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Aaron Copland's "Simple Gifts"

Read about the occasion when composer

Aaron Copland Met The Shakers

See also

Past American Composers

Contents

• CDs and Audio Tapes
• Music Collections
• Top Twelve Most Recorded Shaker Tunes
• Non-Shaker Hymn: "How Can I Keep From Singing?
• Non-Shaker Hymn: "Lord of the Dance"
• Non-Shaker Song: "Run, Shaker Life"
• Shaker Song: "Simple Gifts" ('Tis the gift to be simple)
• Shaker Song: "Willow Tree" (I will bow and be simple)
• Shaker Hymn: "Voyage to Canaan" (A people called Christians)
• Sample Music Concerts and Programs

   CDs and Audio Tapes

Early Shaker Spirituals.  Sister R. Mildred Barker and the Sabbathday Lake Shakers. Rounder  Records CD, 1996.

Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers.   Canterbury and Sabbathday Lake Shakers.  Rounder Select 2-CD set with 72 page illustrated booklet, 1999.

Sampler Chorus

Joy of Angels: Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and the New Year.  Randy Folger, Colleen Liggett, Kathy Leigh Johnson, Mitzie Collins, The Sampler Chorus.  CD and Audio Tape, 1995.

Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals.  Mitzie Collins, Roger Hall, and The Sampler Chorus.  CD and Audio Tape, 1992.

Simplicity Vocal Quartet

For the Love of Zion:  Singing Arrangements of Shaker Songs

Various Performers

The Humble Heart:  Twenty-four Shaker Spirituals

Arrangements of "Simple Gifts" by Aaron Copland

[Orchestral]

Copland conducts Copland: Appalachian Spring (original version) & other works - Sony Classics CD, 1988  - original ballet version.

[Vocal]

Copland conducts Copland: Appalachian Spring (suite), Old American Songs & other works - Sony Classics CD, 1988 - vocal arrangement  from 1962, sung by William Warfield (who also recorded Gershwin's Porgy and Bess; and also sang "Ol' Man River" in the movie musical, SHOWBOAT)

Instrumental Arrangements

Music on the Mountain.  William Coulter & Barry Phillips. Gourd CD, 1996.

Simple Gifts.  William Coulter & Barry Phillips.  Gourd, CD, 1990.

Tree of Life.  William Coulter & Barry Phillips.  Gourd CD, 1993.

All three of the Coulter & Phillips recordings are available in a CD box set on Gourd Records:

The Simple Gifts Collection

  Music Collections

This monograph written by Roger Hall is about the first major Shaker tunesmith.

It contains many quotes from the Issachar Bates autobiography, written between 1832 and 1836. The autobiography deals with Issachar's life as a young fifer in the American Revolution, his years as a Baptist song leader, and then as a Shaker missionary, church leader and tunesmith.

There are also many illustrations of Shaker music manuscripts, plus extensive notes and a list of recommended recordings.

At the back of the monograph are eight representative Shaker spirituals by Elder Issachar Bates:

(1) Hymn: "Rights of Conscience"

(2) Hymn: "The Gospel Sound"

(3) Anthem: "Mount Zion"

(4) Dance Song: "Step Tune"

(5) Hymn: "Ode to Contentment"

(6) Dance Song: "Come Life, Shaker Life"

(7) Union Song: "Lovely Gospel Kindred"

(8) Funeral Hymn: "Almighty Savior"

To order this monograph, go to:

Music Titles from PineTree Press

   A GUIDE TO SHAKER MUSIC - With Music Supplement

The updated 6th edition (2006) compiled and annotated by Roger Hall, one of the foremost authorities on Shaker music.  

