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Sacred Harp
Geoff Grainger
Last updated: 05.11.23
This webpage is not intended to inform about Sacred Harp and Shapenote Singing, this subject is dealt with exhaustively in full detail on the Sacred Harp Singing domain at fasola.org. Here I would like to record my personal history of involvement in this fascinating genre which has taken me to places I have never heard of, never expected to go to and to return to places I had never ever expected to visit again.
As mentioned on the Tyneside webpage, I first heard shapenote singing as sung by Sarah Hill, Josephine Ellis, Matthew Ord and Phil Tyler at the monthly Cumberland Arms Come All Ye session in December, 2011.
And so I was invited to my very first singing, a round table affair, at the Gateshead home of the Barber family where, still enchanted, I bought my personal The Sacred Harp (1991). The first inklings of the global aspect arose from my fellow singers talking about "conventions" and "all-day singings". At that time my commitments to The North East Recorder Orchestra prevented me from discovering for myself what they were talking about but finally in September 2012, I resigned from the orchestra and was able to go to Cork Sacred Harp for their annual All-Day Singing. Wow - what an experience! I was hooked and thereafter I have traveled as much as I could around the globe to as many shapenote events possible (just check my log book).
Journeys to Poway, California for the 28th California State Convention in 2016 and to Hoboken, Georgia in 2017 for their annual All-day singing marked in one sense the end of a voyage of discovery. There, entirely amongst Americans who had been shapenote singing for generations and was a cornerstone in their whole lives, I felt even though there was still much to learn, that I had got to the essence of this genre. Community, Love, Fellowship and Harmony.
Through Shapenote singing I have a new hobby that is to attend as many 1st All-Day Singings as possible thereby traveling to new venues and making new friends.

Geoff Grainger, Sheffield, May 2018

     Performer/Group Remarks
     
  National Domains  
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Australia url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Singing url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Germany url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp in Poland url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Shapenote Scotland url15.gif 
fasola15.gif United Kingdom Sacred Harp and Shapenote url15.gif 
  Groups  
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Amsterdam url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Berlin url15.gif youtube15.jpg 
fasola15.gif Blackwood Academy url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Bremen Sacred Harp url15.gif youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg [4]
fasola15.gif Brighton Shape Note Singing url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Brisbane Shapenote url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Bristol Sacred Harp url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Cork Sacred Harp url15.gif youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg [44]
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Singers of Dublin url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Durham Sacred Harp url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Frankfurt url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Fort Worth Sacred Harp url15.gif youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg [1]
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Hamburg url15.gif youtube15.jpg 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Cologne url15.gif 
fasola15.gif London Sacred Harp url15.gif 
fasola15.gif  Sacred Harp Singers Melbourne url15.gif youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg [1]
fasola15.gif Various Sacred Harp Groups cd15.gif cd15.gif cd15.gif youtube15.jpg 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp Mount Pisgah youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg 
