Shaker Music Books and Articles

Shaker Music Books and Articles

Two new multi-media publications!

Books and Music Collections

From PineTree Press

These books and music collections are available as print editions or on multi-media CDs or DVDs with bonus music and video clips and all were compiled and edited by Shaker music scholar, Roger Lee Hall:printed out as desired.

"Come Life, Shaker Life": The Life and Music of Elder Issachar Bates
monograph with music supplement, 2004

Blended Together: Discoveries Along The Shaker Music Trail
Illustrated pamphlet, 2011/ multi-media CD-ROM, PTM 1022, 2012

For the Love of Zion: 30 Shaker Spirituals (2007)

Gentle Words: Shaker Music in the 20th Century
Book and music on multi-media CD-ROM, PTM 1019, 2011

A GUIDE TO SHAKER MUSIC - With Music Supplement (and accompanying CD)
6th edition, 2006

How Happy Are They: 12 Shaker Spirituals from Kentucky and Ohio
music collection, 2007
"May We Ever Be United" - Music of the North Union, Ohio Shakers,
multi-media CD-ROM, PTM 1029, 2012 New
A Shaker Music Miscellany
10 music collections with bonus music and video on deluxe multi-media DVD, PTM 1030, 2012 New
The Story of 'Simple Gifts': Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song
3rd edition - available exclusively on a multi-media DVD, 2010

From Other Publishers
The Gift to be Simple: Songs, Dances and Rituals of the American Shakers.
by Edward Deming Andrews (hardcover, 1940/ paperback, 1967)
Millennial Praises: A Shaker Hymnal
Edited by Christian Goodwillie and Jane F. Crosthwaite (hardcover, 2009).
Partake a Little Morsel: Popular Shaker Hymns of the Nineteenth Century
Compiled by Carol Medlicott (music collection, 2011).
Shaker Music: A Manifestation of American Folk Culture
by Harold E. Cook (hardcover, 1973).
shaker songs: a celebration of peace, harmony, and simplicity
Compiled and edited by Christian Goodwillie, with contributions by Joel Cohen (hardcover, 2002).
The Shaker Spiritual
by Daniel W. Patterson (2nd edition, paperback, 2000).

Not Recommended Books
Selling Shaker - Stephen Bowe and Peter Richmond

Shaker Music - Frederick William Evans (reprint)

Simple Gifts - Great Hymns by Bill Henderson

Shaker Music Articles

American Communal Societies Quarterly

Communal Societies

Journal of Church Music

The Shaker Messenger

The Shaker Quarterly

Shakers World

Sing Out! Magazine

Sonneck Society Bulletin For American Music
Newspaper Articles

Original Shaker music on CDs

Early Shaker Spirituals
Gentle Words: A Shaker Music Sampler
Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers
Joy of Angels: Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and The New year

Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals

Other items of intereststrest

Lectures and Workshops
Related links
PineTree Press

To Order Books or Sheet Music

Order the books from PineTree Press listed below
or special orders for individual sheet music
by making a donation or payment
for the requested amount,
payable by credit card to PineTree Productions,
through safe and secure PayPal.

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After you have made your donation,
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please mention the book title
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Shaker Music Order

This book is SOLD OUT

"Come Life, Shaker Life": The Life and Music of Elder Issachar Bates
by Roger L. Hall (2004) -

Contents

Preface

Life
I. Early Years (1758-1774)
II. Fifer in the American Revolution (1775-1780)
III. Baptist Song Leader (1780-1800)
IV. Shaker Missionary Travels (1801-1811)
V. Shaker Tunesmith (1810-1835)
VI. Final Years (1835-1837)

Notes
Recordings

Music --

Hymn: "Rights of Conscience"
Hymn: "The Gospel Sound"
Anthem: "Mount Zion"
Dance Song: "Step Tune"
Hymn: "Ode to Contentment"
Dance Song: "Come Life, Shaker Life"
Song: "Lovely Gospel Kindred"
Funeral Hymn: "Almighty Savior"

Blended Together:
Discoveries Along The Shaker Music Trail

This 48 page illustrated pamphlet features a wealth of information about forty years of research by Roger Lee Hall, one of the most accomplished Shaker music scholars, who has written over 700 pages about Shaker music in various books and music collections, as well as producing numerous CDs and multi-media DVDs.

