. The memorial lesson was quite long, and included several speakers and leaders. Helen spoke about the memorial lesson becoming shorter, with less singing and more time for reflection. She read written comments from Karen Rollins and David Lee about their thoughts on the memorial lesson. Ted and Helen spoke in-tandem about the method of conducting a memorial lesson, and gave important tips about the procedures and techniques of the special lesson. Ted read written comments from Chris Brown, stating that his time on the sick and housebound list was made more bearable by feeling included in the Sacred Harp community. Idy Kiser talked of the difference it made for her to know singers were thinking of her. Jonathon Smith expressed his appreciation for prayers, and other types of amazing support.

Tim Gregg spoke on behalf of the sick and shut-ins, telling of his own time of affliction, and encouraging singers to remember these folks in song and prayer. Cheryl Waskiewicz read the following list of names: Judy Mincey, Norma Mincey, Nate Green, Norma Green, Kelsey Taylor, Andrew Fida, Rozlyn Greene, Carrone Bryant, Ruth Ann Bryant, Charlene Wallace, Chris Holley, Stella Couth, Jewel Wootten, Ottis Sides, Betty Boone, Dan Comstock, and Ann Mashchak. Derek Buckland led 70t for the sick and shut-ins.

Judy Caudle spoke of her memories of Eugene Forbes, and read excerpts from his obituary. She then read written memories from five other campers, (Idy Kiser, Buell Cobb, Daniel Lee, Susan Cherones, and David Ivey), conveying thoughts of Gene singing Sacred Harp and Lloyd’s Hymnal, his delightful wit, and how we will miss him! Judy led 218 in his memory.

Marcia Willsie spoke about grief at the loss of members of this community, and the love shown to family and friends of the deceased. Paul Robinson read the following list of names of the deceased: Eugene Forbes and Roy Nelson—Alabama; Susan Roberts and Andy Worthington—Georgia; Concetta Branson—Oregon; Dan Clawson—Massachusetts; Bill Bishop—Tennessee; John Hayto and Susan Carr—United Kingdom; Karl Walbrecht—Virginia; Marlene Levine and Dick Levine—New Jersey; Doug Webb—Texas; Rodney Willard and Barbara Willard—Arizona; Paul Luther Wilson—Minnesota; Mary Ellen Schrock and Michael Kaye—New York. Ewa Lichnerowicz led 399t in memory of the deceased. Lizzie Sanders closed the memorial service with prayer. Helen Brown led 475, and the class was dismissed.

Elective: Leading Workshop

3:20 p.m. Teachers—Gillian Inksetter and Judy Caudle. Judy welcomed the class, and led 155 (in memory of Shelbie Sheppard). Leaders: Brenda Dunlap 460; Marcia Willsie 186; Sara Lennox 523; Derek Buckland 165; Tim Gregg 91; Alec Williams 504; Fran Miller 448t; Hazel Heinze 438; Wanda Everett 312b; Lizzie Sanders 410t; Kate Fine 227; Linda Booth 224; Wanda Everett 282; Deborah Taube 53; Tim Gregg 541. The teachers gave feedback on leading including repeats, bird’s eye, rests, and the importance of keeping correct time, as opposed to bringing in parts. The class was dismissed.

Elective: Roles of Officers and Committees

3:20 p.m. Teacher—Jesse P. Karlsberg. Jesse assembled a panel of experienced Sacred Harp singers, consisting of David Ivey, Helen Brown, and Cindy Tanner. Jesse pointed out that when the Sacred Harp tune book was first published, there was no such thing as a convention, so there is no mention of conventions in the Rudiments. People learned by observation. Chapter XI, on page =25 of the Rudiments, was added when the 1991 edition was revised. A convention carries a set of practices, and these practices work. David Ivey commented that there are very practical reasons why we do what we do. Helen Brown talked about organizing singings and conventions in the UK, stating that the pattern was taken from practices in the US. Cindy Tanner talked about her experience as a member of the Arranging Committee at many singings and conventions. She explained the goal of blending different leading styles and tempos throughout the day. She also encouraged leaders to practice courtesy when attending a singing with a large number of leaders. Jesse related the most common officers and committee members: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Arranging Committee, and Memorial Committee. In some cases, there will also be a Treasurer/Finance Committee, Resolutions Committee, and Hospitality Committee. There was a period of questions and answers, with panel members addressing a variety of topics and local practices. The class was dismissed.

