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MUSIC OF THE AMERICAN SHAKERS
Resources and Recordings
Now in its 25th year as the longest-running website
containing information about music of the
Shakers,
the oldest surviving singing tradition of an American communal sect.
New Publication Available...
In celebration of two anniversaries:
250th anniversary of the Shakers arrival in America in 1774.
50th anniversary of several Shakers from Sabbathday Lake, Maine meeting composer, Aaron Copland in 1974.
Read about this new multimedia collection with over 500 files and 100 audio files
plus 10 videos --
Two important 20th century Shaker musicians:
© photograph by Gail M. Hall
Sister Ruth Mildred Barker (1897-1990)
the most important Shaker singer in the last half of the 20th century
at
Sabbathday Lake, Maine
© photograph by Gail M. Hall
A tribute to
Sister Bertha Lillian Phelps (1876-1973)
the last Shaker musician and composer
at Canterbury, New Hampshire
Both Sister Mildred and Sister Lillian
were narrators on
the most extensive recordings about their music
released on this highly rated 2-CD set from Rounder Records,
with 72 page illustrated booklet written by Shaker music scholar, Roger Hall:
Both Sister Lillian and Sister Mildred
are featured in this book:
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Shaker music program
If you are interested in sponsoring an Online webinar or in-person illustrated music lecture
about Aaron Copland meeting the Shakers in 1974 and the background information
about the popular American Shaker dance song, "Simple Gifts,"
and the English song based on that tune titled, "Lord of the Dance,"
write to Roger Hall about scheduling his illustrated music program-- click here
To read about Mr. Hall's 50 year study and performance of Shaker music - click here
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50th anniversary of a Shaker hymn arrangement
In October of 1974, a conference was held at The Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio
to commemorate the bicentennial of the Shakers arrival in America from England in 1774.
For one of the programs, a community chorus performed a selection of Shaker songs and hymns, directed by Roger Hall.
One of the hymns receiving its premiere performance was "Celestial Praises" (in alphabet music notation shown above).
A choral arrangement of this 1841 hymn is now available on this CD:.jpg)
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2024 is the 250th anniversary of the Shakers arrival in America from England in 1774.
On the 19th of May 19, 1774, a band of nine set sail from Liverpool in the ship Mariah for New York. Besides Ann Lee there was her husband, Abraham Stanley, her brother, William Lee, James Whittaker, John Hochnell and his son Richard, James Shepherd, Mary Partington,and Nancy Lee, a niece of Ann Lee...The ship was an old, leaky vessel which had been condemned as unseaworthy. They were two and a half months on the voyage and narrowly escaped foundering in a storm...Mother Ann went to the captain saying: "Captain, be of good cheer; there shall not a hair of our heads perish; we shall all arrive safe in America. I just saw two bright angels of God standing by the mast, through whom I received this promise." Soon after, a great wave struck the ship, and, it is thought, pressed into place a loose plank. The leak was stopped and after this the captain gave his strange passengers full liberty to worship as they felt right,
and upon his arrival in New York he decalred that but for these people he would never have reached America." --
From -- Shakerism: Its Meaning and Message, by Anna White and Leila S. Taylor, 1904, pages 28-29.
They arrived in New York City on August 6, 1774. This important date was celebrated by Shakers in their hymns.
Ballad Hymn: "Mother"
One of the earliest and most important Shaker hymns has words by Elder Richard McNemar and titled simply, "Mother."
It was published in 1813 in the first Shaker hymnbook, Millennial Praises, with 16 verses of text but no music. The tune was composed by Brother Joel Turner.
It was edited by Shaker music scholar, Roger Lee Hall, and included in the popular songbook and accompanying CD, Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals.
Sister Mildred Barker introduced this hymn in 1974 at a Sabbathday Lake, Maine conference celebrating the bicentennial of the Shakers arrival in America.
