Fwd: Slightly off-topic: Original Sacred Harp Choir

[j frankel]

With permission, I am forwarding this request to this group.  Please respond either on-list & I'll forward it to Mr. Stamler, or, also with his permission, directly to his e-mail as listed below (only copy me because I want to see the answer too, OK?).  You'll have to sign up for ballad-l if you want to answer directly to that list.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paul Stamler <psta...@pobox.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Subject: Slightly off-topic: Original Sacred Harp Choir
To: ballad-l <ball...@indiana.edu>


Hi folks:

This is s little outside the scope of our usual discussions, but I know a lot of you are familiar with shape-note singing.

Does anybody here know anything about the Original Sacred Harp Choir? They recorded eight sides for Brunswick in July 1922, onw of which ("New Britain") constituted the first recording of the song usually known as "Amazing Grace". I can find no information in several pages of Googling except a speculation (with no justification given) that they might have been from Texas.

I've listened to "New Britain", posted on YouTube, and it doesn't sound like any Southern Sacred Harp singing I've ever heard. The voices sound trained, smooth and sweet, not the all-out style of natural voicing common in recordings of Southern singers. They sometimes roll their R's, too, which is also not idiomatic for Southern singers.

So -- any information at all?

Also, Gene Wiggins, in his bio of Fiddlin' John Carson, states that Brunswick went to Atlanta in September 1922 to record Sacred Harp singing. I find nothing in the discographical information to verify that, but I did find the July 1922 New York recordings.

Any information that could clarify this stuff will be most welcome.

Peace,
Paul

[Robert Vaughn]

Here is some information that might lead down the right trail.

Though I'm not familiar with the name "Original Sacred Harp Choir", I think there is a possibility they were Texas singers. There was a record company formed in Texas before 1923. I found the following in 2004-05 when I was researching for my East Texas History book:

"SACRED HARP RECORD OFFICERS
At meeting for Annual election of officers of the Original Sacred Harp Record Company, held at home office, Gilmer, Texas the following were elected:

"W. T. Coston, President, Dallas, Texas; R. C. Barnwell, Vice-President, Gilmer, Texas; J. L. Miller, Treasurer-Secretary, Gilmer, Texas.

"Trustees--H. A. Money, Dallas; H. D. Ratliff, Fort Worth; W. M. Hull, Pittsburg; H. B. Howard, Pittsburg; J. R. Sessums, Dallas; T. J. Pounds, Gilmer; W. G. McPeek, Gilmer; T. H. Briggs, Gilmer; Fred Douphrate, Gilmer.

"Following elected as Executive Committee: Will A. Watkins, Dallas; H. Heyer, Dallas; B. Losch, Fort Worth; Col. J. S. James, Atlanta, Ga."

This bit of news was on the front page of the Upshur County Echo (published in Gilmer, TX, Thursday Jan. 11, 1923, Vol. 25 No. 20, p. 1). The names of Coston and James will be recognized by most. Some of the others I recognize as Texas singers - Money, Hull, Ratliff, Miller, Briggs. Others I don't recognize. Some may have been singers and some may have been businessmen/investors. I think Fred Douphrate was a Gilmer, Texas businessman and possibly once the mayor. Of course, he could also have been a singer.

From the article, it appears this company had already been formed, since this was their annual election of officers. The time frame is about right for the Brunswick recording.

I hope this information will be useful.

His glories sing,

Robert Vaughn
Mount Enterprise, TX
http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com
Ask for the old paths, where is the good way
http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com
For ask now of the days that are past...
http://oldredland.blogspot.com
Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

---

From: j frankel <ghos...@gmail.com>
To: Fasola Discussions <fasola-di...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2012 11:14 AM
Subject: [fasola-discussions] Fwd: Slightly off-topic: Original Sacred Harp Choir

With permission, I am forwarding this request to this group.  Please respond either on-list & I'll forward it to Mr. Stamler, or, also with his permission, directly to his e-mail as listed below (only copy me because I want to see the answer too, OK?).  You'll have to sign up for ballad-l if you want to answer directly to that list.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paul Stamler <psta...@pobox.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Subject: Slightly off-topic: Original Sacred Harp Choir
To: ballad-l <ball...@indiana.edu>


Hi folks:

This is s little outside the scope of our usual discussions, but I know a lot of you are familiar with shape-note singing.

