'Shape Note' right on key

The Civil War epic "Cold Mountain" has helped to expose the world to a unique choral arrangement known as Shape Note or Sacred Heart singing. This is not the sound of a by-gone era, but vibrant music that continues to thrive around the country, including Bloomington.\nShape Note singing is performed without instruments, with songs arranged in three or four-part harmony. Participants sit in a square called the "hollow square," with each side of the square representing people singing the same harmony. Much of the repertoire comes from the "Sacred Heart" hymnal, which was first published in 1844 and has been revised since.\nLocal singers meet with the Bloomington Indiana Shape Note Singers. The group is a mixture of older singers and college students who meet locally for regular "sings." BISN also cosponsors the Higher Ground Singing in Terre Haute and has participated in large sings all over the Midwest.\nThe history of Shape Note singing started in the late 18th century and the early 19th century. \n"New England choir directors developed it as a way to teach people how to sing," said Stephanie Fida, a Shape Note singer and IU Music School sophomore.\nFrom New England, Shape Note singing became popular as the Sacred Heart hymnal was published. The trend spread across the South and experienced a surge in popularity around the 1900s. It has had a loyal following ever since, both among singers who learned it as a family tradition and people who discovered it far from their homes.\nThis music has a profound effect on both listeners and participants. Singer Ariel Weinberg remembers the first time she encountered Shape Note singing at a New England folk music festival when she was in high school. \n"You walk in and the music just grabs you," Weinberg said.\nPart of this energy lies in the way the music is arranged with the "fasola" system, which uses notes based on the scale notes of "fa," "sol," "la," and "mi." This is a system that is older than the modern "do-re-mi" system and Weinberg said this gives the songs an "archaic" feel.\nMost singers, however, agree what really draws them to Shape Note singing is the feeling of community it engenders. \n"When the group gets together, there are no choir members and there are no directors," Weinberg said. "Everybody is simply a singer." \nEveryone usually takes a turn leading a song, which involves the song leader stepping in the middle of the square to call out page numbers and guide the singing of their chosen song. William Shetter, a retired Germanic Studies professor, has led songs at several gathering.\n"Leading a song is a unique experience, especially with a large group. There is no feeling like it," Shetter said.\nIn addition to its democratic style, groups encourage camaraderie and welcome diversity. The actual words of the songs are mostly religious in nature, but the music is non-denominational and participants include everyone from Catholics and Quakers to Muslims and Jews. The goal of sings also creates a feeling of intimacy. \n"It's different from other music styles, like opera. The goal is not to perform," said Fida "It's a family-like atmosphere." \nFida also said the purpose is to bring people together and create unity, and this is what touches singers the most. BISN encourages newcomers to attend their gatherings. Local sings take place at St. Mark's Methodist Church at 100 Hwy. 46 Bypass from 2 to 4 p.m., every second and fourth Sunday of the month. For more information on BISN, visit their Web site at www.jarai.org/bisn/ or fasola.org. \n-- Contact staff write Jorie Slodki at jslodki@indiana.edu.