Barbershop quartet

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The US Navy Band Northwest's Barbershop Quartet

A barbershop quartet is a group of four singers who sing music in the barbershop style, characterized by four-part harmony without instrumental accompaniment, or a cappella. The four voices are: the lead, the vocal part which typically carries the melody; a bass , the part which provides the bass line to the melody; a tenor , the part which harmonizes above the lead; and a baritone , the part that frequently completes the chord. The baritone normally sings just below the lead singer, sometimes just above as the harmony requires. Barbershop music is typified by close harmony— the upper three voices generally remain within one octave of each other.

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While the traditional barbershop quartet included only male singers, contemporary quartets can include any gender combination. All-female barbershop quartets were often called beauty shop quartets, a term that has fallen out of favor. The voice parts for women's and mixed barbershop groups use the same names as those for male groups since the roles perform similar functions in the quartet although the vocal ranges may be different.

While the regional origins of barbershop quartet singing are not wholly agreed upon, [1] current organizations that promote the style typify it as an "old American institution." [2] While the style is most popular in the United States, barbershop organizations exist in the United Kingdom, [3] The Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, South Africa, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. [4]

Barbershop quartets have been featured in popular culture in musical theater productions such as The Music Man , or lampooned in television series such as The Simpsons and Family Guy .

History

While many sources claim that barbershop singing originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States of America, some maintain that the origins of barbershop singing are "obscure". [1] The style is considered a blend of White and African American musical styles. [5] Although the African American influence is sometimes overlooked, these quartets had a formative role in the development of the style. [6]

By the 1920s, the popularity of the style had begun to fade. It was revived in the late 1930s along with the founding of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), now known as the Barbershop Harmony Society, or BHS. [7] [8] The society's first meeting was held at the Tulsa Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 11, 1938, [1] and it was open only to male singers. In 1945, a parallel organization for women was also founded in Tulsa, called Sweet Adelines International (SAI). [9] Harmony, Incorporated (HI), also serving women, was established in Rhode Island in 1959. [10]

In 1971, president of BHS Ralph Ribble launched the "Barberpole Cat Program" to encourage barbershop singing as widely as possible. [11] Well-known and popular barbershop songs were published and promoted in order to provide a core set of pieces for barbershop quartets. The current list of 12 songs, commonly known as "polecats", [12] [13] was selected in 1987. These songs, plus the tag end of two others, are:

Style of dress

The Dapper Dans at Disney World dressed in traditional barbershop quartet style in 2006 BarbershopQuartet Disneyworld.jpg
The Dapper Dans at Disney World dressed in traditional barbershop quartet style in 2006

In competition, barbershop quartets generally wear coordinated outfits to mark them as members of the same group. The Society Contest and Judging Committee of the Barbershop Harmony Society notes in their rule book that aesthetics are important to competitive success: "The judge responds to both the vocal and visual aspects of the performance, but the judge principally evaluates the interaction of those aspects as they work together to create the image of the song." [15]

Traditionally, barbershop quartet attire consisted of: vest, straw hat, and spats, often with bow tie and sleeve garters; this is known as the Gay Nineties style. [16] In popular culture, this style exemplifies the stereotypical barbershop quartet. Several Walt Disney theme parks feature a dedicated barbershop quartet called The Dapper Dans (Disney World version pictured). The outfits worn by these performers vary depending on location but do feature vests and straw hats.

Roles of vocal parts

As a general rule, barbershop quartets use a TTBB (tenor—tenor—baritone—bass) arrangement, with the second tenor singing the lead. Since the 1940s, barbershop singers have tuned their seventh chords with just intonation to maximize the overtones, yielding a distinctive "ringing" sound. [17]

Max Q, winners of the Barbershop Harmony Society's international barbershop convention in Denver, Colorado, 2007. From left to right: Greg Clancy (tenor), Tony DeRosa (lead), Jeff Oxley (bass) and Gary Lewis (baritone). Maxqt.jpg
Max Q, winners of the Barbershop Harmony Society's international barbershop convention in Denver, Colorado, 2007. From left to right: Greg Clancy (tenor), Tony DeRosa (lead), Jeff Oxley (bass) and Gary Lewis (baritone).

