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Shaker Music Scholar and Singer
"You will always be in our hearts and thoughts in Gospel Love"
--Sister Mildred Barker, Sabbathday Lake, Maine
Most of the Shaker music pages on this site were compiled and written by Roger Lee Hall, an ASCAP composer, singer, ethnomusicologist, and one of the leading authorities on Shaker music, having researched it for forty years.
He has written about his research in a pamphlet which includes a checklist of printed Shaker hymnals, titled:
Blended Together: Discoveries Along The Shaker Music Trail
During the 1970s and 1980s, he interviewed several Shaker sisters at Canterbury, New Hampshire and Sabbathday Lake, Maine. These interviews are now available on two CDs: Blended Together and Gentle Words.
Over the past four decades, Roger has been among the most active researchers and performers of Shaker music.
He has edited or arranged hundreds of Shaker tunes, written over 700 pages on the subject in various music books and collections, and has presented over 100 lectures and workshops on Shaker music.
In 1974, he had the pleasure of introducing the distinguished composer, Aaron Copland to the Shakers for the first and only time. Six years later, Roger interviewed Copland which is now available in the multimedia publication on DVD titled, THE STORY OF 'SIMPLE GIFTS'
Between 1981 and 1996, Roger compiled and edited 56 Shaker tunes for a magazine devoted to Shaker culture and artifacts. The titles of the Shaker songs and hymns he edited are listed in the Shaker Music Series
Among the many Shaker tunes Roger has edited are these titles:
Song: "All at home"- first line: What shall be the theme of the passing hour?
Hymn: "Almighty Savior" - f.l.: Almighty Savior, hear my prayer
Song: "Blended Together" - f.l. Blended together as one we stand
Song: "Come Life, Shaker Life" - f.l.: Come life, Shaker life, come life eternal
Hymn:"Followers of the Lamb" - f.l: O brethren ain't you happy
Song: "Gentle Words" - f.l: What the dew is to the flower
Hymn: "Holy Habitation" - f.l.: Lord, thy name shall be exalted
Hymn:"The Humble Heart" - f.l: Whence comes this bright celestial light
Song: "Love is little" - f.l: Love is little, love is low
Song: "May I softly walk and wisely speak"
Hymn: "Ode to Contentment" - f.l.: Come contentment lovely guest
Song: "Slow March" - f.l.: The angels of heaven are marching around
Hymn: "Mother" - At Manchester in England
Anthem: "Mount Zion" - f.l.: Come let us arise and go up to the top of Mt. Zion
Hymn: "A Prayer for the Captive" - f.l.: Dark is the cloud that rests over the nation
Hymn: "Rights of Conscience" - f.l.: Rights of conscience in these days
Hymn: "The Shakers"- f.l.: When the Lord in ancient days
Song: "Simple Gifts" - f.l: 'Tis the gift to be simple
Song: "Welcome Song" - f.l.: Welcome, welcome precious Gospel kindred
Song: "Farewell Song" - f.l.: We will all go home with you
Roger has prepared performing editions of Shaker music in these publications:
- A Western Shaker Music Sampler - Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, 1976.
- The Happy Journey: Thirty-Five Shaker Spirituals - Fruitlands Museums,
Harvard, Massachusetts, 1982. - Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals - The World of Shaker, 1992
- Joy of Angels: Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and The New Year - Sampler Records Ltd, 1995.
- Come Life, Shaker Life: The Life and Music of Elder Issachar Bates - PineTree Press, 2004
- "The Best Choice": A Sampling of American Communal Hymns - PineTree Music, 2004/ 2nd edition, 2006.
- A GUIDE TO SHAKER MUSIC - With Music Supplement - PineTree Press, 6th edition, 2006.
- How Happy Are They: Twelve Shaker Spirituals from Kentucky and Ohio -
PineTree Music, 2007.