Among the items in this pamphlet are: a timeline of his Shaker music research, a brief survey of Shaker music in the 20th century, and exclusive interviews with three past Shaker sisters: two from Canterbury, New Hampshire, and one from Sabbathday Lake, Maine.

Also, there is a Checklist of Printed Shaker Hymnals, an extensive Bibliography and selective list of Shaker music recordings.

In addition there are illustrations of original Shaker music in their own "letteral" notation, including "Gentle Words," "Love is Little," and the best known Shaker song, "Simple Gifts."

Order your copy of Blended Together: Discoveries Along The Shaker Music Trail and it will be autographed by the author at no extra charge.

To order, click on this link:

AMP Store

Also available with bonus features...

If you would prefer to have both the complete pamphlet with full color illustrations (not black & white as in the printed version), plus two bonus features on a multimedia CD:

Blended Together: Interviews with The Shakers , CD with Shaker sisters singing and speaking about their music.
"Inside-Outside: Evolution of Two Kentucky Shaker Songs," Roger Lee Hall's scholarly paper on his editions and arrangements of "Love is Little" and "Gentle Words," presented in September 2011 as part of the Communal Studies Association Conference at South Union, Kentucky.

To receive the multimedia CD with illustrated pamphlet, interviews with the Shakers, and the scholarly paper on two Kentucky Shaker songs,
make a donation for $25, payable to PineTree Productions,
through safe and secure PayPal.

Click on this button to

After you have made your donation,
to insure proper delivery,
please send your mailing address to:

Blended Together multimedia CD

For the Love of Zion:
Thirty Shaker Spirituals

for Solo Quartet or SATB Chorus
(PineTree Music, 2011)

This music collection has Shaker songs and hymns not available anywhere else. The 30 spirituals have been sensitively arranged for SATB by Jack Bomer, an American musician living in Vienna, Austria. The collection was edited with notes by Roger Hall.

Also included on the multimedia DVD, playable on your computer but not a separate DVD player, is a folder with all 30 Shaker spirituals performed by the vocal quartet, "Simplicity."

In addition, there are bonus documents about Shaker music history.

Here are few examples on Real Player...

Click links to hear music:

"I'm On My Way To Zion"

"A New Zion"

Titles in the music collection :

1. We Have Found the Promised Savior (Lebanon, NY)
2. Sweet Love (Eastern Shaker song)
3. Good Brethren From the Holy Mount (Elsa Parson, Enfield, Connecticut)
4. Here Take This Lovely Flower (Elmira Adams, Harvard, MA, 1847)
5. O What Pretty Souls (Joshua Bennett, Enfield, Connecticut, 1837)
6. The Humble Heart (Eunice Wyeth/Thomas Hammond, Harvard, MA)
7. O Brethren Ain't You Happy (Clarissa Jacobs, Lebanon, about 1847)
8. Christ's Suffering (Canterbury, New Hampshire, date unknown)
9. My Love is My Mother (South Union, Kentucky, 1821)
10. The Rolling Deep (Polly Lawrence, Sodus, New York, 1826)
11. I Never Did Believe (Betsy Bates, Lebanon, New York, 1829)
12. Lay Me Low (Addah Z. Potter, Lebanon, New York, 1838)
13. I Will Bow and Be Simple (Mary Hazard, Lebanon, New York, 1840s)
14. The Hallelujah Hymn (Polly M. Rupe, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky)
15. I Have a Soul to be Saved or Lost (Enfield, New Hampshire, 1865)
16. Mother's Love is Like an Ocean (Assanath Wilhite, South Union,KY)
17. Mother's Mantle (Lebanon, New York, 1821)
18. More Love (Canterbury, New Hampshire, about 1870)
19. Slow Song (Eastern Shaker song)
20. Pretty Love and Union (John Whitbey, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, 1824)
21. Living Souls Let's Be Marching (Tyringham, Massachusetts)
22. I'm On My Way to Zion (unknown community)
23. Love is Little (South Union, Kentucky, 1834)
24. A New Zion (Alfred, Maine, 1837)
25. Virgins Cloth'd in a Clean White Garment (Sabbathday Lake, 1830s)
26. Low Within the Vale (Paulina Bryant, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, 1850)
27. My Sweet Home in Zion (Otis Sawyer, Sabbathday Lake, Maine)
28. Brilliant Gem (Anna White , Lebanon, 1859)
29. Simple Gifts (Joseph Brackett Jr., Alfred, Maine, 1848)
30. Earnest Petition (unknown community)