fasola15.gif Sacred Harp and Shape Note in Tyneside url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Oslo Sacred Harp url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Oxford Sacred Harp Singing url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Sheffield & South Yorkshire Sacred Harp url15.gif 
fasola15.gif Southwest Texas Sacred Harp url15.gif youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg 
fasola15.gif Texas Sacred Harp Singers youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg 
fasola15.gif Warsaw Sacred Harp url15.gif youtube15.jpg youtube15.jpg [2]
fasola15.gif Wellington Shape Note Singing url15.gif 
fasola15.gif York Sacred Harp url15.gif 
     From To Destination Event Remarks
           
1 03.06.12 03.06.12 Brinkburm Brinkburn Sacred Harp
2 23.10.12 01.11.12 Cork, Ireland Cork, SH
3 17.11.12 18.11.12 Haworth, Yorkshire Sacred Harp Haworth - All Day Singing
4 06.12.12 06.12.12 Durham Sacred Harp Durham - Singing School
5 28.02.13 08.03.13 Cork, Ireland Cork - 3rd Ireland Sacred Harp Convention
6 26.04.13 29.04.13 Kegworth, Derbyshire Kegworth, East Midlands Convention
7 05.05.13 05.05.13 Brinkburn, Northumbria Brinkburn, Demonstarion Singing
8 09.05.13 09.05.13 Durham Durham, SH Singing School
9 18.05.13 18.05.13 Goodshaw, Lancs. Goodshaw, Sacred Harp
10 12.07.13 15.07.13 Norwich, East Anglia Norwich, Sacred Harp
11 13.09.13 15.09.13 Durham, UK Durham, 18th UK Sacred Harp Convention
12 18.09.13 25.09.13 Warsaw, Poland Warsaw, 2nd Polish Sacred Harp Convention
13 10.10.13 14.10.13 Sheffield Sheffield, Double All-Day Singing
14 10.11.13 10.11.13 Durham Durham, SH Singing School
15 15.11.13 17.11.13 Sheffield Sacred Harp Haworth - All Day Singing
16 07.12.13 07.12.13 Alnwick, Northumbria Alnwick, Sacred Harp
17 18.12.13 03.01.14 Bremen/Hamburg, Germany Bremen/Hamburg - Sacred Harp
18 05.06.14 21.06.14 Sydney, NSW Australia
19 08.08.14 10.08.14 Glasgow Glasgow SH All-Day
20 25.09.14 01.10.14 Warsaw Warsaw SH Convention
21 16.10.14 24.10.14 Cork Cork SH All-Day
22 07.11.14 09.11.14 Stapleford Stapleford SH All-day
23 29.01.15 02.02.15 Oslo Oslo 1st SH All day
24 07.02.15 07.02.15 Oldham Oldham SH All-DAY
25 21.02.15 21.02.15 Stannington South Yorkshire SH All-Day
26 26.02.15 07.03.15 Cork, Ireland 5th Ireland SH Convention
27 28.03.15 28.03.15 Holmfirth Holmfirth SH All-Day
28 24.04.15 27.04.15 Kegworth East Midland SH Convention
29 08.05.15 11.05.15 Bristol Bristol SH All-Day
30 13.05.15 29.05.15 Bremen 3rd German SH Convention/WOHFTB
31 29.05.15 04.06.15 Newcastle Newcastle SH All-Day
32 13.07.15 28.07.15 Melbourne/Sydney Melbourne/Sydney SH All-day
33 28.08.15 28.08.15 Cork, Ireland Cork SH All-Day
34 10.09.15 13.09.15 Uppsala Uppsala SH All-Day
35 18.09.15 21.09.15 London UK SH Convention
36 24.09.15 30.09.15 Warsaw 3rd Polish SH Convention
37 12.01.16 27.01.16 Poway, CA, USA California 28th SH Convention
38 13.02.16 13.02.16 Oldham Oldham All-Day SH
39 27.02.16 27.02.16 Sheffield South Yorks All-Day SH
40 03.03.16 11.03.16 Cork, Ireland 6th Ireland SH Convention
41 18.03.16 21.03.16 Köln, Germany 1st Köln All-Day
42 28.03.16 28.03.16 Salford Salford Regular Singing
43 14.04.16 19.04.16 Paris, France 1st Paris All-Day
44 22.04.16 25.04.16 Kegworth, Leics ?th East Midlands SH Convention
45 12.05.16 27.05.16 HB/B Germany 4th German SH Convention
46 03.06.16 09.06.16 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne ?th Newcastle All-Day
47 25.06.16 25.06.16 Leeds 1st Leeds All-Day
48 05.07.16 09.08.16 Sydney Aus./NZ Expedition
49 25.08.16 02.09.16 Cork, Ireland Cork SH All-Day
50 08.09.16 13.09.16 Uppsala, Sweden 2nd Swedish SH Weekend
51 22.09.16 27.09.16 Warsaw, Poland 4th Polish SH Convention
52 06.10.16 06.10.16 York 1st York Regular Singing
53 13.10.16 17.10.16 B, Germany 1st Berlin All-Day
54 08.12.16 08.12.16 York York Regular Singing
55 02.01.17 05.01.17 Newcastle Newcastle Trip
56 02.02.17 06.02.17 Dublin 1st Dublin All-Day SH
57 02.03.17 10.03.17 Cork 7th Ireland SH Convention
58 31.03.17 03.04.17 Köln 2nd Köln All-Day
59 13.04.17 18.04.17 Paris Paris All-Day SH
60 28.04.17 01.05.17 Kegworth East Midland SH Convention
61 17.05.17 02.06.17 HB/HH Germany HB/HH WOHFTB/ 5th German SH Convention
62 27.06.17 27.06.17 Salford Salford Regular Singing
63 07.07.17 11.07.17 Norwich Norwich All-Day SH
64 21.07.17 24.07.17 Nürnberg, Germany Nürnberg Regular Singing