Here are two of the sixteen verses of this ballad hymn:At Manchester, in England,
This blessed fire began,
And like a flame in stubble,
From house to house it ran:
A few at first receiv'd it,
And did their lusts forsake;
And soon their inward power
Brought on a mighty shake.To mark their shining passage,
Good angels flew before,
Towards the land of promise,
Columbia's happy shore.
Hail, thou victorious gospel!
Abd that auspicious day,
When Mother safely landed
In Hudson's lovely bay.
"On the Landing of Mother Ann in America" (1860)
This hymn was edited by Roger Lee Hall and first performed in 1974
by a community chorus during the
Bicentennial Shaker Conference
held at The Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio.
The music for the hymn is available by request and sent by email attachment -- click here
An audio of the hymn is included in this new multi-media collection:
New 3rd edition now available
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A False Identification on the Web
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This picture circulating on the Web claims to be Mother Ann Lee...
That is FALSE. There are no photographs of Mother Ann Lee (1736-1784).
This picture is instead from a century later of Eldress Anna White (1831-1910) from the Mount Lebanon Shaker Community in New York,
who co-authored the important Shaker history, Shakerism: Its Meaning and Message.Please help correct this error if you notice it on the web or in print.
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Hear one of Eldress Anna White's songs, "Brilliant Gem," arranged by Jack Bomer on this highly-rated AMRC CD:
Shaker Music CD Collections
"Blended Together":
Interviews with The Shakers
AMRC CD 0007
Interviews with several Shaker women singers in New Hamphsire and Maine including some singing.
This CD is useful
for anyone interested in Shakers in the 20th century and American cultural or religious history.
To read about how to order this special audio collection --
click here
"Celestial Praises":
A Celebration of Shaker Spirituals
AMRC CD 0017This CD is titled from the Shaker hymn arranged for chorus
and first sung at the Bicentennial Shaker Conference held in Cleveland in 1974For more information -- click here
"Gentle Words":
A Shaker Music Sampler
AMRC CD 0016Includes a selection of Shaker spirituals
plus comments by Shaker singers
and highlights from an interview with composer, Aaron CoplandFor more information -- click here
"The Humble Heart":
Twenty-four Shaker Spirituals
Arranged and Composed
by Roger Lee HallFor more information -- click here
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Shaker Music Research Series
"Give Good Gifts" -
Shaker Music in the 20th Century
"The Humble Heart" -
A Fifty year Survey of Shaker Music
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"Invitation to Zion" -
A Shaker Music Guide
Shaker music in our time
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 has 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 (Eldresses/ Sisters) and men (Elders/ Brothers) wrote words and music from the 18th to 20th centuries and many of them are identified.
It is estimated there have been over 20,000 Shaker texts and tunes written in hundreds of manuscript music books and printed in many hymnals,
Their hymnals were published between 1812 and 1908. A checklist of these hymnals is available on the new multimedia collection, A Shaker Music Miscellany.
In Praise of Mother Ann Lee
"Ballad Of Mother Ann"
A choral composition arranged by Roger Lee Hall is available about the life of Mother Ann Lee which is available.
This composition is for soprano and bass soloists and SATB chorus and is in a more traditional hymn-like setting as the Shakers themselves wrote.
The original text and tune are from two Shakers in the 19th century: Elder Richard McNemar and Joel Turner.
"On the birthday of Mother Ann"
A Shaker hymn was composed by Elder James Prescott from North Union, Ohio about her birthday.
Here is the first stanza:We praise the name of Mother
We hail the day she's born,
We all unite together,
And celebrate this this morn.
We hail the name of Mother
And that eventful day,
When she did cross the ocean
To North America.To receive copies of both "Ballad of Mother Ann" and "On the birthday of Mother Ann"
the cost is only $2.00 and they will be sent directly to you by email attachment.
