HARMONY, INC.
The
“barbershop” form of singing began around 1850 among men patronizing local
barbershops. There they developed
four-part spontaneous harmony with a tenor, baritone and bass weaving harmony
around the melody or lead singer. Well-
known favourite songs were sung and there was never any instrumental
accompaniment.
In 1883 the
Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in
America Inc. (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.) – known as the Society – was formed.
Women, being unable to join this men’s group, started their own
organization in 1948, and called themselves Sweet Adelines.
In
1958, a discriminatory clause was incorporated into the Sweet Adelines’
By-Laws without a vote of the membership. When
efforts failed to have this By-Law reconsidered, five chapters, led by
Providence, Rhode Island, left to form Harmony, Inc. which was incorporated in
the State of Rhode Island in February, 1959.
Harmony,
Inc. is a non-profit, educational, singing society for women.
Its purposes are to educate its members in the art of singing four-part
harmony, barbershop style; to organize and maintain choruses and quartettes; to
give public and private performances; to sponsor contests; to promote interest
and appreciation of barbershop harmony and to promote friendship among all
women.
Barbershop
harmony is unaccompanied four-part harmony, with a high harmony part sung
consistently above the melody. Time
and rhythm may be adjusted to obtain a better interpretation, which is
expressive singing. The melody is
usually sung by the “lead” voice. The
“tenor” part is customarily sung above the “lead”.
The “bass” sings in the lowest part of the vocal register, while the
“baritone” fills in harmony sometimes below, sometimes above the “lead”.
A pitch pipe is used to establish tonality – to sound the key note
before each song.