This fact-filled resource guide covers over two centuries of Shaker music in America.  It contains the following chapters:

• Chronology: Evolution of Shaker Music (1774-1999)
• Shaker Tunes and Tunesmiths
• Sources: Where to Find Original Shaker Music
• Arrangements: Selected Music for Voices and Instruments
• Tune Comparisons: Shaker Tunes vs. Folk Tunes
• Visitor Descriptions of Shaker Music and Dance
• Bibliography: Where to Look for Further Information
• Discography:  What Has Been Recorded on LP, Tape and CD
• Music Supplement: Shaker tunes and for solo voice and keyboard or mixed chorus a cappella

To order your copy, go to:

Music Titles from PineTree Press

Quantity discounts available for museums and educational instution.

American Music Preservation.com

Shaker arrangements are available at this link:

PineTree Music

     Historic Record Set

Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers

Here are what a few reviewers wrote about this historic Rounder release:

"wonderful collection of vocal and instrumental hymns...its merit lies in the investigation of one of the most fascinating utopian societies in American history."

- T. Druckenmiller, Sing Out! Magazine, Vol. 44, No. 3 (Spring 2000)

"This beautifully packaged two-CD set consists of excerpts from a 10-record set which came out in 1961...The accompanying booklet contains a wealth of pertinent historical information, photos, reproductions of early Shaker notation, and lyrics...the documentary importance of this material would be hard to overestimate."

- D. Baker, Dirty Linen Magazine, #88 (June/July 2000) 

These are the most extensive recordings ever done of the Shakers themselves singing, playing organ and piano duets, and speaking about their music.  

The first CD of this set has 33 Shaker songs and hymns.  

On the second CD are an extensive history of Shaker music, narrated by two Shaker sisters, 7 additional Shaker spirituals.  Also there are interviews with three important Shaker sisters:

Eldress Bertha Lindsay (1897-1990)

Sister Lillian Phelps (1876-1973)

Sister Mildred Barker (1897-1990)  

The cover has details from a beautiful Shaker gift drawing [Note: this drawing is incorrectly identified in the CD booklet as being from Frutilands Museums, Harvard, Massachusetts.  The drawing is from the collection at The Shaker Museum, Old Chatham, New York].

The 72 page booklet, edited with detailed notes by Shaker scholar Roger Hall, has the words to all 40 spirituals, many historical photographs of the Shakers and their original music, an extensive bibliography & discography, plus other useful information.

Most of this original Shaker music is available for the first time on any CDs.  

You can order directly from Amazon.com -    

Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers (Rounder Select 0471/72)

     The Top Twelve Most Recorded Shaker Tunes

                Compiled by Roger Hall

Based on a survey of available commercial recordings, these are the Top Twelve Tunes recorded between 1960 and 2000.

They are listed with Shaker composer or author (if known), Shaker community location, and year of origin:

1.   "Simple Gifts" (or "Tis the gift to be simple") - Joseph Brackett, Alfred, Maine, 1848.

2.   "Come Life, Shaker Life" - Issachar Bates, New Lebanon, New York, 1835.

3.   "Who Will Bow and Bend Like the Willow" - Canterbury, New Hampshire, about 1843.

4.   "Love is Little" - South Union, Kentucky, about 1834.

5.   "Come to Zion" - Paulina Bates, New Lebanon, NY, 1864.

6.   "The Humble Heart" - Tune: Thomas Hammond/ Text: Eunice Wyeth, Harvard, Massachusetts, 1820.

7.   "I Never Did Believe" - Betsy Bates, New Lebanon, NY, 1829.

8.   "Followers of the Lamb" - Clarissa Jacobs, New Lebanon, NY, about 1847.

9.   "Living Souls, Let's Be Marching" - Tyringham,  Massachusetts, 1853.

10. "Mother Has Come With Her Beautiful Song" - Paulina Springer, Alfred, Maine, 1887.

11. "Now My Dear Companions" - Augustus Blase, Watervliet, New York, about 1865.

12. "We Will All Go Home With You" - Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1862.

Nos. 1 - 4, 7, 10, 12 are available on the CD -

Early Shaker Spirituals - sung by the Sabbathday Lake Shakers

Nos. 1, 4, 8, and 9 are available on the CD -

Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals  [also in the accompanying songbook]

Nos. 1, 2, 8, 10 are available on the CD -

Simple Gifts - Shaker Chants and Spirituals

Arrangements of numbers 1, 6 and 12 are found in the Music Supplement of  

A Guide to Shaker Music

Please help support American Shaker Music  

Use this Search to look for Books, CDs, DVDs and and other products:

   Non-Shaker Hymn:  "How Can I Keep From Singing?"

