Shaker songs

"'Tis a gift to be simple." So begins the best known and loveliest of the Shaker songs, all of which exhort us to tap into our own inner harmony and live with humility to God. Music has always played a central role in Shaker worship, from the folk music of the early Shakers, purged of worldly lyrics and accompanied by the fiddle, to the more traditional hymns written later, often based on verses of Scripture and meant to be played at a lively tempo.

This beautiful compendium and the accompanying CD feature the best of over a century of Shaker music. The easy-to-follow sheet music will be a boon to singers and musicians who would like to add these haunting songs to their repertoires. The illustrations and photographs, drawn from the arts and crafts of all branches of the Shaker tradition throughout its history, provide a beautiful visual context for the music. In all, it is a lovely package, sure to become a cherished gift at the holidays and all year round.