65 24.08.17 01.09.17 Cork, Ireland Cork All-Day SH
66 07.09.17 12.09.17 Uppsala, Sweden Uppsala All-Day SH
67 21.09.17 27.09.17 Warsaw, Poland Warsaw SH Convention
68 08.11.17 14.11.17 Tokyo Tokyo All-Day SH
69 04.12.17 07.12.17 Newcastle Newcastle Trip
70 16.01.18 15.02.18 Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney Australia Expedition SH
71 01.03.18 06.03.18 Cork 8th Ireland SH Convention
72 20.04.18 23.04.18 Amsterdam 1st Amsterdam All-Day SH
73 27.04.18 30.04.18 Kegworth East Midland SH Convention
74 04.05.18 08.05.18 Nürnberg/München Nürnberg/München Regular SH
75 24.05.18 28.05.18 Köln 5th German SH Convention
76 31.05.18 05.06.18 Clermont-Ferrand 1st Auvergne All-Day SH
77 30.06.18 30.06.18 York 1st York All-Day SH
78 20.09.18 25.09.18 Warsaw, Poland Warsaw SH Convention
79 04.10.18 09.10.18 München München All-Day SH
80 20.10.18 20.10.18 Manchester Manchester SH SingingSchool
81 09.11.18 11.11.18 Stapleford Stapleford All-Day SH
82 22.11.18 22.11.18 York York SH Regular SH
83 02.12.18 06.12.18 Newcastle Newcastle Trip
84 28.02.19 28.02.19 York York SH Regular SH
85 21.03.19 26.03.19 Köln 3rd Köln All-Day
86 11.04.19 11.04.19 York York SH Regular SH
87 26.04.19 29.04.19 Kegworth East Midland SH Convention
88 07.05.19 28.05.19 Bremen 6th German SH Convention
89 13.06.19 18.06.19 Clermont-Ferrand 2nd Auvergne All-Day SH
90 12.07.19 15.07.19 Edinburgh Scottish All-day SH
91 08.08.19 08.08.19 York York SH Regular SH
92 19.09.19 25.09.19 Warsaw, Poland 8th Warsaw SH Convention
93 03.10.19 08.10.19 München München All-Day SH
94 02.11.19 02.11.19 Manchester 1st Manchester All-Day
95 06.11.19 13.11.19 Tokyo 2nd All-Day Tokyo
96 01.12.19 05.12.19 Newcastle Newcastle Trip
97 09.01.20 09.01.20 York York SH Regular SH
98 07.02.20 09.02.20 Flitwick Flitwick - Cooper
     Song Title Group
       
youtube15.jpg 106 Ecstasy/ 106 Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (1:10) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg Ecstasy/ 106 Sacred Harp Ecstasy (1:50) Bremen Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 107 Russia/ 107 Russia - Cork All Day Sing 2011 (1:48) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 117 Babylon Is Fallen/ 117 Babylon Is Fallen - Cork All-Day 2011 (1:40) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 122 All Is Well/ 122 Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (1:47) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 127 Green Fields/ 127 Sacred Harp 127 Green Fields (3:10) Fort Worth Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 142 Stratfield/ 142 Stratfield Sacred Harp Cooper Book (1:59) Texas Sacred Harp Singers
youtube15.jpg 148 Jefferson/ 148 Jefferson - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:23) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 163b China/ 163b China - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:08) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg  168 Cowper/ 168 Cowper - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:42) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 178 Africa/ 178 Africa - sung by Brunswick Sacred Harp Singers (1:58) Sacred Harp Singers Melbourne
youtube15.jpg 181 Exit/ 181 Sacred Harp Exit (2:07) Bremen Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 198 Green Street/ 198 Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (2:09) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 201 Pilgrim/ 201 Pilgrim - Sacred Harp in Warsaw, Poland (0:47) Warsaw Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 207 Louisiana/ 207 Sacred Harp Louisiana (3:49) Fort Worth Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 209 Evening Shade/ 209 Evening Shade - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:33) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 236 Easter Anthem/ 236 Easter Anthem - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (3:02) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 245 Claremont/ 245 Claremont - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (3:25) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 254 Rose of Sharon/ 254 2011 All Ireland Singing Sadhbh O'Flynn leading (3:41) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg  268 David's Lamentation/ 268 David's Lamentation - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:13) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 274t The Golden Harp/ 274t Sacred Harp The Golden Harp (1:20) Bremen Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg Golden Harp, The/ 274t The Golden Harp - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:53) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 277 Antioch/ 277 Antioch - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:06) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 282 I'm Going Home/ 282 I'm Going Home - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:58) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 288 White/ 288 White - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:10) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 29t Fairfield/ 29t Sacred Harp Fairfield (2:03) Bremen Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 300 Calvary/ 300 Calvary - Sacred Harp Singers of Cork, Ireland (1:45) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 306 Oxford/ 306 First Polish Sacred Harp Convention (2:14) Warsaw Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg Oxford/ 306 Oxford - First Ireland Sacred Harp Convention, 2011 (1:54) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg  30t Love Divine/ 30t Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (2:24) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 313b Cobb/ 313b Cobb - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:19) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 317 Jackson/ 317 Jackson - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:14) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 318 Present Joys/ 318 Present Joys - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:27) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 328 Praise God/ 328 Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (1:57) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 347 Christian's Farewell/ 347 Christian's Farewell - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:30) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 348b Fleeting Days/ 348b First Poland Sacred Harp Convention (1:29) Warsaw Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 354t Lebanon/ 354t Lebanon - First Ireland Sacred Harp Convention, 2011 (2:08) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 37b Liverpool/ 37b Liverpool - First Ireland Sacred Harp Convention, 2011 (1:34) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 383 Eternal Day/ 383 Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (2:08) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg  384 Panting For Heaven/ 384 Sacred Harp Panting for Heaven (2:08) Bremen Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 39t Detroit/ 39t Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (1:21) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 410t The Dying Californian/ 410t The Dying Californian - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:29) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 421 Sweet Morning/ 421 Sweet Morning - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:02) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 430 Arbacoochee/ 430 Arbacoochee - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:54) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 440 North Salem/ 440 North Salem - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:59) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 47b Idumea/ 47b Cork Sacred Harp 2012 (2:08) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg Idumea/ 47b Idumea - Sacred Harp in Warsaw, Poland (0:36) Warsaw Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 481 Novakoski/ 481 Novakoski - Second Ireland Sacred Harp Convention - 2012 (2:40) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 48b Kedron/ 48b Kedron - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:46) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg  49b Mear/ 49b Mear - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:50) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 504 Wood Street/ 504 Sacred Harp Wood Street (2:26) Bremen Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 507 Sermon on the Mount/ 507 Sermon on the Mount - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (3:02) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 535 Shawmut/ 535b Shawmut - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (1:24) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 542 I'll Seek His Blessings/ 542 Sacred Harp I'll Seek His Blessing (1:38) Fort Worth Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 543 Consecration/ 543 - Consecration Cooper Book Sacred Harp Singing . (2:32) Sacred Harp Mount Pisgah