To receive the music collection, For the Love of Zion: 30 Shaker Spirituals
arranged by Jack Bomer, including a music folder with all the Shaker spirituals performed by the vocal group "Simplicity," also bonus documents all on one DVD-R readable on your computer, make a donation by credit card for $25, payable to PineTree Productions, through safe and secure PayPal

Also still available (single copies only) is the 2007 printed songbook + the accompanying CD. It will be sent for a donation of $25.

You can make your donation by credit card
payable to PieTrProductions,
through safe and secure PayPal.

For either the DVD-R or printed songbook and CD,
make a donation of $25.00 or more and click on this button to

After you have made your donation,
send your mailing address and
indicate which item you wish to receive
(the multimedia DVD or the printed songbook and CD)

Send to:

For the Love of Zion

Gentle Words:
Shaker Music in the 20th Century
(PineTree Press, 2nd edition, 2011)

Excerpt from the title song lyrics:

Gentle words, kindly spoken,
Often soothe the troubled mind.
While links of love are broken,
By words that are unkind.

This beautifully illustrated collection by Shaker scholar Roger Lee Hall contains informative historical material about Shaker music during the 20th century, with lyrics of 25 representative Shaker spirituals, including such favorites as: "Come Life, Shaker Life" and "Simple Gifts."

The book is dedicated "In Loving Memory of Sister R. Mildred Barker."

Among its treasures are many of the discoveries made by Roger over the past thirty-five years in his travels along the Shaker music trail.

Part One of the booklet includes a brief history of Shaker music written by a Canterbury Shaker. Also, a conversation from 1972 with two Canterbury Shakers: Eldress Bertha Lindsay and Sister Lillian Phelps. In addition, there is a timeline of important events during the 20th century, including little known facts and unique illustrations, such as the Canterbury Shaker Orchestra and a concert program from 1932.

Part Two contains the words and commentary for the 25 Shaker songs, hymns, and anthems all sung during the 20th century and available on the accompanying music files. One of them is a pacifist hymn from the Civil War era, shown here in Shaker letteral music notation:

"A Prayer For The Captive"

There are many attractive illustrations in color and black & white, including Shaker church leaders and sample music manuscripts.

At the back is an exclusive interview with composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990) about his arrangements of "Simple Gifts."

To get the book titled, Gentle Words: Shaker Music in the 20th Century
including the music album with all 28 Shaker spirituals
and bonus documents on a CD-ROM, readable on your computer, make a donation by credit card for $20.

lSpecial Offer!

ayIf you make a donation of $30,
you will receive both Gentle Words and For the Love of Zion songbook,
plus the accompanying music for both (a total 55 examples!)
on one DVD, readable on any computer -- a $15 discount!!

To receive either the Gentle Words book with music ($20),
or the two books on DVD with accompanying music ($30),
make your donation by credit card,
payable to PineTree Productions,
through safe and secure PayPal.