To order your copy of both titles, click the "Add to Cart" button, and be sure to indicate your email address --
50th anniversary of the Shakers meeting composer, Aaron Copland
In 1974, Roger Hall arranged for several Sabbathday Lake Shakers to meet
the composer, Aaon Copland while in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
It was the only time they met.Read about this meeting in the new collection:
50th anniversary of a Shaker hymn arrangement
It was in 1974 that composer, Roger Lee Hall, arranged his first Shaker hymn, "Celestial Praises,"
from a melody in an 1851 Shaker music collection. The hymn was "given by inspiration, Jan. 10, 1841" in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
His arrangement of this Shaker hymn was first performed at a two day conference in Cleveland, Ohio in October of 1974,
commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Shakers arrival in America from England.His arrangement of this Shaker hymn is on the CELESTIAL PRAISES 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 hereIt 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 identified as being "Traditional."
But that is not accurate. Roger Hall found that this hymn was actually 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:
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 today 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 Shaker music manuscripts in the 19th century.
There is also a popular 20th century folk song, "Lord of the Dance," by English songwriter, Sydney Carter, who wrote his own words the "Simple Gifts" melody.
Read the background of this popular Shaker song in this article --
Research article:
"Simple Gifts": The Discovery and Popularity of a Shaker Dance Song
by Roger Lee Hall
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 scholarly paper 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
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 a picture of composer Aaron Copland meeting Sister Mildred Barker:
© Photograph by Gail M. Hall, 1974.
This is the caption with this 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 this 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 actually a meeting of graduate music students from Case Western Reserve University.
No mention was made that this was the only meeting of composer Aaron Copland and the Shakers.
Mr. Hall was not consulted to verify the information for that 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 listed in print.
Shaker Music Scholar Honored in Who's Who
Most of the information provided on this website is from the research and publications of Roger L. Hall,
who has been one of the most active Shaker music scholars for fifty years.
He is an ethnomusicologist, ASCAP composer, and singer with multiple degrees in music.
He has researched, edited, arranged and produced recordings of Shaker music.
He has also written extensively about Shaker music. To see the list of titles --- click here
He has donated his music publications to the library at Sabbathday Lake, the last Shaker community located in Maine.
To see the Finders Aid of his music collection donated to Canterbury Shaker Village -- click hereTo read about his extensive Shaker music research -- click here
See his available music lectures and workshops on Shaker music and other music topics -- click here
Roger Lee Hall has received the honor of being listed in two well-known directories:
Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World
Shaker music editions and arrangements by Roger Hall
are available
Original Shaker Music On Recordings
"Let Zion Move" by Eldress Mary Ann Gillespie
CD: Let Zion Move
"Blended Together" by Elder Joseph Holden
CD: Blended Together: Interviews with the Shakers
Two of the most important CD releases were released by Rounder Records with 40 spirituals each,
sung by the Shakers, with background notes by two authorities on the subject:
Shaker Music Preservation Archive
The Summer of a Shaker Song - 1967
Shaker Music for concerts, recordings, or films
If you are looking for one or more Shaker spirituals to perform in a concert
or to include on a recording, or a film, see this list of Shaker tunes -- click hereFor music arrangements by Roger Lee Hall -- click here
Attention film and documentary producers!
Shaker music can make an ideal accompaniment for your film
Write for details to:
Book, CD and Theater Reviews
Theater Reviews
ANGEL REAPERS (Martha Clarke and Alfred Uhry)
AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (Arlene Hutton)
Related Links on this site
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"The Best Choice" - A Sampling of American Communal Hymns (new edition now available!)
Shaker music books and articles
Shaker and Non-Shaker Tunes"Simple Gifts" (multi-media computer disc about the best-known Shaker song)
Note:
This information about Shaker music here on Americanmusicpreservation.com has been updated and greatly expanded
from an earlier AOL page known as AMERICAN SHAKER MUSIC available Online between 1998 and 2005 but no longer active.
However, links to it are still available for reference information at ShakerPedia.
Please Help Support The CAMP:
All the information provided here is intended for educational use.
Your support is needed to keep the Shaker music information pages available on this free informational website.You can help support ther CAMP website by ordering any of the CDs or the publications listed below.
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