             By Roger Hall

My life flows on in endless song;

Above Earth's lamentation,

I catch the sweet, tho' far off hymn

That hails a new creation;

Through all the tumult and strife,

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul -

How can I keep from singing?

There has been a lot of confusion about this hymn.

In 1956, an additional verse was written by Doris Plenn and it was published by Pete Seeger in Sing Out! magazine (Vol. 7 No. 1, 1957). Because she had learned it from her grandmother, who said it came from the Quaker tradition, Seeger identified it that way.  But it is not a Quaker hymn.  

Then nearly 40 years later, on the Platinum Plus selling CD, Shepherd Moons, this hymn was sensitively sung by Enya in an ethereal arrangement by her and Nicky Ryan. But unfortunately "How Can I Keep From Singing"was incorrectly identified as being a "Traditional Shaker Hymn."  That's incorrect. This was discovered and has now been corrected on the Enya website.  If you wish to hear Enya's performance of "How Can I Keep From Singing," order her CD at this link:

Shepherd Moons

Then who did write this inspiring hymn?

It was written by Rev. Robert Lowry (1826-1899). He also wrote the popular Gospel hymn, "Shall We Gather At The River."

"How Can I Keep From Singing?" was first published in a book titled: Bright Jewels for the Sunday School (New York: Bigelow & Main, 1869).    Rev. Lowry is identified as the editor of this book.  On page 16, in the upper right hand corner of "How Can I Keep From Singing" are the initials: "R.L." (Robert Lowry).  So he is definitely the composer of this Sunday School hymn.  The author of the hymn text is Anne B. Warner.  

Pass the word along... 

"How Can I Keep From Singing" isn't a Quaker or a Shaker hymn.

Instead, it should be credited to Rev. Robert Lowry, who wrote this beautiful hymn.

               By Roger Hall

Chorus to the song:

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, whereever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said he.

This is a very popular religious folk hymn and deservedly so.

Unfortunately, it has been incorrectly identified. This is partly because of the video and CD, Lord of the Dance, starring Michael Flatley - the dancer one newspaper reporter named  - "Lord of the Pants." In interviews Flatley first claimed that "Lord of the Dance" was a Celtic folk song and then said it was a Shaker song.  

Neither is true.  

"Lord of the Dance" was written by English songwriter and poet, Sydney Carter.  

He was born on May 6, 1915 - the same day as Elder Joseph Brackett.  What a coincidence!  When I wrote to Sydney Carter, he was very surprised to learn that fact, but also was very pleased.

Carter wrote "Lord of the Dance" in 1963, with 5 verses of original words, and based his tune on "Simple Gifts."  

Sydney Carter wrote it and he should be credited for it.

To hear a lively arrangement of both "Simple Gifts" and "Lord of the Dance," order the OMEGA CD:

Simple Gifts - Benjamin Luxon and Bill Crofut Sing Folk Songs at Tanglewood  

Note:  It is with great sadness to report that Sydney Carter died on March 13, 2004.  

For information about him and the authentic words to "Lord of the Dance," go to his music publisher's site at:

Stainer & Bell 

     Non-Shaker Song:  "Run, Shaker Life"

               By Roger Hall  

This song first appeared in 1967 and was published in 1972 with words and music credited to singer-songwriter, Richie Havens.  

But actually his words and tune are based on a Shaker dance song written by Elder Issachar Bates in New Lebanon, NY in 1835.  

If you don't believe it,  just look at the words for both songs:

Richie Havens version (1967)	Issachar Bates version (1835)
Run, Shaker life, Shake life eternal; Shake it out of me, All that is carnal. I'll be your Moses, I'll be your David, I'll show Michael twice,     How he behaved.	Come life, Shaker life, Come life Eternal, Shake, shake out of me, All that is carnal. I'll play a nimble step, I'll be a David, I'll show Michael twice, How he behaved.