Does anybody here know anything about the Original Sacred Harp Choir? They recorded eight sides for Brunswick in July 1922, one of which ("New Britain") constituted the first recording of the song usually known as "Amazing Grace". I can find no information in several pages of Googling except a speculation (with no justification given) that they might have been from Texas.

I've listened to "New Britain", posted on YouTube, and it doesn't sound like any Southern Sacred Harp singing I've ever heard. The voices sound trained, smooth and sweet, not the all-out style of natural voicing common in recordings of Southern singers. They sometimes roll their R's, too, which is also not idiomatic for Southern singers.

So -- any information at all?

Also, Gene Wiggins, in his bio of Fiddlin' John Carson, states that Brunswick went to Atlanta in September 1922 to record Sacred Harp singing. I find nothing in the discographical information to verify that, but I did find the July 1922 New York recordings.

Any information that could clarify this stuff will be most welcome.

Peace,
Paul

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[Robert Vaughn]

This is an older thread, but I have found some new information regarding the Original Sacred Harp Choir in the Winnsboro Weekly News (Winnsboro, Tex., Homer R. Weir, editor, Vol. 13, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, June 23, 1922, p. 4, Column 1). The Weekly News (Wood Co., Texas) had reprinted it from the Gilmer Mirror (in neighboring Upshur Co., Texas).

"SACRED HARP SINGERS TO NEW YORK

    Sec-Manager J. L. Miller, of the Original Sacred Harp Record Company, of Gilmer, has been notified that the company to make the records for them are ready to give an open date for their singers as soon as they can get them to New York.

    Five will be sent from Texas and five from Georgia to sing the Sacred Harp songs from which they are to make.

---Gilmer Mirrow (sic)"

(Seems that something may have been cut off the end of the last sentence.)

In his book Brunswick Records: A Discography of Recordings, 1916-1931; Volume 1: New York Sessions, 1916-1926, (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001, 0313318662), Ross Laird lists the “mixed choir of the Original Sacred Harp Singers” on page 105 recording a total of eleven titles in June and July 1922:

MIXED CHOIR OF THE ORIGINAL SACRED HARP SINGERS  NY, c.Jun, 1922

8353-4 Pleyel's hymn, C.M. Br 5151

8355-6 [unknown title]

8357-58 Penick, C.M. Br 5146

8359-0 The christian warfare Br 5146

8361-2 [unknown title]

8363-64 Antioch, L.M. Br 5147

8365-6 Easter anthem Br 5147

MIXED CHOIR OF THE ORIGINAL SACRED HARP SINGERS  NY, c.Jul, 1922

[unknown title]

8402 Canaan's land, C.M.D. Br 5150

MIXED CHOIR OF THE ORIGINAL SACRED HARP SINGERS  NY, c.Jul, 1922

8418 New Britain, C.M. Br 5150

Soft music Br 5151

It might not be enough to convict someone in court, but there is some compelling circumstantial evidence here to indicate that the “mixed choir of the Original Sacred Harp Singers” who recorded on Brunswick in June and July of 1922 are the 10 folks from Texas and Georgia who are mentioned in the Weekly News newspaper article.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rznMFf1Ljz8

 

His glories sing,

Robert Vaughn
Mount Enterprise, TX
http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com
Ask for the old paths, where is the good way
http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com
For ask now of the days that are past...
http://oldredland.blogspot.com
Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