Click on this button to

After you have made your donation,
please send your mailing address to:

Gentle Words/ For the Love of Zion

Read more about "Gentle Words"at

A Shaker Song Discovery

The Gentle Words disc is part of the

Multimedia Americana Music Series

A Guide to Shaker Music --
With Music Supplement
(PineTree Press, 6th edition, 2006)

This popular guide was first published in 1996. It has remained the most extensive reference guide for Shaker music. Now in its 6th edition, it contains the following information:

Chronology: Evolution of Shaker music

Shaker tunes and tunesmiths including list of Top Twelve recorded Shaker tunes

Where to find original Shaker music

Selected music for voice and instruments

Shaker tunes vs. folk tunes

Descriptions of Shaker music and dance

Where to look for further information

What music has been recorded on LP and CD

Also included in the Guide is a Music Supplement with 15 Shaker songs and hymns for solo voice and keyboard; or SAB and SATB chorus; composed and arranged by Roger Hall:

1. Song: Welcome, Welcome -- Rosetta Cummings, Enfield, NH
2. Song: We Will All Go Home With You-- Canterbury, NH
4. Hymn: The Humble Heart - Eunice Wyeth/Thomas Hammond
5. Hymn: Voyage to Canaan-- Richard McNemar, Ohio
6. Hymn: Celestial Praises -- Canterbury, New Hampshire
7. Hymn: Christian Love -- poem: Elvah Collins, Lebanon, NY
8. Hymn: My Shepherd -- poem: R. Mildred Barker, Alfred, Maine
9. Hymn: A New Year's Prayer -- poem R. Mildred Barker, Alfred
10. Hymn: A Prayer-- poem: R. Mildred Barker, Alfred
11. Song: May I Softly Walk -- Lebanon, New York
12. Song: Simple Gifts -- Joseph Brackett, Alfred, Maine
13. A Welcome Song -- Polly M. Rupe, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky
14. Introduction to Zion -- David A. Buckingham, Watervliet, NY
15. Introduction to Souls -- Matilda A. Butler, Whitewater, Ohio

Order A Guide to Shaker Music, which includes
an accompanying CD with all 15 Shaker songs and hymns
from the Music Supplement,
at the

Store

How Happy Are They:
Twelve Shaker Spirituals
from Kentucky and Ohio
(PineTree Music, 2007)

2007 marked the bicentennial of the Shaker community at South Union, Kentucky. To commemorate that bicentennial anniversary, Roger Hall has compiled this collection which includes arrangements of two South Union Shaker hymns:"The Morning Sun" and "The Millennium." They are included in this songbook:

1. "A Welcome Song" -- Polly M. Rupe, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, 1869

2. Hymn: "Typical Dancing" --
text: Richard McNemar/ tune: Polly M. Rupe, Pleasant Hill, 1809

3. Hymn: "Farewell Vain World" -- Samuel Hooser, Pleasant Hill, 1833

4. Song: "I Want to be Living & Free" -- South Union, Kentucky

5. Hymn: "The Morning Sun" -- South Union, 1847 (arr. Roger Hall)

6. Hymn: "The Millennium" -- South Union, 1847 (arr. Roger Hall)

7. Hymn: "How Happy Are They" -- Richard McNemar,
Watervliet, Ohio, 1833

8. Hymn: "Invitation to Souls" -- Matilda A. Butler, Whitewater, Ohio, 1846

9. Hymn: "On The Birthday of Mother Ann" --
James S. Prescott, North Union, Ohio, 1850

10. Song: "A Dream" -- Harvey L. Eades, Union Village, Ohio

11. Hymn: "Doxology" -- Oliver C. Hampton, Union Village, 1856

12. Song: "My Dear Companions Let's Move On" -- Union Village, 1850s

Some of these songs and hymns are available on these CDs:

Blended Together: Shaker Hymns and Songs

Gentle Words: A Shaker Music Sampler

Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals

To order How Happy Are They:
12 Shaker Spirituals from Kentucky and Ohio
(single copies only),
go to the

Store

New Publication!

"May We Ever Be United"
Music of the North Union, Ohio Shakers
(PineTree Press, 2012)

This music collection, compiled and edited by Shaker music scholar, Roger Lee Hall, includes a representative sampling of 15 tunes from the Shaker community at North Union. The material was compiled from many years of research and includes source identifications and the most complete information about composers and music from this northern Ohio Shaker community (today known as Shaker Heights).

