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Jesse B. Aikin
Jesse Bowman Aikin (1808–1900) was a shape note "singing master", and compiler of the shape note tunebook ''The Christian Minstrel''. He was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania and lived on a farm in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. Aikin, a member of the Church of the Brethren, was the first to successfully produce a song book (''The Christian Minstrel'') with a seven-shape note system, in 1846. He vigorously defended his "invention" and his patent, which included the elimination of bass and treble clefs and the simplification of time signatures. After the influential Ephraim Ruebush, Ruebush & Aldine Silliman Kieffer, Kieffer Publishing Company began using his notehead shapes around 1876 (previously they used Joseph Funk, Funk's shapes), the Aikin shapes eventually became the prevailing standard in shape note and gospel music publication, although few other compilers adopted his other innovations. Aikin's names for the notes were originally written: Doe Ray Mee Faw Sole Law See. All the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shape Note
Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the noteheads in written music to help singers find pitches within major and minor scales without the use of more complex information found in key signatures on the staff. Shape notes of various kinds have been used for over two centuries in a variety of music traditions, mostly sacred music but also secular, originating in New England, practiced primarily in the Southern United States for many years, and now experiencing a renaissance in other locations as well. Nomenclature Shape notes have also been called character notes and patent notes, respectfully, and buckwheat notes and dunce notes, pejoratively. Overview The idea behind shape notes is that the parts of a vocal work can be learned more quickly and easily if the music is printed i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