The references to "David" and "Michael" are from the Old Testament (II. SAMUEL. 6:16):

"And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart."

This Old Testament passage was one used as a defense for dancing in Shaker worship.

When the Something Else Again LP was released in 1968, Richie Havens was credited as the composer of "Run, Shaker Life." There was no mention made of the earlier Shaker song.

Apparently that error was discovered because on the CD:  The Best of Richie Havens - The Millennium Collection, he is credited with arranging and adapting "Run, Shaker Life."  

But there is still no mention of the original song, "Come Life, Shaker Life," written by Elder Issachar Bates.

For more information, order this monograph with music included:

"Come Life, Shaker Life" - The Life and Music of Elder Issachar Bates  

   Shaker Song: "Simple Gifts" ('Tis the gift to be simple)

              By Roger Hall 

Complete words to the original song:                   

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be out delight

'Till by turning, turning we come round right. 

There is so much confusion about this popular Shaker song, that it's time - as the song says - "we come round right."

First -  notice that the opening lines are not - "Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free."

Somehow these lines have been changed by folk singers over the years.  It should be: "Tis the gift to be simple." To the Shakers, that's a big difference! They are talking about the spiritual gift from God, not just any gift.  

Second - "Simple Gifts" is usually identified either as a "Traditional Shaker Hymn" or as a "work song."

Actually, it's neither a hymn nor a work song.  

Shaker hymns have two or more stanzas of text.

This song has only one stanza.  If you look closely at the words, you'll notice such lines as: "To turn, turn will be our delight" and "'Till by turning, turning we come round right."

These are dance instructions. Several Shaker manuscripts identify this tune as a "Dancing Song."  

The classification of "Simple Gifts" as a work song might be because Shaker dances were also called laboring songs.  But that doesn't mean that they sang this song while working in the fields or ironing clothes.

To the Shakers, laboring was a spiritual exercise to cleanse them of worldly thoughts and desires.  

Third - many authors have failed to identify Elder Joseph Brackett as the composer of "Simple Gifts" and give the wrong date.  

But the Shakers have long believed that Elder Joseph wrote the song.  Some non-Shaker authors have written he wrote it in 1875. That is incorrect.  Elder Joseph's dance song was written in 1848 at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine.

In an article by Sister Mildred Barker in 1967, she mentions Elder Joseph as the composer of this dance song. She had lived her youth at the Shaker community in Alfred, and learned that Elder Joseph's song was written there.  

There is also ample evidence in Shaker manuscripts that he wrote "Simple Gifts."                  

Elder Joseph Brackett Jr. was born on May 6, 1797 in Cumberland, Maine.  

He died on July 4, 1882 at New Gloucester, Maine.  

His portrait still hangs today along with other Shaker leaders at the last remaining Shaker community in Sabbathday Lake, Maine.  

To read more about the song, see this entry in Wikipedia:

Simple Gifts     

Publications about "Simple Gifts"

The Story of 'Simple Gifts' - Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song (PineTree Press, 2006)

This eBook has more information about "Simple Gifts" than you'll find anywhere else, including:

• A biographical sketch of Elder Joseph Brackett
• Complete words and music of the song
• An exclusive interview with composer Aaron Copland about his arrangements and other information
• Extensive biliography
• List of recommended recordings

A GUIDE TO SHAKER MUSIC (6th edition, 2006)

This guide includes a chronology of Shaker music, where to find manuscripts and arrangements, and other reference information.  The music supplement has Shaker tunes and texts arranged for solo voice and chorus.     