Also featured are an extensive timeline of North Union Shaker history (1822-1889), a checklist of all known Shaker tunes from North Union, illustrations of original Shaker tunes, a description of Alma McGill's manuscript music book, plus a bibliography and a list of recordings.

North Union Shaker Spirituals included in this collection:

1. Song: May We Ever Be United - Philander Curtis Cramer, 1835

2. Song: Little Children Be Awake - Samuel Russell, 1845

3. Song: The Bending Work - James Mott, 1847

4. Anthem: My Faithful Lovely Children - John Root, Rachel Russell,
Jeremiah Ingalls, Jr., Permelia Torrey, 1847

5. Anthem: Praise to the Lord - words: Jeremiah Ingalls Jr./
music: Sewel G. Thayer, 1847

6. Hymn: Home in Zion - Sophia Hoffmann, 1849

7. Song: Join Together Heart and Hand, 1853

8. Song: With My Arm of Love and Blessing - Rhoda Watson, 1855

9. Song: My Well Beloved Children - James Sullivan Prescott, 1856

10. Funeral Hymn: Dear Friends Gather Near - Melinda Torrey, 1858
(For Elder Jeremiah Ingalls Jr.)

11. Marching Song: O May the Gospel Trumpet, 1860

12. Spring Song: There's Life in Every Lovely Flower -
Watson Andrews,1860

13. Round Dance Song: More Fire - George Washington Ingalls, 1862

14. March Song: O Ye Children of Zion, 1862

15. Christmas Hymn: Behold Our Saviour Has Come -
Elmina Phillips, ca. 1869

"May We Ever Be United" -
Music of the North Union, Ohio Shakers
(PineTree Press, 2012)

The complete collection
is available on a CD-ROM playable on any computer
for $20, and includes sheet music, music examples,
and an image gallery. Free shipping is included.

Make your payment by credit card
payable to PineTree Productions,
through safe and secure PayPal.

Click on this button:

After you have placed your order,
please send your mailing address to this link:

Music of the North Union Shakers

THE STORY OF 'SIMPLE GIFTS':
Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song
(PineTree Press, 3rd edition, 2010)

Did you know that "Simple Gifts" is not an anonymous Shaker hymn?

Now you can find out all about it in an illustrated multimedia publication on a DVD disc, written by Shaker music scholar, Roger L. Hall, which gives more accurate information about this well known Shaker song than you'll find anywhere else.
In the book (Microsoft and pdf), Hall describes the evolution of "Simple Gifts" from when it was written in 1848 up to the present day.
Among the illustrations are a portrait of Elder Joseph Brackett (1797-1882), the songwriter who wrote the Shaker dance song; and also copies of music manuscripts showing the song in its original Shaker music notation.
Also in the book is an exclusive interview with composer Aaron Copland, about his popular arrangements of "Simple Gifts"; and a letter from Sydney Carter, the English songwriter who based his song, "Lord of the Dance," on the Shaker tune.
There is an extensive bibliography and list of recordings of the Shaker song, including by the Shakers themselves.
The multimedia edition is a revised and expanded version of previous publications about the Shaker song, beginning with a article published in 1980.

In the 3rd edition of the book (2010) are descriptions of how this song was used during the 20th century, including Aaron Copland's vocal arrangement performed at two U.S. Presidential Inaugurations for President Ronald Reagan and President Bill Clinton,and the arrangement by John Williams titled, "Air and Simple Gifts," written for the Inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009.

On the DVD, playable on your computer, are the complete illustrated book (Microsoft Word and pdf) about the Shaker song and composer plus these bonus features:

--Audio: Several different recordings of "Simple Gifts," plus exclusive interviews in 1980 with Aaron Copland and Sister Mildred Barker from the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake, Maine.

--Video: "Simple Gifts" performed in the meeting house at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, with harpist, Diane Schneider, and singer, Roger Hall.

