MusicSpoke | Artist Owned Sheet Music™

About the Score

Performance Notes Shape-note notation appears in the first 20 bars of this edition. The nineteenth century collections of shape-note tunes are without dynamics, tempo, or editorial markings. The flexible character of this tradition invites performer to choose a key, dynamic, and tempo that best fits the ensemble. Many excellent recordings of popular tunes can be found online. The tone chosen should reflect the rugged quality of this tradition.

Feel free to render each melodic line with new variation. In the shape-note tradition, rarely will a singer render a tune the same way twice, creating a beautiful diversity. The collective sense of pulse should be executed with strength. Take liberty to experiment with singing in a square, with conducting the pulse, and with ornamenting each strophe.

I hope you enjoy the experience of a most sacred American tradition!

Featured on the MusicSpoke reading session at TMEA 2017.

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