THE COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS OF ALICE PARKER AND ...

touches of imitation, etc. to lend some life to the singing. No harmonic ‘inventiveness’
whatsoever—a restriction which I chafed at at first, but then came to realize had everything to do
with the continued life of the arrangement. Melody and simplicity last; harmonic inventiveness
palls.” 62
Shaw understood the simple fact that ordinary people want to hear the familiar harmonies of
their favorite carols and hymns. Perhaps he recognized that these genres often recall memories
from childhood, and to try to improve them or to tinker with them would be a disservice to the
listener. The wisdom of this restraint was vindicated in the overwhelming success of these
recordings. Indeed, the two volumes of Christmas Hymns and Carols made Shaw famous
throughout America, and the income from their sales provided Shaw with the means to
underwrite some of his other enterprises. 63 This, of course, was exactly what RCA Victor had
wished for from the beginning.
Secondly, the data demonstrates that, other than the carols and hymns that carry
sentimental weight, the genre of a melody or song did not seem to make a difference in the
treatment it received. In answer to the question, “Do you agree with my premise that your
greatest contribution to the literature was to the American folk hymn,” Dr. Parker replied, “The
tune can’t tell whether it’s sacred or secular—a great folk song I would treat in exactly the same
way.” 64 Evidently, whether a melody was for a love song, a spiritual, or a sea shanty seemed to
make little difference in the treatment it received. When asked which was the primary factor—
text, mode, rhythm, function, pitch, etc.—in determining how a song was to be arranged,
Parker’s response began assertively, but ended in surprising and uncharacteristic ambivalence,
showing that in her mind there is no one set answer to that question. 65
62 Parker, email communication with author, 29 Jul. 2011
63 Mussulman Dear People, 170.
64 Parker, telephone interview with author, 27 May 2009.
65 Parker, email communication with author, 4 Aug. 2011. “For any vocal music there are three ‘basics’:
text, rhythm (world of time) and pitch (world of space). The arranger—or performer or re-creator—has to have a
point of view about each of these in order to bring the song to life. For me, text is the most important when I’m
63