THE STORY OF 'SIMPLE GIFTS':
Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song
(3rd edition, 2010)

The complete book with bonus music examples and a video clip on a multi-media DVD playable on your computer
for $25.00, inclduing shipping anywhere in the world.

Click on this button:

After you have made your payment
for the multimedia DVD,
send your mailing address to:

THE STORY OF 'SIMPLE GIFTS'

Also available separately is an attractive broadside
with the words and music of the Shaker dance song
on heavy cover stock (8 1/2 X 11)
for display or gift-giving:

To order this colorful broadside of "Simple Gifts",
go to the

Store

See also the historic event in 1974 when

Aaron Copland Meets The Shakers

Deluxe Multimedia Collection

A Shaker Music Miscellany

Compiled by Roger Lee Hall

This massive multi-media collection is ideal for anyone doing Shaker research or performance.

It contains a massive amount of information, including over 500 files and 250 music examples, plus sheet music and image galleries, and additional background material.

The following titles are available on one DVD with documents in Microsoft Word or pdf:

A NEW ZION - Thirty Shaker spirituals arranged by Jack Bomer
BLENDED TOGETHER: Discoveries Along The Shaker Music Trail
CELESTIAL PRAISES: A Guide To Shaker Music
COME LIFE, SHAKER LIFE: The Life and Music of Elder Issachar Bates
GENTLE WORDS: Shaker Music in the 20th Century
HOW HAPPY ARE THEY: Twelve Shaker Spirituals from Kentucky and Ohio
GOSPEL TRUTH: Music of the North Union Shakers
PRAYER UNIVERSAL: Shaker Music in Our Time
RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE: A Sampling of Shaker Hymnody
THE STORY OF 'SIMPLE GIFTS': Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song(1st ed)

Bonus Audio and Video:

THE HUMBLE HEART - 30 Shaker Spirituals
THE SHAKERS ON TELEVISION (1986, 1990)

Special Discount Price!

For a limited time only!

This deluxe multi-media DVD-R
with sheet music, image galleries,
250 music examples, plus a video program,
for the limited time price of $50.00 (a 60% discount!)
payable to PineTree Productions,
through safe and secure PayPal and including shipping.

Click on this button:

After you have made your payment,
to insure proper delivery,
send your mailing address to:

A Shaker Music Miscellany DVD

Not Recommended Books

Selling Shaker: The Commodification of Shaker Design in the Twentieth Century

by Stephen Bowe and Peter Richmond

This large and weighty volume discusses the "value--art--politics" of Shaker design, yet gives no more than a passing reference to Shaker music in the Twentieth Century. The authors neglect to discuss the "value" of this important aspect of Shaker culture. And what the authors list in the Bibliography is wrong as well.

Under "Television, Video, Music and Radio Material" their listing for the CD collection, Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers, gives credit to:

"Hall, H., Thompson, D & Phelps, L."

The correct first name should be "Hall, R." (Roger Hall), who edited and wrote the notes for this CD collection. Most of the Shaker recordings were compiled by William Randle, who is not listed at all. "Thompson, D." [Darryl Thompson] only wrote the Preface. "Phelps, L." [Lillian Phelps] was one of the Shakers who narrated on the recordings but the other Shaker sister who was also a narrator, R. Mildred Barker, is not listed. Why not include all these people? Or if limited to a few names, then it should be Roger Hall and William Randle, who were both responsible for this CD collection.

The other important recording by the Sabbathday Lake Shakers, Early Shaker Spirituals, is not even listed in the Bibliography of the book.

While music is not the main focus of this book, the incorrect information or lack of it about these two essential recordings by 20th century Shakers and the lack of discussion of this important aspect of Shaker culture demonstrates the research was lacking in this area of Selling Shaker.

The importance of music in Shaker life remains under appreciated, especially by collectors and writers.

To read more about Early Shaker Spirituals and the Let Zion Move 2 CD set, which includes a 72 page illustrated booklet, go to:

CD Releases

+++++++++++

Shaker Music - Frederick William Evans

This Nabu Public Domain Reprint Press copy is sold by Amazon.com.

