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COMPOSITIONS SHAPED BY COMMUNITY

the shape-note compilation The Valley Pocket Harmonist ers in the community who are formally educated, but
(2024), and her work on the editorial committees of most composers have developed their skill through in-
that volume and The Shenandoah Harmony (2012) includ- formal mentorships as far back as the book’s first pub-
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ed arranging songs (which often meant writing all parts lication in 1844. When asked what he valued most
other than the tenor) and adding alto lines to three-part about his friendship with Hamrick, Karlsberg said:
songs. This significant compositional work is typical of
the shape-note tradition. Composers have worked as Raymond motivated me to write music that
“arrangers” of popular and folk melodies since the ear- was moving to me, music that was singable. He
liest days, while the addition of alto lines was undertak- encouraged me to get out of my own way by
en by a range of tunesmiths at the turn of the twentieth writing simple, characteristic songs that I just
century. Hall has also submitted several compositions wanted to sing. That’s what it’s all about. My
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for inclusion in the revised Denson edition of The Sacred goal became for singers to pick up on the notes
Harp, set to be published in 2025. All three composers by the second time they sing it. 26
are (or were) active singers within the shape-note tra-
dition. The value placed on community in the Sacred Harp
tradition affects the contents of the compositions them-
selves. A recurring theme across interviews and the lit-
Approaches to erature was that each vocal part has a melodic nature.
Shape-Note Composition “The big thing is to make sure that each part has a mel-
Compositions contributed to The Sacred Harp by ody of its own,” noted Brittian. “That’s one of the dif-
living composers are imperative ingredients in what ferences from traditional harmony.” Every shape-note
is sometimes called a “living tradition.” The singers book begins with a section known as the rudiments that
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interact with the composers, who are also singers, on a outlines various concepts pertaining to shape-note sing-
regular basis. This dynamic prompts singers to connect ing, such as basic music theory, vocal technique, and
each composer as an individual with their composi- principles of composition. The rudiments in The Sacred
tions, which enhances the emotional impact the music Harp read: “Sacred Harp music is polyphonic. The tune
has on the community. (melody, air) is carried by the tenor part, but the other
Karlsberg began composing shape-note music with- parts, ideally, are good melodies on their own, mak-
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in his first year of exposure to Sacred Harp singing. ing all parts interesting.” Hall discussed this concept
Coming from a compositional background, writing and referenced a quote from the rudiments of another
shape-note music was a natural form of participation shape-note book, The Hesperian Harp, which reads:
for him. It also allowed him to explore his understand-
ing of the musical form and theory. Karlsberg sought When your Air [or the tenor] is written, com-
out relationships with living composers who had their pose your Bass, Treble, &c.; and in doing this
songs published in The Sacred Harp. He built a special you must, if you would reach the hearts of
relationship with a patriarch and composer in the tra- those who can feel music, not only make all
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dition, Raymond Hamrick. At the beginning of their the parts of your tune perfectly harmonic, but
friendship, Karlsberg and Hamrick communicated via make each part so good a melody that it will
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letters and phone. Later, Karlsberg moved from the charm even when sung by itself.
northeast to Georgia, where Hamrick lived. Karlsberg
was inspired by Hamrick’s compositions and was in- Though each part is melodic, the other parts are still
trigued to discover how Hamrick—who, like so many somewhat subservient to the tenor as the result of hav-
other shape-note composers, received no formal music ing been composed in the aforementioned order: tenor,
education—had learned to write music from others in bass, treble, and finally alto. Brittain outlined this order
the tradition. There are important singers and compos- and explained that writing the bass after the tenor allows

12 CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2025 Volume 65 Number 7