National Barbershop Quartet Day is on April 11th and is a great chance to celebrate the music. A barbershop quartet consists of four members, which perform a cappella music. They sing without instrumental accompaniment and create a harmonious rhythm that is very enjoyable to listen to. And the lyrics of their music are usually comprehensible, and the melodies are easy to sing. Barbershop music is characterized by singers performing the melody in the second-highest voice part, the “lead”. And a high tenor performs simple harmonies above that melody. The bass which is the lowest voice performs the simpler low harmonies. And a baritone is a voice part that is responsible for filling in the tricky parts above and below the melody. Besides having unique characteristics, Barbershop music has a great history. So, April 11th is a great day for listening to quartets and traveling back in time.
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NATIONAL BARBERSHOP QUARTET DAY HISTORY
Barbershop music has deep roots in African American history. It takes its roots in the South, more specifically New Orleans. Throughout the 1880s men blended with barbers and others in the shop as they were waiting for their haircuts. So, to entertain themselves they sang. And the sound they created was developed into a genre: barbershop music.
It became popular between 1900 and 1919. In the 1920s, however, it began to lose its popularity. Its popularity was brought back when the SPEBSQSA (The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America) organization was founded. The organization quickly expanded. In addition to this, other organizations that promoted barbershop music promptly grew. Today, in Canada and the US, under 25,000 men are members of the SPEBSQSA organization.
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Rupert I. Hall and Owen Clifton Cash founded the SPEBSQSA, on April 11, 1938, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Society did not require its members to have a talent for singing. According to one of the articles issued by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cash said: “All we ask is just that said prospective member thinks he can sing”.
Although men were the initial performers of barbershop music, they are not the only ones who sing without any instrumental accompaniment today. Barbershop music is for all. There are various organizations in the United States, that connect women and merge their voices so crowds can listen to harmonious tunes. Women’s organizations much like men’s compete too. They practice bringing their voices into harmony. People who do Barbershop music find it fun and like making harmonious music together.
Celebrating National Barbershop Quartet Day:
- You can go to the nearest barbershop organization and join them. This is a great opportunity to show your voice and meet some interesting folks. In addition to meeting some folks, you can change the lives of people with your music.
- You can attend a barbershop event. Events are held throughout the year, so you can entertain yourself by attending these events.
- You can read books or watch documentaries to learn more about the history of the barbershop quartet.