Tenor: The tenor generally harmonizes above the lead, making the part the highest in the quartet. So as not to overpower the lead singer, who carries the tune, the part is often sung in falsetto, which is of a softer quality than singing in the modal register, [18] though some quartets do make use of tenors with a softer full voice quality. [19] Notable examples of barbershop quartets which made use of the full-voiced tenor include The Buffalo Bills and Boston Common. [20]

The range of a tenor in barbershop music does not necessarily closely correspond to that of a tenor's range in Classical repertoire, often being more in the range of the classical countertenor range. [21]

Lead: The lead, often a lower or second tenor or even more recently a higher or lighter baritone,[ citation needed ] usually sings the main melody.

Baritone: The baritone often completes the chord with a medium voice, usually slightly below the lead, but sometimes above it. While the baritone's part by itself does not sound as "melodious" as the other three, the baritone is a fundamental role in the quartet to filling in the missing notes and giving each chord a fuller sound.

Bass: The bass always sings and harmonizes the lowest notes, often setting the root of the chord for root position chords, or singing the lowest note of the chord for inverted chords.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbershop Harmony Society</span> Barbershop music promotional organization

The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA), is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C. Cash and Rupert I. Hall in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1938, the organization quickly grew, promoting barbershop harmony among men of all ages. As of 2014, just under 23,000 men in the United States and Canada were members of this organization whose focus is on a cappella music. The international headquarters was in Kenosha, Wisconsin for fifty years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 2007. In June 2018, the society announced it would allow women to join as full members.

A chord is in close harmony if its notes are arranged within a narrow range, usually with no more than an octave between the top and bottom notes. In contrast, a chord is in open harmony if there is more than an octave between the top and bottom notes. The more general term spacing describes how far apart the notes in a chord are voiced. A triad in close harmony has compact spacing, while one in open harmony has wider spacing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbershop music</span> Type of vocal harmony

Barbershop vocal harmony, as codified during the barbershop revival era (1930s–present), is a style of a cappella close harmony, or unaccompanied vocal music, characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a primarily homorhythmic texture. Each of the four parts has its own role: generally, the lead sings the melody, the tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes, and the baritone completes the chord, usually below the lead. The melody is not usually sung by the tenor or baritone, except for an infrequent note or two to avoid awkward voice leading, in tags or codas, or when some appropriate embellishment can be created. One characteristic feature of barbershop harmony is the use of what is known as "snakes" and "swipes". This is when a chord is altered by a change in one or more non-melodic voices. Occasional passages may be sung by fewer than four voice parts.

The Buffalo Bills were a barbershop quartet formed in Buffalo, New York in 1947. The quartet won the 1950 International Championship and is best known for appearing in the 1957 Broadway production The Music Man and its 1962 film version. The quartet was in existence for 20 years, until their last performance in New York City in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Adelines International</span> Womens barbershop singing organization

Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers, established in 1945, committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performances. This independent, nonprofit music education association is one of the world's largest singing organizations for women. "Harmonize the World" is the organization's motto. It has a current membership of 23,000 and holds an annual international singing competition.

Gotcha! is an American barbershop quartet formed in 1996 by four members of the Masters of Harmony chorus.