youtube15.jpg 547 Granville/ 547 Granville - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:31) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 569b Sacred Throne/ 569b Sacred Throne - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:47) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 65 Sweet Prospect/ 65 Sweet Prospect - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:11) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 68b Ortonville/ 68b Ortonville - Cork All-Day Sing 2011 (2:52) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg  86 Poland/ 86 Poland in Cork (3:00) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 457 Wayfaring Stranger/ Brunswick Sacred Harp singers singing Wayfaring Stranger. P.M (2:15) Sacred Harp Singers Melbourne
youtube15.jpg 505 Cleansing Fountain/ Cooper Book 505 Cleansing Fountain (3:27) Bob Meek Memorial Singing
youtube15.jpg Idumea/ Cork Cork Sacred Harp Singers @ Black Sun (4:29) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 488b Nearer, My God, To Thee (Bethany)/ Nearer My God to Thee. - 488b (5:31) Sacred Harp Mount Pisgah
youtube15.jpg 339 When I Am Gone/ PLSCH2013 - Saturday - 339 When I Am Gone . (2:33) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 49t Old Hundred/ PLSHC2013 - Saturday - 49t Old Hundred (1:33) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 40 Lenox/ PLSHC2013 - Sunday - 40 Lenox (1:54) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 89 The Church's Desolation/ PLSHC2013 - Sunday - 89 The Church's Desolation (2:27) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 463 Angel Band (Land of Beulah)/ Sacred Harp (Cooper Book) 463, Angel Band (3:15) Bob Meek Memorial Singing
youtube15.jpg  156 Jesus Rose/ Sacred Harp 156 Jesus Rose (3:03) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg Jesus Rose/ Sacred Harp 156 Jesus Rose (3:16) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg China/ Sacred Harp 163b China (2:31) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg Africa/ Sacred Harp 178 Africa (Callback) (2:15) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 030b Prospect/ Sacred Harp 30B Prospect Cooper Revision 2006 HD (2:57) Southwest Texas Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg / Sacred Harp 313b Cobb (1:54) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg / Sacred Harp 313b Cobb (1:51) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg / Sacred Harp 376 Help Me To Sing Cooper Revision 2006 HD (3:21) Texas Sacred Harp Singers
youtube15.jpg 42 Clamanda/ Sacred Harp 42 Clamanda (1:42) Sacred Harp Hamburg
youtube15.jpg 503 Lloyd/ Sacred Harp 503 Lloyd (2:15) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg  Lloyd/ Sacred Harp 503 Lloyd (1:41) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg Lloyd/ Sacred Harp 503 Lloyd (2:14) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 511a Brown/ Sacred Harp 511T Brown Cooper Revision 2006 HD (3:08) Southwest Texas Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg 523 Pleyel's Hymn/ Sacred Harp 523 Pleyel's Hymn (Second) (2:17) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg Pleyel's Hymn/ Sacred Harp 523 Pleyel's Hymn (Second) (2:34) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg Shawmut/ Sacred Harp 535 Shawmut (2:16) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg 566 Hebron/ Sacred Harp 566 Hebron (2:22) Geoff Grainger
youtube15.jpg / Sacred Harp Singers @ Black Sun 23-4-11 (6:16) Cork Sacred Harp
youtube15.jpg / Sacred Harp Singing - Documentary Part 1 (7:30) Various Sacred Harp Groups
youtube15.jpg 38b Windham/ Windham 38b (3:21) Sacred Harp Singers Melbourne