---

From: Robert Vaughn <rl_v...@yahoo.com>
To: "ghos...@gmail.com" <ghos...@gmail.com>; Fasola Discussions <fasola-di...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Paul Stamler <psta...@pobox.com>
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: [fasola-discussions] Fwd: Slightly off-topic: Original Sacred Harp Choir

[Warren Steel]

Many thanks for this very fine information about the Original Sacred Harp
choir. THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE (Brunswick 5146) was reissued on the
Dust-to-Digital CD "I Belong to This Band." What I wrote about them in the
liner notes was:
"The Original Sacred Harp Choir were the first Sacred Harp singers to
record. Thile their vocal quality and enunciation show evidence of formal
training and contrast with that of many singers today, their sense of
rhythm and obvious knowledge of the music mark them as traditional singers.
Their recordings have a distinctive variant of the classic Brunswick label,
with the addition of a staff and a scale in the four 'fasola' shapes."

My guess is that these were Sacred Harp singers who had some gospel music
training, and put that to use in their recordings, believing it was more
appropriate for recorded music. On close listening, however, it seemed to
me as though the alto part was not that of the James edition, nor of the
Cooper book, despite the involvement of James and Coston. Your information
is most helpful, as it specifies the provenance of the singers and the
dates of their recording sessions, which produced eleven sides, more than
the eight advertised in the Brunswick catalog.



--
Warren Steel mu...@olemiss.edu
Professor of Music University of Mississippi
http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~mudws/

[Robert Vaughn]

Warren, Thanks for sending those comments and further information. I'm going to add your liner note to my Brunswick/Original SH Record Company file. I've only heard the AMAZING GRACE/NEW BRITAIN which is at LOC and on YouTube. I assume your are talking about the alto on THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE in your reference below. I'm not a good listener/hearer, but it seemed to me that some of the harmony on NEW BRITAIN seemed different. But maybe it is just the whole sound that is throwing me off. T. H. Briggs speaks to the "training" of the singers, though part of what he says is confusing. This was in the Sacred Harp Journal in 1931, and reprinted in the National Sacred Harp Newsletter:

“The Science of Music”, by T. H. [Thomas Howard] Briggs (incorrectly spelled "Griggs" in the Journal/Newsletter)

            "In 1920, J. L. Miller and the writer conceived the idea of spreading the gospel songs over this nation by having these songs put on records that each family might have a singing of these songs around their sacred hearthstone and we worked ardently for 2 years to organize and promulgate what we called the original Sacred Harp Record Co. This was the first conception that music could be spread abroad in the land by being sung to the records and made a record of the music as it fell from the lips of the singer. This company was organized and a quartet was trained and went to New York to sing this music in the parent record so that it could be spread over the nation and it was a success and thousands of records were made from select songs and sold throughout the U. S. and especially the Southern States, but like all other inventions, those who originated the plan got no benefit from it...."

Briggs speaks of them being "trained" and sent to New York (although his mention of a "quartet" is a little confusing in light of other facts). Briggs was involved in Sacred Harp, but I feel fairly certain that this was very much as business venture for him and J. L. Miller. I have found them mentioned prominently in Gilmer records. Briggs was a lawyer, judge and mayor of Gilmer at different times, and Miller appears to have been a businessman/business owner. Assuming the business venture idea to be true, they probably wanted the singers to sound a little more "trained" that we do at singings. Old Harp singers are often little swayed by inhibitions (then or now), but businessmen would have wanted it to sound as good as possible, at least in whatever their concept of that was. Of course, this is just my opinion.

I have been able to locate two more mentions of the records and/or record company:

"SINGERS LEAVE FOR NEW YORK

"The singers that are to sing [for] the records of the Gilmer Sacred Harp Record Company, leave for New York from Dallas Tuesday.

"Nine of them will remain there until they have sung enough of the Sacred Harp Songs to get out twelve sets of records. -- Gilmer Scho."