Gas House Gang was a barbershop quartet that won the 1993 SPEBSQSA International Quartet Competition. They started singing as a group in 1987 in St. Louis Missouri. After winning the 1988 Central States District Competition in their first attempt, they began a steady climb up the International Competition ladder which culminated in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where they were awarded the 1993 International Quartet Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbershop arranging</span>

Barbershop arranging is the art of creating arrangements of barbershop music. The Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) and Sweet Adelines International (SAI) have prescribed rules that dictate what is an acceptable arrangement, particularly with regard to singing in competition. This makes barbershop arranging a specialist form of arranging, rarely tackled by those outside barbershop; likewise, barbershop arrangers tend to be known only for their barbershop arrangements rather than for their work in any other musical form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Adeline (song)</span> 1903 ballad

"(You're the Flower of My Heart,) Sweet Adeline" is a ballad best known as a barbershop standard. It was first published in 1903, with lyrics by Richard Husch Gerard to music by Harry Armstrong, from a tune he had written in 1896 at the age of 18. According to a 1928 newspaper story, the lyrics were inspired "by a girl who worked at the music counter of a New York department store." After failing to find a publisher with the initial title, "You're the Flower of My Heart, Sweet Rosalie", according to a story the two decided a new title was in order and were inspired by a poster advertising the farewell tour of opera singer Adelina Patti. It did not become a hit until it was performed in 1904 by the group The Haydn Quartet. The Haydn Quartet's version was #1 for 10 weeks in 1904, and the Peerless Quartet also hit #1 with their version in 1904, for three weeks, according to Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolis (barbershop quartet)</span>

Metropolis was a barbershop quartet affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society. The group won five consecutive medals with the Barbershop Harmony Society at their annual International Convention. Metropolis has performed over 500 stage shows in the United States and in Finland, Russia, England, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Japan and Ireland from 1994 to 2013. They performed in over 190 cities around the world and over 40 states/provinces in the USA & Canada.

The Four Harmonizers was a Barbershop quartet that won the 1943 SPEBSQSA international competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Q (quartet)</span> Barbershop quartet

Max Q is the barbershop quartet that won the gold medal Barbershop Harmony Society International Barbershop Quartet Contest at Denver's Pepsi Center July 7, 2007. The quartet's run for the title is featured in the 2009 feature documentary American Harmony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harmonic seventh chord</span> A major triad plus the harmonic seventh interval

The harmonic seventh chord is a major triad plus the harmonic seventh interval. This interval is somewhat narrower and is "sweeter in quality" than an "ordinary" minor seventh, which has a just intonation ratio of 9:5, or an equal-temperament ratio of 1000 cents.

Singing Valentines is the name for a fundraising program that is popular with barbershop choruses in the U.S., Canada and Australia. The delivery of Singing Valentines is usually done by a barbershop quartet from a chapter affiliated with the three major International barbershop societies:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OC Times</span> Barbershop quartet

OC Times is a male barbershop quartet affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society. They earned second place silver medals at the International Barbershop Quartet Contest at Denver's Pepsi Center on July 7, 2007, and won the International Quartet Championship on July 5, 2008, in Nashville, Tennessee. The quartet combines traditional barbershop harmonies with contemporary music styles. The music of OC Times is inspired by artists like Michael Buble, Sinatra, and Elvis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vocal harmony</span> Style of vocal music

Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical choral music and opera and in the popular styles from many Western cultures ranging from folk songs and musical theater pieces to rock ballads. In the simplest style of vocal harmony, the main vocal melody is supported by a single backup vocal line, either at a pitch which is above or below the main vocal line, often in thirds or sixths which fit in with the chord progression used in the song. In more complex vocal harmony arrangements, different backup singers may sing two or even three other notes at the same time as each of the main melody notes, mostly with a consonant, pleasing-sounding thirds, sixths, and fifths.

Martini is the barbershop quartet that won the Sweet Adelines International Quartet Championship for 2012 on October 21, 2011, in Houston, Texas. SAI, "one of the world's largest singing organizations for women", has members over five continents who belong to more than 1200 quartets.

Tim Waurick is a barbershop tenor singer and coach for various barbershop choruses and quartets. Waurick creates learning tracks – recordings in which one part is dominant and the others are sung softly in the background – for the Barbershop Harmony Society, Sweet Adelines International, and various other quartets and choruses around the world. His learning track company is named TimTracks. Waurick is one of the few barbershop enthusiasts who has managed to turn his hobby into a profession. He is known for his unusually wide vocal range and his ability to hold notes for long periods of time.