Roger's Shaker music editions and research have been used on these CDs:
- Blended Together -- Interviews with 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
- The River of Love
- Simple Gifts: Shaker Chants and Spirituals
- Simple Gifts of Shaker Music
- Verdant Groves
Roger has also arranged numerous Shaker tunes. These are a few of them:
- "Almighty Savior"
- "Come Life, Shaker Life"
- "The Earthquake"
- "Gentle Words"
- "Holy Habitation"
- "The Humble Heart"
- "Love is Little"
- "Simple Gifts"
- "Welcome, Welcome"
- "We Will All Go Home With You"r Rights of Conscience"
See the list of Roger's published Shaker music arrangements
Also 15 of his arrangements are included in A GUIDE TO SHAKER MUSICAs a respected scholar he has taught for many years in various schools and colleges, and produced numerous programs on radio and cable television. He has also performed as a singer in many concerts and programs.
In September of 2011, Roger presented a scholarly paper as part of the Communal Studies Association Conference at South Union Shaker Museum on two Kentucky Shaker songs, "Love is Little" and "Gentle Words." This paper is available with a new pamphlet. To order, go to: Shaker Books and Articles.
Roger is also one of the foremost authorities on early American choral music and has compiled numerous music collections and CDs and is currently director of several music archives.
For his many distinguiished achievements, Roger has been listed in
Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.
Selected Shaker Music Publications
and Editions
"Gentle Words"
On Saturday, August 15, 2009, Roger Lee Hall was keynote speaker in the Scott Swank Lecture Series at the Canterbury Shaker Village museum. He played a few of the songs from his new publication, Gentle Words: Shaker Music in the 20th Century , and rare field recordings of Canterbury Shaker singers from the accompanying CD.
He also sang what is believed to be the last Canterbury Shaker song, "My Shaker Home," written in 1959 by Sister Lillian Phelps. It was performed for the FIRST TIME in a public program at the Canterbury Shaker Village lecture-recital.
Available now is an attractive illustrated book which includes a history of their music written by a Shaker sister, an interview with two Canterbury Shakers, and the lyrics to 25 representative Shaker songs, hymns and anthems, including the best known Shaker song, "Simple Gifts."
Read more at
"Simple Gifts"
2010 marked the 30th anniversary of the first detailed article about this most famous of all Shaker songs, "Simple Gifts" (or 'Tis the gift to be simple). It was written by Roger L. Hall in 1980. The article along with some additional material was published in a small booklet in 1987. Ten years later it was expanded in a new publication and reprinted. In 2006, a book on the subject was was published.
This book has now been revised and includes a performing edition of "Simple Gifts" and "The True Vine" on a DVD with music and video bonus features, and is available exclusively through this web site. To read more about it, click on this link to
Read the interview by David Crumm speaking
with The Story of Simple Gifts author, Roger Hall, at
"On The Landing of Mother Ann in America"
The most important anniversary celebrated each year by the Shakers is the arrival of Mother Ann Lee and a small number of Believers in America. They left Liverpool, England in May and arrived in New York City on August 6, 1774. This is a very important date because it signifies the beginning of the Shaker Church in America. The event was often celebrated with special new
songs and hymns.One of these is a ballad hymn titled, "On the Landing of Mother Ann in America," and had four verses.
This is the first verse:
O hail this happy welcome day,
When blessed Mother Ann
First landed in America
With her devoted band.
How did the wilderness resound
With Angel's songs of praise
When they on fair Columbia's ground
The gospel standard raised.
Chorus:
Again let the forest loudly resound,
Dear Children of Mother;
Her beautiful way our Spirits have found,
Surpassing all others.
2010 marked the 150th anniversary of this ballad hymn, written at North Union (today Shaker Heights, Ohio) just before the outbreak of the Civil War in 1860.
It was published in a performing edition prepared by Roger Hall and sung by The Sampler Singers on the CD, Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals.
