Shape Note Notation Essay

The Importance of Shape-Note Notation: Past and Present The art of producing music is based solely on its musical notation. The conductor, musicians, and singers each rely on musical interpretation in order to produce the appropriate and desired sound. Throughout musical history, many different forms of musical notation were created in order to help musicians and singers read their music with ease in order to create the most understanding. Two of the most important forms were created in the 1700’s and were known as solfège and shape-note notation. The textbook interface, “Shape-Note Singing and Worship in North America,” discusses the different methods used in the 1700’s to memorize the intervals between notes in a standard scale. The two …show more content…
Standard melodies were well-known by the pilgrims and puritans who originally settled in New England
(Forney 129). It wasn’t until singing school were established that music literacy became widespread. The cultural significance of shape-note notation can commonly be heard in many pieces of music performed at concerts, especially in the Sacred Harp’s version of “David’s Lamentation.” Shape-note notation represented one of the first and earliest forms of music literacy in New England. The use of shapes to resemble pitches is what makes it so unique and still used today by many sacred music. In conclusion, music literacy has become very important and a huge priority in creating music. Before music literacy was established, standard melodies were well-known and memorized. Solfège and shape-note notation were two of the first and earliest forms of music literacy. The use of shape-notes to recognize particular pitches are still being used today. Shape-note notation can commonly be found in Sacred Harp singing, which is also a form of sacred choral music, and in other sacred pieces. Music plays a large role in our everyday lives; it surrounds us. Without music literacy, music would be