James Earl Henry, most commonly referred to as "Jim Henry", is a vocal music professor, barbershop bass singer, and co-director of the Ambassadors of Harmony (AOH). He is a multiple international award-winning quartet member, whose quartets have appeared nationally on the NBC, PBS, and Fox television networks. Henry is the current director of choral studies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis and a contributing author of widely used musical reference works.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Barbershop quartet singing | music". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Our Vision & Mission". Our Vision & Mission | Barbershop Harmony Society. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  3. ↑ Garnett, Liz (2005). The British Barbershopper: A Study in Socio-musical Values. London: Ashgate. ISBN   978-0-7546-3559-8.
  4. ↑ "Chapters/Choruses outside of the United States/Canada". Barbershop Harmony Society. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  5. ↑ Abbott, Lynn (1992). "'Play That Barber Shop Chord': A Case for the African-American Origin of Barbershop Harmony". American Music. 10 (3). University of Illinois Press: 289–325. doi:10.2307/3051597. JSTOR   3051597. S2CID   191390367.
  6. ↑ Henry, James Earl (2000). The Origins of Barbershop Harmony: A Study of Barbershop's Links to Other African American Musics as Evidenced through Recordings and Arrangements of Early Black and White Quartets. Washington University.
  7. ↑ "History of the Barbershop Quartet, a Time-Honored Tradition". May 8, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  8. ↑ Döhl, Frédéric (2014). "From Harmonic Style to Genre: The Early History (1890s–1940s) of the Uniquely American Musical Term 'Barbershop'". American Music . 32 (2): 123–171. doi:10.5406/americanmusic.32.2.0123. ISSN   1945-2349. S2CID   194072078.
  9. ↑ "About | Sweet Adelines". sweetadelines.com. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  10. ↑ Averill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting: A Social History of American Barbershop Harmony. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 132. ISBN   978-0-1951-1672-4.
  11. ↑ "The Barberpole Cat Program". March 21, 2011. Archived from the original on March 21, 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Barbershop Harmony Society: Barbershop Barberpole Cat Learning Tracks (Lead) – Music on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Classic barbershop songs". Reading Eagle. September 26, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  14. ↑ Olcott, Chauncey. "My Wild Irish Rose" (PDF). M. Witmark & Sons. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Contest Rules" (PDF). Barbershop Harmony Society. August 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  16. ↑ Averill 2003, p. 137.
  17. ↑ Averill 2003, p. 164.
  18. ↑ Hoch, Matthew (2014). A dictionary for the modern singer dictionaries for the modern musician. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 20–21. ISBN   978-0-8108-8656-8.
  19. ↑ McNeil, W.K., ed. (2005). Encyclopedia of American gospel music. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. ISBN   1-135-37700-6.
  20. ↑ "Society Hall of Fame, Class of 2014". The Harmonizer. Nashville: Barbershop Harmony Society: 23. Winter 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Barbershop quartet singing". Encyclopædia Britannica . Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  22. ↑ "LitCharts". LitCharts. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  23. ↑ Martin, Jeff (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  24. ↑ "Frasier – Season 6, Episode 2: Frasier's Curse". TV.com. TV.com. October 1, 1998. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  25. ↑ "DD: Ascend more casually". homestuck.com. Andrew Hussie.
  26. ↑ Kohler, Chris. "If You Leave Me, I'll Die: 9 Popular Songs That Unlock BioShock Infinite's Mysteries". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  27. ↑ "GEICO TV Commercial, 'A Barbershop Quartet Plays Basketball'". iSpot.tv. 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  28. ↑ Prestridge, James (January 13, 2019). "An Interview With Robert Rice". Close-Up Culture. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Comedy Central's Graveyard of One-Season Sketch Shows". Vulture.com . August 11, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  30. ↑ Kozak, Oktay Ege (August 13, 2018). "An Appreciation for Harlan Ellison and 'A Boy and His Dog'". Paste . Retrieved June 4, 2020.
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