Shaker Images:
A Contemporary Adventure Into the Past
by Gwyneth Walker
The following article is reprinted from
The New England Organist
(November/December 1994)In 1992 I responded to a call-for-scores announcement in the newsletter of the Vermont Composers's Consortium. This was a request by the Constitution Brass Quintet of Vermont for music written by Vermont composers. Since I had previously composed several short works for brass, and was eager to collaborate with the Constitution Brass Quintet, I submitted scores and tapes.
Almost immediately, I was contacted by Ben Edwards, trombonist in the ensemble, initiating discussion of a commission -- fee, duration of work, date of completion, exclusive performance rights by the players, etc. Once these terms were settled, the Quintet applied for and received funding from the Vermont Community Foundation (commission fee), the Vermont Music Teachers' Association (additional commission and performance assistance) and the Vermont Council on the Arts (Artist Development Grant -- audio recording fee). And I began to consider the nature of the work I would be creating.
I decided upon a suite of movements based on songs of the Shakers -- the religious sect which thrived in the Northeastern United States during the 18th and 19th centuries. These were colorful, beautiful and even humorous songs which ought to lend themselves well to contemporary adaptations. I had done similar 'updating' of Baptist hymns in my Braintree Quintet for woodwinds (with audience singing) which had proven very popular. Thus I was encouraged in my Shaker 'venture'.
Although I was familiar with a few Shaker melodies such as "Simple Gifts" and "I Will Bow and Be Simple", I knew that research into the wider body of Shaker tunes was my next step. And thus I contacted the staff of the Shaker Museum in Enfield, New Hampshire. Song books and cassettes were ordered and received. Help was also provided by a Norwich, Vermont choral director specializing in Shaker music, Mary Ann Wilde. Ms. Wilde sent me handwritten copies of several of the melodies not found in the song books.
I listened to and read through many Shaker tunes in order to select five songs which offered a variety of moods and sentiments. Since I am a composer who values energy, beauty, humor, spirituality, and familiarity of the music, I selected the following tunes: "Welcome, Welcome Precious Gospel Kindred" (energy); "I Will Bow and Be Simple" (beauty); "Followers of the Lamb" (humor); "I Never Did Believe" (spirituality); and "Simple Gifts" (familiarity).
I should emphasize that the Constitution Brass Quintet placed no restrictions upon the content of the newly-commissioned work. They had liked my previous brass writing, and simply let me create what I felt would be a good work for them. My suggestion of the Shaker Tunes led to a positive response from the players, perhaps mixed with some bafflement as to what exactly I would be writing! And indeed, they would need to wait for nearly a year until the total concept was brought to reality. This project evolved into a long-term work-in-progress, a collaboration of composer, brass players, singers, choir directors and Shaker music scholars.
Most composers work from the general to the specific. And this was the case in my writing. I planned the overall suite -- the ordering of the songs, the tonalities involved, general style of each movement, continuity as well as variety of the tunes, durations of each movement, duration of the whole -- before beginning to place notes on the page. Once I had the broad concept formed, I began my writing.
Since I had several other commissions ongoing (a string quartet, two choral works), the brass music would be done in installments. And this would allow for ample time to confer with the players and to incorporate their suggestions (mostly technical and idiomatic) into the score.
I began with the "Welcome" song which I composed in June, 1993. The premiere was given in early July, and although I was not able to attend the actual performance (the string quartet was also premiered the same week in a distant locale!), I worked with the players in several rehearsals. Audience reaction to the new music was very enthusiastic, and the players were pleased with the first 'installment' of their commission. This encouraged me to work on the Shaker Tunes as much as possible. And there was not much time to wait, since we were scheduled to present the first three movements at the Quad-State Music Teachers' Association Conference in Plymouth, NH in October, 1993.
I explained to the Constitution Brass Quintet that my concept for the Shaker Tunes included audience (or choir) singing of the original Shaker melodies preceding each of the brass variations. This would not only involve the audience in the performance, and be enjoyable for anyone who likes to sing (!), but would also lend some historical authenticity to the process of combining the past with the present.
