Industries and Inventions of the Shakers: Shaker Music, a Brief HistoryLindsay, Bertha
Religion
Industries and Inventions of the Shakers: Shaker Music, a Brief History
Lindsay, Bertha
Shakers; Shakers -- Hymns -- History and criticism
There was also a definite psychological purpose behind the Shaker
marches, seldom explained, and rarely understood by the general Public.
The perfect rhythmic body motions, of a worshipper, who combined this
activity with a deep mental and religious fervor, developed within
himself, a great spiritual inspiration, almost impossible to understand
or describe, by one who has never witnessed or participated in this form
of worship. But if one could have been present, as I was, and could have
seen the perfect spiritual union, that was produced, when a soul
combined the physical motions, the singing voice and the dedicated
heart, in giving praise and thanks to God—I’m sure you would have agreed
that the physical motions added a still greater dimension to the
expression of Prayer. However, as years passed, and older members were
unable to join in these marches, the exercises were discontinued, as it
was considered necessary to maintain a perfect union among the members,
a service in which all may participate as One.
Today, our Church Service is quiet and more formal, resembling, perhaps
the Prayer meetings held in many of the churches of other denominations.
The first organ was introduced into the Society, by Elder Henry Blinn.
It was one of the first built by the Prescott Organ Co., of Concord, N.
H., and can be seen today, still in working condition, in our little
Museum, right here at the Canterbury Village. When purchased, it was
placed in the School House, where the members gathered for instruction
in the reading of notes.
The introduction of instrumental music was quite an innovation among the
Shakers. Eldress Dorothy Durgin felt that music added refinement to a
young person, so she made a trip to a Music Company in Boston, to
negotiate the purchase of a second organ for instrumental practices.
Eldress Dorothy possessed a gracious, winning personality, and so
impressed the proprietor of the Company, that he presented the Society
at Canterbury with a fine cabinet organ. The first piano was introduced
in 1872. Later, pianos owned and brought in by those who joined the
Society, provided added facilities for instrumental practice.
In order to encourage this musical movement, Eldress Dorothy held
monthly recitals, at which each pupil was represented, everyone, from
the beginner, who could do but simple finger exercises, to the more
advanced student, who could, perhaps, master the difficult music of the
classics. Every child who desired, was given the opportunity for musical
instruction whether so gifted or not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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