Copies of Joseph Brackett's 'SIMPLE GIFTS and A GUIDE TO SHAKER MUSIC can be ordered from

American Music Preservation

Music Titles from PineTree Press

Recommended Recordings of "Simple Gifts" in original versions

Joy of Angels: Shaker Spirituals for Christmas and the New Year - Various Soloists and The Sampler Chorus. 38 Shaker spirituals. Sampler Records CD or Tape No.9528.  A different version of "Simple Gifts" than sung by the Shakers today.  Accompanying songbook with all the music and extensive notes is also available.                                                                                                

 Love is Litte:  A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals - Various Soloists and The Sampler Chorus. 36 Shaker spirituals. Sampler Records CD/Tape 9222, 1992.  "Simple Gifts" compiled from another mansucript that identifies Joseph Brackett.  Accompanying songbook with all the music and extensive notes is also available.

Simple Gifts of Shaker Music - Various singers. 25 tracks, with 5 different versions of "Simple Gifts" (both original tune and arrangements)

Simple Gifts - Shaker Chants and Spirituals - The Boston Camerata, The Schola Cantorum of Boston, The Shaker Community of Sabbathday Lake, Maine. Erato CD 4509-98491-2, 1995.                                                       

     Shaker Song:  "Willow Tree" (I will bow and be simple)

               By Roger Hall  

Complete words to the song:                   

I will bow and be simple,

I will bow and be free

I will bow and be humble

Yea bow like the willow tree.

I will bow this is the token,

I will wear the easy yoke,

I will bow and broken,

Yea I'll fall upon the rock.

This lovely Shaker humility song has similar opening words to the best known Shaker song, "Simple Gifts" (discussed below).  

Most people know this song thanks to its appearance in Daniel W. Patterson's The Shaker Spiritual, and in  The Gift to be Simple: Songs, Dances and Rituals of the American Shakers,  by Edward Deming Andrews.  

For some odd reason Andrews wrote this about one word of the song:

"In Shaker speech, 'yea' is pronounced 'ye' (as in greet)."

That is a misleading statement and Andrews gives no evidence to back it up.  

Modern Shakers have always pronounced "yea" as in "say," not pronounced "ye."

So if you're going to perform or record this beautiful song, please respect the Shaker tradition and pronounce the word as it is spelled: "yea."

Who wrote this beautiful Shaker song?  

All evidence seems to point to Sister Mary Hazard  (1811-1899) from the Shaker community at New Lebanon, New York.  

It appears she wrote the song sometime  around 1843.

                 By Roger Hall                                                               

On the Boston Camerata CD, Simple Gifts - Shaker Chants and Spirituals , in booklet his notes, Joel Cohen wrote this for Track 31:

"One of the few Shaker songs to have 'crossed over' into the larger American folk-hymn tradition, "The Spiritual sailor" was included in reprints of The Sacred Harp until the most recent 1991 edition of that songbook."

That's incorrect.  

While it's true that "The Spiritual sailor" was found in The Sacred Harp (and also an earlier tunebook, The Southern Harmony ) the hymn is credited there to "I. Neighbours" (who was not a Shaker) and the source indicated as the "Dover Selection."  

Yet there was a Shaker hymn with very similar text and tune to "The Spiritual sailor."

That Shaker hymn was written about 1810 by Elder Richard McNemar and titled: "Voyage to Canaan."

Here is the first verse of the Shaker hymn:

A people called Christians,

How many things they tell,

About a land of Canaan,

Where saints and angels dwell;

But sin, that dreadful Ocean

Encloses them around,

With its tides, still divides

Them from Canaan's happy ground.

This is the Shaker hymn that Joel Cohen refers to and the text and tune are similar to the Sacred Harp version.

But the Shaker hymn was never harmonized into three or four voice parts.  Only the melody was sung by the Shakers.

So did the Shaker hymn really "cross over" into another religious singing tradition?    

Probably not.  

What is more likely is the tune and the text came from an earlier camp meeting hymn from the Great Revival in the early 1800s, possibly written by I. Neighbours.  Elder Richard came out of that Great Revival as a New Light preacher in Ohio, so he probably based his hymn on the earlier camp meeting spiritual.  

That's why both the Sacred Harp and Shakers versions are so similar.  They both come from the camp meeting hymn.

In any case, "The Spiritual sailor" is not a Shaker hymn.  

