Canasg Choral Music Publishing

Canasg Music

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  SA5006 

 
Simple gifts


Shaker song

 
arranged by Sheena Phillips

for soprano, alto and tenor(and/or bass) unaccompanied chorus 



SAT spacer performance time approx  0m 30s 











Arranger's note


This is one of the most famous Shaker songs, written by Joseph Brackett in 1848 as a dance song.  The tune and words appear in many different Shaker song collections of the time. Traditionally nearly all the Shaker songs were sung in unison but they come alive in a different way when harmonised.


As with Gaelic mouth music (also written for dancing), a sequence of Shaker tunes can work well in concert.  Other harmonised Shaker tunes published by Canasg include Lay me low, Mother Ann's song, Star of purity and Turning shuffle tune.  
















 Music

See a sample of the music 
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Hear a  MIDI  file of the song 








 Words 


Simple gifts


'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 our delight

'Till by turning, turning we come round right.



Shaker dance song by Joseph Brackett, 1848






Our transcription of these words and the tune is taken from Edward Deming Andrews' book  The Gift to be Simple: songs, dances and rituals of the American Shakers  published by Dover Publications, New York (and on the web at www.doverpublications.com). 

 










Price


The price of this piece depends on the number of singers in your group. This is a single payment for a licence to make as many copies as you need for your group to rehearse and perform the song as often as you wish.  Copies of the song must not be given, lent or sold to any other group.  








Number of singers in your group

up to 12 singers13 to 24 singers25 singers or more

£3 (approx US$5.00)



















£6 (approx US$10)



















£9 (approx US$15)



















  Please note that your Paypal transaction will be in sterling but it should automatically 
be converted if your credit card draws on a different currency.














Companion pieces

Browse the 'Sacred music' section of the Canasg catalogue for more songs like this one.  To go there now, click on the 'catalogue' box to the right.
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Canasg Choral Music Publishing 	


Canasg Music









16 Morningside Park Edinburgh Scotland EH10 5HB 

475 Walhalla Road Columbus Ohio OH 43202 
 










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Page updated by  Peter Hill February 2006