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Too many people know too little about the music of the American Shakers.
Information on the web and in some books about the Shakers sometimes have incorrect information about their music.
One of the most common errors is assuming that all Shaker music is anonymous. That is incorrect.
Both Shaker women (Sisters) and men (Brothers) wrote words and music from the 18th to 20th centuries and many of them are identified.
There are estimated to be well over
10,000 Shaker texts and tunes written in hundreds of manuscript music books and nearly a dozen printed hymnals,
in both single-line melodies and three or four-part harmony. Their hymnals were published between 1812 and 1908.
Many people know and enjoy the best known Shaker song, "Simple Gifts" (first line: 'Tis the gift to be simple).
250th anniversary of the Shakers arrival in America
The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing (or The Shakers), originated in the area around Manchester, England in the mid-18th century and were led by Mother Ann Lee (1736-1784), their charismatic spiritual leader. She and a small group of the Believers emigrated to the USA and they landed in New York City on August 6, 1774.
Two years later, their first settlement was established at Niskayuna (later: Watervliet), New York.
Their first organized Shaker community was in 1787
at New Lebanon, New York (later called Mount Lebanon and it was their Central Ministry).
The last remaining Shaker community is located at Sabbathday Lake, Maine which also has a museum and
research library (open by appointment).
Attention Choral Music Directors!
There is a choral composition by Roger Lee Hall available about the life of Mother Ann Lee which is available at no charge
providing it is performed sometime this year. This composition is for soprano and bass soloists
and SATB chorus and is
in a more traditional hymnlike setting as the Shakers themselves wrote. The original text and tune are from
two Shaker composers in the 19th century: Richard McNemar and Joel Turner.
Here is the first verse:
At Manchester in England, This blessed fire began,
And like a flame in stubble,
From house to house it ran:
A few at first received it and did their lusts forsake;
And soon their inward power Brought on a mighty shake.
To request your copy of "Ballad of Mother Ann" for possible performance, sent directly by email attachment -- click here
50th anniversary of the Shakers meeting composer, Aaron Copland
Read about when several Shakers from Sabbathday Lake, Maine
were introduced
to Aaron Copland by Shaker music scholar, Roger Lee Hall.
It was the only time they met.
Read more about this meeting in 1974 at this link --
Tis the gift to be simple: Aaron Copland Meets The Shakers
A False Identification
This picture circulating on the web supposedly is Mother Ann Lee...
That is FALSE.
The picture is NOT Mother Ann Lee but instead is Shaker Eldress Anna White (1831-1910) from Mount Lebanon, New York.
Please help correct this
error if you notice it on the web or in print.
Anniversary of a Shaker hymn arrangement
It was 50 years ago that composer, Roger Lee Hall, arranged his first Shaker hymn, "Celestial Praises,"
from a melody that was "given by inspiration, Jan. 10, 1841" in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
His arrangement of this Shaker hymn was first performed at a conference in Cleveland, Ohio in 1974,
commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Shakers arrival in America from England.
His arrangement of this Shaker hymn is on the CD featuring original Shaker tunes and arrangements:
Music of the Shakers
For over two centuries, the Shakers have produced an amazing amount of music.
Not only is it probably among the earliest religious folk music written in America,
it is also music that can bring comfort and uplift to anyone in their daily lives today.
Many of the earliest Shaker songs were composed by their first spiritual leaders in the 1780s.
One of the most glaring errors made by researchers and writers is classifying all Shaker music as "songs." That is incorrect.
There are three main types of Shaker music in single line melodies or in three or four-part harmony:
--single verse songs (for example, "Simple Gifts")
--multi-verse hymns (for example, "The Humble Heart")
--extended prose anthems (for example, "Millennial Praise")
There are also many sub-categories of Shaker music, such as: gift songs, dance songs, inspirational and Gospel hymns, millennial anthems, and others.
In addition to the thousands of Shaker single-line melodies in manuscripts there are also many others in their printed hymnals.
Because of their highly inspirational origins, like Afro-American spirituals, Shaker tunes are also best classified together as "spirituals."
Often the discussion of Shaker spirituals is misleading or incomplete in books and articles,
which fail to list any recordings or music collections
and don't always include the latest Shaker music research.
For a list of Shaker music books and articles -- click here
It is common to identify all Shaker music as being anonymous or "Traditional." That is incorrect.
Many of the Shaker spirituals are credited to Shaker brethren and sisters and sometimes both are credited for a single Shaker spiritual,
like the beautiful Shaker hymn, "The Humble Heart" (words by Eunice Wyeth, tune by Thomas Hammond)
The late 19th century century hymn, "Give Good Gifts" has become popular in our time. It has been previously identifed as being "Traditional."
But that is not accurate. This hymn has been identified by Roger Hall as composed by Sister Martha Jane Anderson (1844-1897).
This hymn is included on several CDs including this one which includes her picture on the CD cover:
Sometimes a Shaker song is arranged by a non-Shaker musician.
One of the best known Shaker quick dance songs is "Come Life, Shaker Life."
In the 1960s, this Shaker song was arranged as a folk-rock song, "Run, Shaker Life,"
by Richie Havens, without credit given to the Shaker composer, Issachar Bates.
To read about it -- click here
Best-known Shaker song, "Simple Gifts"
This Shaker dancing song had a major revival in the 20th century, beginning with Aaron Copland arranging the tune in his award-winning ballet score, "Appalachian Spring," in 1944.
Arrangements of this Shaker song by Aaron Copland and John Williams were played in the inauguration ceremonies for three U.S. Presidents:
Ronald Reagan,
Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.