The Shaker hymn is titled "Voyage to Canaan."

An arrangement of this Shaker hymn is found in the Music Supplement of

A Guide to Shaker Music (6th edition)  

    Sample Concerts and Music Programs

American Shaker Music

Date and Location:  August 24, 2002 at Conkling Hall in Rensselaerville, New York  

Performers:  The Sampler Singers (Mitzie Collins, Colleen Liggett and Roger Hall)

Concert Program --  

I.  Opening March and Song of Greeting:

     1.  "Let Zion Move" (Mary Ann Gillespie, Alfred, Maine, ca. 1875)

     2.  "Welcome, Welcome" (Rosetta Cummings, Enfield, New Hampshire, 1869) - arr. by Roger Hall

II.  Mother Ann and The Early Years:

      3.  "Mother" (Richard McNemar, ca. 1813/ singing of Sabbathday Lake Shakers, 1974)

      4.  "Mother Ann's Song" (Harvard, Massachusetts, 1783)

      5.  "In Yonder Valley" (James Whittaker, Enfield, Connecticut, 1787)

      6.  "The Happy Journey" (Joshua Goodrich, Hancock, Massachusetts, 1808)

      7.  "Rules for Doing Good" (Harvard, Massachusetts, 1807) - arr. by R. Hall

      8.  "Rights of Conscience" (Issachar Bates, Ohio, ca. 1810) - arr. by R. Hall (first performance)

      9.  "The Humble Heart" (tune: Thomas Hammond/words: Eunice Wyeth, Harvard, ca. 1820) - arr. R. Hall

     l0.  "The Shakers" (Richard McNemar, 1813/singing of Sabbathday Lake Shakers, 1980)   

III.  The Era of Mother's Work:

    11.  "Celestial Food"

    12.  "I Want To Be A Blessing"

    13.  "O Do Feel More Life" (Sodus, New York, 1837)

    14.  "Introduction to Zion" (David A. Buckingham, Watervliet, NY, 1846) - arr. by R. Hall 

    15.  "Glory Unto God We'll Sing" (Enfield, NH, 1852)

    16. "Living Souls, Let's Be Marching" (Tyringham, MA, 1853)

                              [INTERMISSION]

IV.  The Gospel Years:

      17.  "Star of Purity" (tune: Susanna Brady/ words: Ezra T. Leggett, 1868)

      18.  "A Prayer for the Captive" (Cecilia DeVere, New Lebanon, NY, 1862)

      19.  "I Want More Love" (2 versions)

      20.  "More Love" (Canterbury, NH, ca. 1870)

      21.  "Give Good Gifts" (New Lebanon, NY, 1893)

      22.  "Prayer Universal" (Canterbury, NH, 1890s) [In remembrance of 9/11/01]

V.  The 20th Century and Beyond:

      23.  "Followers of the Lamb" (Clarissa Jacobs, New Lebanon, NY, ca. 1847/Sabbathday Lake, 1985)

      24.  "Gentle Words" (Polly M. Rupe, Pleasant Hill, KY, 1867/Canterbury, NH, 1914)

      25.  "We Must Be Meek" (Enfield, Connecticut/singing of Sister Mildred Barker, 1970)

      26.  "Love is Little" (South Union, KY, ca. 1834/singing of Sabbathday Lake Shakers, 1976)

      27.  "Simple Gifts" (Joseph Brackett, Jr., Alfred, Maine, 1848/ Sabbathday Lake Shakers, 1980)

VI. Song of Farewell:

      28.  "We Will All Go Home With You" (Canterbury, NH, 1862) - arr. by R. Hall        

Most of the music in the concert comes from these music collections:

 Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals

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

A Guide to Shaker Music - With Music Supplement

For more information about Conkling Hall concerts, see their web site:

www.conklinghall.org

"Peace in the Valley: A Workshop on Healing with Shaker Music" (May 3 - 6, 2002)

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, Kentucky

Leader:  Dr. Diane Schneider, Therapeutic Harpist

Special Guest:  Roger Hall, Shaker Music Preservationist and Singer

Workshop participants came from Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The weekend events included day and evening workshops on therapeutic healing with instrumental and vocal music.

