Celibate Shakers: America’s Unexpected Musical Legacy
Okay, here’s a breakdown of the facts in the provided text, focusing on how the Shakers approached music, specifically regarding pitch and rhythm, and what the text reveals about thier musical practices.
Shaker Music: Pitch and Rhythm – What the Text Tells Us
The text doesn’t give us precise details about shaker notation or musical theory. However, it paints a picture of a musical practice that was:
* Improvisational & Oral: The early descriptions suggest music began spontaneously. Someone would “begin to sing some odd tune, without words or rule.” This implies a strong element of improvisation and a reliance on oral tradition rather than written scores initially.
* collective & Responsive: Music developed through participation. “…one will begin to sing…after a while another will strike in; …after a while they all fall in…” This indicates a call-and-response or additive process where the music grew as more peopel joined.
* Harmonic Focus (Concord): The “mother” (likely a musical leader) focused on “such notes as makes a concord.” This suggests a concern for harmony and creating pleasing sounds, even within the improvisational framework. “Concord” implies a striving for agreement and unity in sound.
* Non-Standard/Unique: The tunes were described as “odd,” suggesting they didn’t necessarily adhere to conventional musical structures of the time.
* Meticulously Recorded (later): While early music was spontaneous, the Shakers did become meticulous record keepers. Over 1,000 volumes of Shaker music survive, containing tens of thousands of songs. This suggests that, over time, they developed a system for preserving their musical creations, even if the original impulse was improvisational.
* Influence & adaptation: Aaron Copland’s use of Elder Joseph Brackett’s “Simple Gifts” demonstrates the musical quality and potential of Shaker tunes. This tune was adapted for a ballet and won a Pulitzer prize, showing its artistic merit.
What the text doesn’t tell us:
* Specific Notation: The text doesn’t describe how the Shakers notated their music (if at all, in the early stages).Did they use standard notation? A simplified system? Shape notes? We don’t know from this excerpt.
* Rhythmic Complexity: The text doesn’t detail the rhythmic characteristics of Shaker music. Was it simple and repetitive, or more complex?
* Scales/modes: We don’t know what scales or modes they favored.
* Instruments: the text focuses on vocal music,but doesn’t mention if instruments were used.
In essence, the text suggests that shaker music began as a highly participatory, improvisational practice focused on harmonic agreement, and later evolved to include detailed written records of their songs. It highlights the importance of music as a communal and spiritual expression within the Shaker community.