Ship of Fools: Little Flock Primitive Baptist, Barrineau Park, Florida, USA

The Mystery Worshipper

Ship of Fools: Little Flock Primitive Baptist, Barrineau Park, Florida, USA

"Wondrous love", dinner on the grounds, and all kinds and conditions of man permeated this Little Flock

Read the full Mystery Worshipper report here

boston_irish

Thank you for re-posting this. What a great piece of Americana. We have nothing like this in my part of the world that I know of save for the Methodist Camp Meetings on Martha’s Vineyard.

Amanda B Reckondwyth

Sacred harp notation is surprisingly common if one knows where to look for it. It is used in the hymnals of several fundamentalist or primitive churches, notably the Mennonite, Brethren, Free Methodist, and Churches of Christ. To walk into one of these churches and hear the congregation singing, unaccompanied, hymns in four-part harmony written in shape notes is an experience one will not soon forget.

Shape note theory assigns a unique shape (triangle, square, half-circle, oval, diamond) to each solfege syllable. Music is written on the lines and spaces of the staff as usual, but each note is written using the shape that corresponds to the solfege.

There are two different systems of shape notes: one using the seven standard solfege syllables, and another using a simplified solfege of only four syllables. The video linked to in the report is an example of the latter. I suspect that the service our Mystery Worshipper attended did likewise.

boston_irish

How right you are. I googled Sacred Harp Notation in Greater Boston and a plethora of options came up. Mostly groups at some of the areas well known schools, Berklee College of Music, The Longy School in Cambridge, and BU. I had no idea. Thank you for the insight.

boston_irish

Also Ms ABR, because I gather from reading your posts, you’re quite the Sacred Music and Organ enthusiast. At your leisure go holycrossboston .com. It’s our Cathedral’s website. There is information about the upcoming historical Hook and Hastings Organ benefit concert Oct 24. There is a link to the Facebook link where you can watch it. That was not a solicitation for a donation, just thought you might enjoy.

Amanda B Reckondwyth

Indeed I might. Let's not let this thread drift too far away from the subject matter of the report, though.