Thus, I copied out the melodies and distributed them to the music teachers at the Conference. The premiere of the first three movements involved audience singing of each song -- "Welcome", "I Will Bow and Be Simple", and "Followers of the Lamb" -- followed by my contemporary brass settings.
This 'second installment' premiere worked beautifully and showed the players and the composer that the singing integrated well with the brass music. The music teachers were enthusiastic singers (!), and their joy 'infected' the playing. Moreover, the one humorous movement, "Followers of the Lamb", (complete with tuba cadenza) was met with unanimous laughter. Only live concert experience will serve as a test of this element of music!
The first three movements were completed. In response to audience questions about the background of the individual Shaker songs, I located a scholar of Shaker music, Roger Hall. Roger has compiled, transcribed and researched Shaker melodies, and published numerous books and articles about this music. Anyone doing research into Shaker music, or even attempting to create contemporary arrangements, would find him an invaluable resource. With Roger's help, I was able to provide dates and locations of the origins of the melodies I had selected for my suite. And I have continued to contact Roger with additional questions concerning the background of my material.
Movements IV and V, "I Never Did Believe" and "Simple Gifts", were completed during the Winter of 1993-4 in preparation for an April 1994 premiere of the entire set of Shaker Tunes in Warren, VT. Several rehearsals were spent fine-tuning the music. Once again, I listened to the suggestions of the players and incorporated their ideas (articulation, refinements of tempi) into the score.
The location of the concert would be the Warren United Church, a lovely historic site, ideal for Shaker music! Thus, I asked the choir director, Virginia Roth, if her choir might be available to sing each of the Shaker melodies before the playing of the brass adaptations. She responded with enthusiasm and was able to assemble and rehearse a group of 8 singers. With considerable care, I created simple SATB a cappella arrangements of the melodies. The goal was sparse-yet-graceful choral settings that would introduce the songs with beauty while not detracting from the far more adventurous brass adaptations to follow.
The premiere of all five movements, with singing, was extremely successful. The small choir was able to master the SATB arrangements in one rehearsal, and performed with confidence and fine singing. The audience was encouraged to sing along with the choir on the refrains of the songs, which they did easily. And the ensuing brass music followed immediately on the closing notes of each song.
The creation of the Shaker Tunes for brass quintet spanned a year. At several stages, revisions were made according to live performance evaluations. Attention was given not only to the brass writing, but also to refining the choral arrangements to the point where they could be performed comfortably by a small choir of average singers.
The completed work adds up to about 1/2 hour of music, with 20 minutes of brass music and 10 minutes of singing. This has been used often as the second half of a concert program. The intended audience spans all ages and all levels of musical sophistication.
The reaction of many of the choir directors has been that this music can and has been used with a worship service. Certainly, the choir can sing the a cappella arrangements as they wish. However, the singing followed by the brass playing is also suited to sacred use. The "Welcome" song makes a lively prelude, while "I Will Bow and Be Simple" and "I Never Did Believe" can be performed as anthem and offertory. And "Simple Gifts", with congregation singing followed by the rousing brass adaptation, might be a festive postlude. This is music from the American sacred tradition. The tunes are rough-hewn and direct. The brass music is lively and clean.
I have enjoyed my year spent creating the Shaker Tunes for brass quintet. What started out as a 'generic' commission for brass quintet led to a project which incorporated singing and Shaker music. It provided music which is equally suited to concert hall and church presentations. And although brass quintets are often brought into churches for special occasions, they do not usually perform American music from the 'folk' tradition, as the Shaker music is often considered. Thus, the Shaker Tunes are somewhat unique to the repertoire.
The process of arranging pre-existing musical material is of interest to me, although I do not specialize in this genre. Most of my works are newly-composed. Yet the idea of taking musical ideas from the past and looking at them in a contemporary was is intriguing.
There are many approaches to creating arrangements, and these range from rather straightforward transcriptions to idiosyncratic 'departures', in the manner of Charles Ives. I tend towards the latter. This is not by choice so much as by personality. I find it impossible to 'represent' what has gone before. And I seem to find humor and character hiding behind almost any musical gesture!