The generic cover with ballet shoes is totally out of context with Shaker music. This reprint is actually of the Shaker hymnal originally published by Weed, Parsons and Company in Albany, New York in 1875.

But the Nabu reprint has been printed in the wrong format!

Instead of printing it oblong like the original it is printed like a regular vertical hymnbook, so every page and every piece of music is cut off at the left or right side of the page and thus is incomplete.

Here is one of the incomplete pages with music cut off on the left side:

Here is how that same page should look, as reprinted correctly by AMS Press:

There is also no Title Page in the Nabu reprint.

It was printed correctly by AMS Press as shown here:

Didn't anyone look at this hymnal copy before it was reprinted by Nabu? It should be obvious that it was printed incorrectly, even if you can't read the music.

If you can still find it, the AMS Press reprint from 1974 is the one to buy.

The Nabu copy is a worthless reprint.

Buyer Beware!

+++++++++++

Simple Gifts - Great Hymns: One Man's Search for Grace

by Bill Henderson

At first glance, this seems like a worthwhile collection of thoughts about some of the best known hymns. Mr. Henderson is certainly entitled to his "search for grace" and that is an admirable pursuit. But why at the expense of his uninformed writing about some of the hymns he has chosen?

Read the complete review at this link:

Book and CD Reviews

Original Shaker Music on CDs

Early Shaker Spirituals

Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers

Gentle Words: A Shaker Music Sampler

Joy of Angels:
Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and The New Year

Love is Little:
A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals

Order these Shaker music collections
at the

Store

Articles About Shaker Music

This section has a list of articles focusing on Shaker music.

Some of these articles are available through this web site
for a small charge for copying.

Write with specific requests to:

Shaker music articles

American Communal Societies Quarterly

Volume 1, No. 3 (July 2007) has an article titled:

"The Shaker Leaf Song: Solving a Perplexing Puzzle" by Roger Hall.

-- to order a copy of this journal issue, write to the editor, Randall L. Ericson, at American Communal Societies Quarterly

Communal Societies

Volume Two (Autumn 1982): "Shaker Music." Daniel W. Patterson

Volume Three (1983): "The Shaker Spiritual" by Daniel W. Patterson, book review by Roger L. Hall.

Journal of Church Music

Volume 17, Number 8 (October 1975)/ article reprinted in The Hymn (January 1976): "Shaker Hymnody: An American Communal Tradition" by Roger L. Hall.

Volume 24, Number 2 (February 1982): "An Interview with Aaron Copland" by Roger L. Hall.

The Shaker Journal ( no longer available online)

Vicki Bell: "Music of the Angels"
Randy Folger: "The Pleasant Hill Singers Record a New CD"
Roger Hall: "Religion in Song - The Craftsmanship of Shaker Music"

The Shaker Messenger
A magazine produced by The World of Shaker in Holland, Michigan, but no longer published.
In each issue there was a Shaker song or hymn compiled and edited by Roger Hall in the "Shaker Song Series."

This was the longest-running series since the Shakers published music in their own publication, The Manifesto in the 19th century.
Between 1981 and 1996, there were 56 Shaker tunes in this series.

