In her essay "First Sing the Notes" Miller discusses modes of transmission in the Sacred Harp tradition. She explores a dichotomy between oral and written transmission. On the one hand, aspects of the tradition are passed down orally to knew members, simply because so much of it is unwritten. Practices such as raising the sixth scale degree in the minor mode, conventions for leading, and parameters for embellishment on the musical line must be learned from attending singings and gaining experience. In addition, non-standard local practices are passed down orally. Most striking is the case study of the Lee family, which developed its own highly idiosyncratic tradition in isolation from the larger Sacred Harp community over the course of a few generations. Because so much must be learned from experience, most new members, even musically literate ones, face similar challenges acquiring fluency with the shapenote notation. Nevertheless, Sacred Harp also has a rich written history. The Sacred Harp book has been revised multiple times, each revision changing the repertoire from which the singers may choose. The book is not merely an artifact with symbolic significance. It is a living document that changes and develops, and has the power to alter tradition.
Discussion question: In what ways does the emphasis on oral transmission in Sacred Harp strengthen the tradition's bonds to the past or distance modern practice from older practices, or both?
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