On this Sunday, we celebrated the gifts our Choir brings to Worship each and every week, by featuring an extended collection of pieces around a theme – Shape Note Signing or Sacred Harp Signing.
This piece is an arrangement of Amazing Grace by Sonja Poorman, sung by the Pleasantville Presbyterian Church chancel choir under the direction of Dr. Dave Macdonald with Evan Closser on Piano and Wendy Zaros, soprano.
Choir Director, Dr. Dave Macdonald explained some of the basics of shape note signing, which you can find here: (www.pvillepresby.org/docs/shapenote.pdf)
He concludes with this:
“For some reason—and I’m not exactly sure why—the quality of voices matters less in shape note singing than in the traditional English/European style hymnody our choir sings every week. In such traditional choir singing, we try for some modicum of blending and purity. If some individual in the choir intones a vowel in a way that’s different from everyone else, the group’s sound will suffer as a result. In Sacred Harp singing on the other hand, a diversity of vocal timbres is an asset. If one person is singing the word savior as “saviorrrr”—in, say, a Midwestern accent—while another person sings—think William F. Buckley—“savioah,” the resulting sound will only grow more satisfying. In this way shape note singing resembles the democratic ideals that were coalescing into a new nation at the time the singing style was emerging. The credo of this music could be: ‘Bring your voice, such as it is, and join in. Diversity is strength.’”
Click here to view this week’s bulletin to follow along with prayers and hymns.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.” –Psalm 100:1-3