Participants received the songbook, Love is Little: A Sampling of Shaker Spirituals, and a CD of harp music.

A 30 minute concert with Diane Schneider and Roger Hall was presented and videotaped in the Shaker meeting house on Sunday afternoon, 5 May 2002.

For information about Diane Schneider's CDs and activities, click on this link:  

harpist1.tripod.com

   Concerts and Music Programs - 2001

A lecture presented by Roger Hall featuring music by Shaker women composers, especially those featured on the Rounder Records 2 CD set:  Let Zion Move.   The lecture was part of the symposium: "Spinners, Movers and Shakers," held at the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts.  

Saturday, July 14:  Shaker Summer Nights

7:00-10:00 p.m. South Union Shaker Quartet. Contact: Shaker Museum at South Union, P.O. Box 30, South Union, KY 42283.  (800) 811-8379.

Saturday, July 21: Portland String Quartet Concert

Benefit concert for the Shaker museum.  Shaker Museum, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, 707 Shaker Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260. (207) 926-4597.

Saturday-Sunday, July 21-22:  Kentucky Shaker Music Weekend

 July 21:  South Union Quartet presented: "Music from the Outer Vineyard."  July 22:  Pleasant Hill Singers presented: "Come Dance and Sing."  Contact:  Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, KY 40330.  (800) 734-5611.

Sunday, August 5:  Mother Ann Day

Shaker music performed in the Chapel. Contact: Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, NH 03224.  (603) 783-9571 or (800) 982-9511.

Saturday, August 18:  "All Mother's Children - The Afro-American Shaker Experience"

Pleasant Hill Singers at 1:00, 3:00, 4:30 p.m.  Talk at 1:30 p.m.  Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, KY. (800 734-5611.  

Wednesday, October 17:  "The Simple Gifts of Shaker Music"

Shaker music program performed by Roger Hall for the Norwell Historical Society Annual Dinner at South Shore Natural Science Center, Norwell, MA.

Friday, November 9: "The Golden Harvest"

Shaker music concert performed by The Boston Camerata, and also featuring the Harvard University Choir, Youth Pro Musica, and members of the Shaker Family of Sabbathday Lake, Maine. The concert was held at Faneuil Hall in Boston at 8:00 p.m.

 Concerts and Music Programs - 2000

Recreation of the Centennial of American Independence as celebrated by the Pleasant Hill Shakers, with songs, readings and games.   Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, KY 40330.

Saturday, July 15:  Portland String Quartet Concert

Benefit concert for the Shaker museum.  Shaker Museum, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in Maine.  

Saturday-Sunday, July 15-16:  Kentucky Shaker Music Weekend

 July 15:  South Union Quartet: "Music from the Outer Vineyard."  July 16:  Pleasant Hill Singers present "Living Souls, Let's Be Marching."  Contact:  Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, KY 40330.  

Sunday, August 6:  Enfield Shaker Singers in Concert

A program of Shaker music and dance at Canterbury Shaker Village, Meeting House Lane at 1:00 p.m.

Monday, August 7:  Enfield Shaker Singers

Performance as part of "Shaker Day" at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Sunapee Crafts Fair, Lake Sunapee Ski Area on NH Route 103.    

Saturday, October 7: "A View of Holy Sinai's Plan"

A look at the Shaker's sacred outdoor meeting site in song and interpretive dance by the Pleasant Hill Singers.  Program at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.  Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, KY 40330.

Saturday, October 28:  "All Hail the Great Millennium!"

Concert of Shaker songs and hymns performed by Roger Hall at the 5th Annual Conference on Millennialism: "Swords into Plowshares," School of Management, Boston University, 595 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 7:30 p.m.  

Saturdays, December 2 and 9:  "The Shaker Order of Christmas"

Christmas music concerts at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.  Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, KY 40330.     

Links to related Shaker web sites

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