Elective: Team Tunesmith II—Composium

4:30 p.m. Teacher—Aldo Ceresa. Aldo welcomed the class, and distributed copies of the seven exercises completed by the teams. Team members were as follows: Team 1—Alanna Goodman, Gillian Inksetter, and David Smead; Team 2—Kathy Manning, Cyprian Stevens and Pat Morse. The class sang the seven exercises, and Aldo and campers gave prolific feedback. New compositions were led by the composer. David Smead led two untitled pieces and “Grand Ferry”. Aldo Ceresa led “Mulkern” and “Walker”. The class was dismissed.

Elective: Revision Town Hall

4:30 p.m. Teacher—David Ivey. Twenty-nine campers gathered in the Chapel for discussion about the revision of the Sacred Harp tune book. David Ivey opened town hall by entertaining questions/comments about their own personal investment in the revision process.

The first town hall was conducted in Fairbanks, Alaska, by David Ivey; Lauren Bock led the second town hall in San Francisco; this town hall is the third; and the fourth will be tomorrow after the Thursday session of the National Sacred Harp Convention.

David stated the significance of the revision and gravity with which they approach the revision. The committee first met on the second weekend of May, 2019. He mentioned the Sacred Harp Publishing Company’s role in the process and gave the history of revisions of The Sacred Harp and notes the average of 25-30 years between revisions throughout its history. The book will be revised from cover to cover. The timeline goal is for the revision to take three years, and no more than four, looking toward the Fall of 2021 as an end goal.

Jesse P. Karlsberg, Rachel Wells Hall, Fynn Titford-Mock, and Michael Spencer will form a sub-committee to address the typesetting of the revision. The committee will reach further into the talents of the wider Sacred Harp community to address projects along the way.

The 1991 revision committee removed forty-six songs and added fifty-four songs over fifty-three pages. The intent of the committee is to make a similarly sized revision. Song contributors have until around September 30, 2020, to submit tunes. In the meantime, songs that will definitely not be deleted will be re-typeset once the sub-committee has the design to expedite the process. The committee is currently discussing candidate songs to remove, though the decision will not be set in stone until submitted music is reviewed. Song removal will not be based purely on statistical usage. To date, around eighty songs have been submitted. Many more are anticipated. The Financial Ways and Means committee will be appointed soon to address financing the book. Questions were entertained and the meeting was adjourned.

Community Singing.

7:00 p.m. Led by Mary’s House Lodge campers. The class was called to order by Lena Strayhorn leading 203. Tom Booth offered the opening prayer. Leaders: David Brodeur 280; Idy Kiser 385b; Eric Sandberg 302; Warren Steel 352; Lucas Jordan and Syd Caldwell 128; Ginnie Ely 196; Nathan Rees and Marcia Willsie 268; David Jackson 146; Emily Stutzman 217; Alec Williams 43; Jesse Karlsberg, Lauren Bock, and Lucey Rose Karlsberg 216; Mark Davis 498; Susan Cherones 564; Justin Bowen 192; Fran Miller 299; Nicholas Thompson 436; Wanda Everett and Dan Brittain 313b; Jonathon Smith 505; Linda Berry and Samuel Sommers 90; David Ivey, Karen Ivey, and Pam Nunn 556 (in memory of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard).

RECESS

Robert Kelley led 88b to bring the class together. Leaders: Ewa Lichnerowicz 138t; Christie Allen 171; Bill Hayes, Tracy Weaver, and Sandy Geiger 209; Diana Farrar 198; Paul Robinson 189; Donna Carlson 274t; Frank Griggs and Linda Symonds 29t; Cyprian Stevens 49t; Pat Morse and Sara Sandberg 569t; Lizzie Sanders 33b; Tim Gregg and Lloy Cook 452; Kate Fine 178; Lisa Bennett and David Smead 222; Alanna Goodman and Hazel Heinze 129; Derek Buckland and Inga Huebner 278t; Jacob Lindler and Brenda Dunlap 430; Daniel Lee 489; Aldo Ceresa and Dan Brittain 288; Andy Ditzler and Jeannette DePoy 187. Announcements were made. Lena Strayhorn led 69t as the closing song. Tom Booth dismissed the class with prayer.

Thursday, June 13

Following breakfast, campers said their goodbyes, and departed.

SHMHA President and Camp Director—David Ivey