Sacred Harp in Brooklyn!
St. Pauls Episcopal Church
199 Carroll St., Brooklyn
the 2nd Sunday of every month 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Convenient walk from subway through lovely neighborhood. Fabulous
acoustics.
"What is Sacred Harp?"
What is Shape Note/Sacred Harp singing? Think of it as Do-It-Yourself
Choral Singing for those who just love to sing, beginners and proficient
alike. It's egalitarian; everybody gets to pick a song and, if they want,
lead it. It's learner-centered; the entire tradition is based on a book
designed to teach people to read music and sing it. The repertoire is vast:
from ancient melodies to traditional folk, gospel, and hymn tunes to the
soaring masterworks of Western hymnology. Though most of the song texts are
based on religious themes and psalms, traditional "fasola" or "shape note"
singings have long served as catalysts for non-sectarian community building,
whatever the backgrounds or beliefs of the participants. We sing because we
love to sing and The Sacred Harp is a fabulous collection of music to sing
from. It is not a religious service, although it is spiritually
invigorating. Mostly it is a whole a lot of fun.