The Shaker Quarterly
A journal published by the Sabbathday Lake Shakers beginning in 1961 but no longer published today. These are the articles mentioning Shaker music:
Volume I, Number 1 (Spring 1961: "The Shakers' Sundry Strange Tunes," by Daniel W. Patterson.
Volume II, Number 2 (Summer 1962): "A Ballad by Elder Issachar Bates," by Daniel W. Patterson.
Volume IV, Number 4 (Winter 1964): "Mother Has Come With Her Beautiful Song," by Sister R. Mildred Barker.
Volume V, Number 1 (Spring 1965): "The Rolling Deep," by Sister R. Mildred Barker.
Volume V, Number 2 (Summer 1965): "My Sweet Home in Zion," by Brother Theodore E. Johnson.
Volume VI, Number 3 (Fall 1966): "The Influence of Inspiration and Discipline upon the Development of the Shaker Spiritual," by Daniel W. Patterson.
Volume VII, Number 2 (Summer 1967): "History of Union Branch, Gorham, Maine." Sister R. Mildred Barker. Biographical information about Elder Joseph Brackett and his song, "Simple Gifts."
Volume VII, Number 2 (Fall 1967): "O Thou God of My Salvation," by Brother Theodore E. Johnson.
Volume X, Number 4 (Winter 1970): "Eldress Mary Ann Gillespie's 'Beautiful Are They Who Stand Upon Zion," by Brother Theodore E. Johnson.
Volume XIV, Number 4 (Winter 1974): "The Shaker Dove,"
by Daniel W. Patterson.
Volume XVI, Number 3 (Fall 1988): "The 'Simple Gifts' of Elder Joseph Brackett Jr," by Wendell Hess.
Volume XVII, Number 4 (Winter 1989): "Implications of Late 19th Century Shaker Music," by Daniel W. Patterson.
Volume XVIII, Number 3 (Fall 1990): "Millennial Praises - Tune Location and Authorial Attributions of the First Shaker Hymnal," by Daniel W. Patterson.

Shakers World
Quarterly magazine no longer published. These are the titles from Roger Hall's music column in each issue:
Volume 1, Number 1 (May 1996): "To Edit or Not to Edit?"

Volume 1, Number 2 (August 1996): "What's Your Favorite Shaker Song?"

Volume 1, Number 3 (December 1996): "Singing at Shaker Village Work Camp"

Volume 1, Number 4 (February 19977): "Collecting Shaker Spirituals"

Volume 2, Number 1 (June/July 1997):
"The Simple Gifts of Elder Joseph and Sister Mildred"

Sing Out! Magazine
In the Summer 1998 issue (Vol. 43/ No. 1) is an article titled:
"The Simple Gifts of Shaker Music" by Roger Hall
This lengthy article includes a history of Shaker music, and included are words and music for two Shaker spirituals:

"Let Zion Move" -- Mary Ann Gillespie
"Ode to Contentment" --Tune: Issachar Bates/ Text: Richard Pelham

Along with the article are many illustrations and a list of sources, including CDs.

Sonneck Society Bulletin for American Music
Volume XVI, Number 3 (Fall 1990):
"Aaron Copland's 'Simple Gifts'." Roger L. Hall.
Volume XXIII, Number 3 (Fall 1997):
"Joseph Brackett's 'Simple Gifts." Roger L. Hall.

Newspaper Articles

Maine: Gray-New Gloucester Independent , February 15, 2008:
"Joseph Brackett's Simple Gifts" by Roger Hall
Background about the dance song and the Shaker leader who composed it.

Michigan: Detroit Free Press , November 11, 1998:
"150 Years of 'Simple Gifts'" by David Crumm
This article was about the uses of the Shaker song from its original melody in 1848 to an arrangement in a TV commercial for the Oldsmobile Aurora car.

Lectures and Workshops

Are you interested in scheduling an informative music program
by Roger Hall, for your school, college, church, museum
or other organization?

For more information, click on this link for

Shaker Music Lectures and Workshops

Related Links

American Music Recordings Archive -- interviews with Shakers and recordings of their singing.

Book and CD Reviews -- titles relating to Shaker music.

CD and DVD Releases -- original and arranged Shaker tunes.

Communal Studies Association -- for scholarly information.

Joseph Brackett's 'Simple Gifts' -- about the best known Shaker song.

Sabbathday Lake, Maine -- the last remaining active Shaker community.

Shaker Music History -- highlights from over two centuries.

Shaker Music Today -- about the Shakers in New Hampshire and Maine.

South Union Shaker Museum -- Shakers in Kentucky and related sites.

Wikipedia -- article about "Simple Gifts."
Caution: some of this information is incorrect!

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for research papers, books, magazines, CDs, or media programs,
please give credit to

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