Winnsboro Weekly News (Winnsboro, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 43, Ed. 1 Friday, July 7, 1922, p. 5

Here only nine are mentioned instead of ten, as in the June 23 issue. Perhaps one person had to cancel. Also it appears all are leaving from Dallas. Does that mean the five (or four) from Georgia came to Texas and "trained" with the others, and they all left together from Dallas? Not sure what to make of that.  It is probably incorrect to think they are leaving the Tuesday after July 7th, since this was copied by the Winnsboro newspaper from the Gilmer Scho (???), especially since Brunswick's records indicate some of the songs were recorded in July.

"Big Singing at Pittsburg

"A good sized crowd of sacred Harp singers went to Pittsburg Saturday and attended, what they say, the biggest Sacred Harp singing held in East Texas as for a long time. Phonograph records of songs by a class of Sacred Harp singers that went from Gilmer to New York a few months ago to sing for a record company were demonstrated. Mr. Rountree says they were fine, and if possible to secure some they will have them at the Stout Singing on Sunday, September 3rd..."

Winnsboro Weekly News (Winnsboro, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 50, Ed. 1 Friday, August 25, 1922, p. 1

We just think we're progressive selling records (CDs, DVDs) at Sacred Harp singings. Apparently this dates back to 1922!! Notice also whoever wrote this used Sacred Harp terminology, not calling them a "choir" or "quarter". I assume the use of "Mixed Choir" by Brunswick indicates singers were male and female.

I was able to search the Winnsboro paper electronically at the "Portal to Texas History" (though it is kind of quirky), but I need to check the Gilmer/Upshur County papers that are on microfilm. Surely going to New York and making records was big news in East Texas in 1922.

His glories sing, 

Robert Vaughn
Mount Enterprise, TX
http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com
Ask for the old paths, where is the good way
http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com
For ask now of the days that are past...
http://oldredland.blogspot.com
Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

---

From: Warren Steel <mu...@olemiss.edu>
To: rl_v...@yahoo.com; "ghos...@gmail.com" <ghos...@gmail.com>; Fasola Discussions <fasola-di...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Paul Stamler <psta...@pobox.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: [fasola-discussions] Original Sacred Harp Choir

[Richard Hulan]

I just noticed that the cover illustration of the current issue of Alabama Arts magazine is a fasola singing school scene.  I'm a Facebook friend of the artist's (Bethanne Hill), and she posted it Wednesday.  Bethanne did the cover art for The Makers of the Sacred Harp, three years ago, and has used the Sacred Harp or four-shape notes in other paintings.

There's a pdf version of the magazine visible here:  http://www.arts.state.al.us/library/index-library.html#Alabama%20Arts

Dick Hulan

Spfld VA

[Wade Kotter]

Thanks for pointing this out, Dick. It's a very nice painting. For those of us who have not taken the plunge into Facebook, Bethanne has a very nice webpage:

http://www.bethannehill.com/Bethannehill.com/Bethanne_Hill.html

Wade Kotter

South Ogden, UT

---

From: Richard Hulan <hu...@erols.com>
To: Fasola Discussions <fasola-di...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Warren Steel <mu...@olemiss.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2013 6:32 AM
Subject: [fasola-discussions] Fasola art by Bethanne Hill

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[Will Fitzgerald]

And it looks like the original of this cover is for sale:

http://www.bethannehill.com/Bethannehill.com/Available_Works.html

Will

[Richard Hulan]

Bethanne Hill's business Facebook page says today that her "Cane Creek Singing School" illustration is now available as a print from the Alabama Folklife Association.  But I don't see it on their site, nor on their Facebook page.  Last one of hers that I've seen as a print was 11x14, and sold for $15 in a few AL galleries, as a fundraiser for the said Alabama Folklife Association.  Somebody might want to track this down.

Dick Hulan

Spfld VA

[Wade Kotter]

I just emailed the Association about this and will share their response with the list.

Wade Kotter

South Ogden, UT

---

From: Richard Hulan <hu...@erols.com>