According to Shaker manuscripts, "Simple Gifts" was composed as a "dancing" or "quick dance" song by Elder Joseph Brackett (1797-1882) at the Shaker community
in Alfred, Maine. Often the song is identified with incorrect titles such as:
"The Gift to be Simple" or "Tis a gift to be simple," which were never used when the song was written down in their music manuscripts.
There is also a popular 20th century folk song, "Lord of the Dance," by English songwriter, Sydney Carter, who based it on the "Simple Gifts" melody.
May 6 was the birthday of Elder Joseph Brackett.
To read about the Joseph Brackett Day birthday celebration -- click here
Last Shaker song composed in the 20th century
In July of 1959, Sister Lillian Phelps (1876-1973) went on a Summer outing with other Shaker women at Canterbury, New Hampshire,
and upon her return she wrote a short song she titled: "My Shaker Home."
This song was discovered by Roger Hall in the library at Canterbury Shaker village in 2009 and
has now been recorded in an arrangement on two popular AMRC CDs:
"Celestial Praises - A Celebration of Shaker Spirituals"-- click here
"My Shaker Home" - Words & Music by Shaker Sisters" -- click here
Shaker music notation
Their earliest music came from the English folk song tradition and most of their earliest tunes were without words and are similar to folk dance tunes
or "mouth music" from England, Scotland and Ireland.
The first Shaker church leaders also wrote songs, including Mother Ann Lee, the spiritual head of their church.
Father James Whittaker wrote what is believed to be the first complete Shaker song with words and music in 1787,
which has been edited by Roger Hall and titled, "In Yonder Valley."
Almost all of the early Shaker music uses alphabet music notation.
For more information about this Shaker music notation, see the Thesis by Roger L. Hall titled,
"The Shaker Letteral System: A Practical Approach to Music Notation" (Binghamton University, 1972).
Examples of Shaker music notation are available in his publication -- "Invitation to Zion" - A Shaker Music Guide
See these You Tube concert videos of Shaker music
composed or arranged
by Roger Lee Hall -
Arrangement: "Welcome, Welcome" - The Canterbury Singers
Arrangement: "Celestial Praises" - The Canterbury Singers
Arrangement: "Simple Gifts" - The Canterbury Singers
Composition: Seven Variations on a Shaker Marching Tune - Kathryn Southworth, pianist
Two books and a research article about the song:
Now you can learn the full story of the
best-known Shaker song
with the original Shaker melody
and biography of its composer,
written by the foremost authority on the Shaker song.
To read about both titles -- click here
Research article about the song:
"Simple Gifts":
The Discovery and Popularity of a Shaker Dance Song
by Roger Lee Hall
Shaker music editions and arrangements
Giving Credit Where It Is Due:
Some writers and musicians have failed to give proper credit to the those who have edited or arranged Shaker tunes.
Two of the most active music researchers of Shaker music have been: Roger L. Hall and Daniel W. Patterson.
Both have written an extensive amount about Shaker music.
Daniel W. Patterson has written research articles and an extensive book, The Shaker Spiritual (1979, reprint, 2000).
Roger L. Hall has written many books and music collections, including Gentle Words: The Meaning and Message of Shaker Music (2019) -- click here
He has edited many Shaker spirituals for performance and also performed Shaker music in numerous concerts.
Also, he has composed new music based on several Shaker poems,
like "A Prayer" and "A New Year's Prayer" --
both of those titles were recorded on these CDs: Celestial Praises and My Shaker Home.
Others who have edited Shaker music include:
Anne Azema, Donald Christenson, Joel Cohen, Milzie Collins, Randy Folger, Christian Goodwillie, Mary Ann Haagen,
Colleen Liggett,
Carol Medlicott, Donna Phillips.
There have been many arrangers of Shaker tunes including these names:
Jack Bomer, Judy Collins, Aaron Copland, Bill Crofut, Mary Ann Haagen, Roger Lee Hall, Conrad Held, ,
Marleen Montgomery, Wayland Rogers,
Kevin Siegfried, Salli Terri, John Williams.
Just the facts, please...
In Chosen Faith, Chosen Land (DownEast Books, 2009),
there is this picture of composer Aaron Copland meeting Sister Mildred Barker:
© Photograph by Gail M. Hall, 1974.
This is the caption with the picture in the book on page 123:
Sister Mildred with Composer Aaron Copeland in Shaker Heights, Ohio in 1974. Sr. Mildred, Sr. Frances, and Br. Ted were in Ohio
to conduct seminars during the Shaker bicentennial. They were invited to attend a birthday party for Mr. Copeland.
He gave Sr. Mildred an autographed copy of his arrangement of "Simple Gifts."
In addition to Copland's name being misspelled twice, no credit is given to the person who arranged this meeting in 1974 -- Roger Hall.
He donated
his personal copy of the "Simple Gifts" choral arrangement for Copland to autograph for the Sabbathday Lake Shakers.
Mr. Hall then gave his autographed copy to the Shakers for their library at Sabbathday Lake.
The picture is also not credited to the photographer at this meeting, Gail M. Hall.
This meeting was not a birthday party for Mr. Copland. It was a meeting of graduate music students from Case Western Reserve University.
It was the only meeting of Mr. Copland and the Shakers.
Mr. Hall was not consulted to verify the information for the caption in the book.
Giving Proper Credit For Shaker Music
Since Shaker songs, hymns and anthems from the 18th and 19th centuries are in public domain,
it may be assumed they don't have to be credited from any published source. Not true.
Any Shaker music published in a book or a music collection should be credited to an editor or arranger, if known.
The same applies to any recordings of Shaker music.
If no name is listed,
then the published music collection where the music appears should be mentioned in person or in print.