Thus, it is my inclination and pleasure to search out what I feel to be the essence and the charm of each song and then try to enhance these traits through new adaptations. For this reason, I prefer to describe these contributions as 'updated versions' rather than arrangements. I shall explain.
The opening "Welcome" song is a joyful song of greeting which makes the listener feel welcome through the repetition of the word 'welcome' in a bouncy 6/8 meter. I envisioned the Shakers welcoming new members to their community with waving of hands and leaps of joy. Therefore, in the brass version, while the melody is given to the horn, the trumpets answer with 'welcome' (2-note) patterns initiated by grace notes to signify the group waving and shouting "welcome!" Later the trumpets flutter-tongue (i.e., 'wave') impishly. The 'leaping for joy' may be heard in the 'jumping' tripled counter rhythms recurrent in this movement.
In contrast, "I Will Bow and Be Simple" is a song of sparse beauty. The melody is presented first as a solo by trumpet I, then a duet between the two trumpets. Allowing this music to unfold slowly seemed the most appropriate approach. And the implicit harmonization of the tune, which reaches the lowered Mediant (Gb in the key of Eb major) near the end, is emphasized in the brass version by an entire middle section created in that tonality. The music ends with the tuba alone on a high Eb (Eb1) as the other instruments fade away. I felt that the ending should portray the same 'solitary beauty' as the opening, perhaps with the heighted poignancy of an instrument stranded at the limits of its range.
"Simple Gifts" presented a challenge in finding a new interpretation, since so many fine arrangements already exist. I settled upon a rhapsodic approach for the opening leading into a very lively presentation, with occasional jazz elements interspersed. The tune shifts among the instruments, but is nearly always present in one form or another (as requested by my brass players!). I have always considered"Simple Gifts" as a quintessentially 'American' song, and the brash rhythms and open harmonies which I selected aim to enhance this quality.
The Shaker Tunes for brass quintet may be viewed as character pieces based on Shaker melodies. Liberties are taken with the original songs. But the tunes are truly loved and enjoyed! The goal was to create new music for brass quintet -- both entertaining and sincere -- which might bring renewed life and attention to the Shaker music of the past.
Read the original article online at the composer's web site
Shaker Music Scholar
Named to Who's Who DirectoryRoger Hall, one of the world's leading authorities on Shaker music, has received the high honor of being listed in this directory: Who's Who in the World.
He is a music preservationist, composer, and singer who has researched, arranged and performed Shaker music for over thirty-five years.
His popular reference book, A Guide to Shaker Music, is the only one of its kind.
In addition to that book and many articles, he has served as singer and consultant for two Sampler CDs:
Joy of Angels: Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and the New Year - The Sampler Chorus (38 spirituals)
Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals - The Sampler Chorus (36 spirituals)
Also, he edited a 2 CD set featuring music and commentary by the Shakers from Canterbury, New Hampshire and Sabbathday Lake, Maine:
Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers (40 Shaker spirituals)
In 2004, he produced a CD of his own music which includes arrangements of six Shaker tunes and is titled:
For a list of his music is available at this link:
To read more about his background, go to:
Related Links
Aaron Copland Meets The Shakers -- the first and only meeting.
American Music Recordings Archive -- recordings of Shaker singing and interviews.
CD and DVD Releases -- list of original and arranged Shaker tunes.
Joseph Brackett's 'Simple Gifts' -- about the best known Shaker song.
Sabbathday Lake, Maine -- the last remaining active Shaker community.
Shaker and Non-Shaker Tunes -- a comparison of selected titles.
Shaker Music History -- highlights from 1781 to 2001.
Shaker Music Lectures and Workshops -- programs about Shaker music.
Shaker Music in Our Time -- about the Shakers in New Hampshire and Maine.
Wikipedia -- article about "Simple Gifts."
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