The Sacred Harp is a collection of shape note songs that was originally organized and published by B. F. White in 1844. In 1991, the Sacred Harp Publishing company put out a revised edition that used modern printing techniques to clean up the text and notations, thus making it much easier to read than other shape note collections. This is the edition we see being used in the documentary, although there are other revisions and books that are popular with different groups of singers. Many of the members of the music committee that worked on the revised edition are featured in Awake, My Soul, and through their own words, we get a sense for their strong dedication to preserving this music and introducing it to new singers.
Aside from the music itself, the documentary explores aspects of the communities that have preserved this style of singing. Viewers are introduced to singers casually throughout the first part of the film, and about a third of the way through, the cultural aspects are brought to the fore-front. The voice-over provides information about structure of an all day singing (or singing school), as well as the connections that are made between singers at these events. With this kind of an introduction, new singers should feel less intimidated when they attend a large singing.
Most likely, the audience that will pick up this DVD will already be familiar with shape note singing. However, I think that anyone interested in Early American music should also take the time to view it. The filmmakers, both Sacred Harp singers themselves, have created a piece of work that, much like shape note music itself, is simultaneously utilitarian and glorious.
![Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp [Two-Disc Special Edition]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51yc-El%2BtmL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments