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Who Will Bow and Bend: the melody (soprano)

The melody of Who Will Bow and Bend, sung by the soprano, in C, from C4 to E5. Hear it on its own or with the others, then sing it and watch each note light up.

Carries the tune, with many repeated notes, most often on E, down to middle C only in the first two strains: in the first on each "Who", on "In" and "From", and on the ends of "willow,", "freedom," and "blowing,", and in the second on "Pride" and the end of "working.", and up to its top E only in the second and third: on "of" and the start of "power,", on "bend to get", on the end of "turning," and the start of "twisting,", and on "starch".

Range
C4 to E5
Key
C
Guide voice
The app's own voice

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How to learn the soprano part

  1. 01 · Your part

    Hear your part on its own until the tune of it is in your ear.

  2. 02 · With the others

    Hear it with the others, so you know where it sits in the chord.

  3. 03 · Sing it

    Sing it with the others under you and watch each note light up as you land it. The mic listens only while it plays, and nothing is recorded.

About Who Will Bow and Bend

Words: Shaker song (Mary Hazzard's songbook, about 1847)

Tune: Shaker song (Mary Hazzard's songbook, about 1847)

Who Will Bow and Bend is a Shaker song in three strains: "Who will bow and bend like a willow, Who will turn and twist and reel". It is copied in Mary Hazzard's manuscript songbook, begun in 1847, with no title, place, giver or date; two songs away on each side are songs signed by Canterbury's Second Family and dated "Feb 22nd 1847" and "April 1847". Hazzard wrote "Who will turn and twist and real"; we sing "reel". Our tune and words are read from her page, written in the Shakers' notation of letters, in C, with every pitch as written, and the four parts are our own. This is all three strains, each sung twice as the book marks it, for 2 to 4 singers. Courtesy Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.

All about Who Will Bow and Bend More folk songs, part by part

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Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up.
  • A guide sings your partHear your line over the others, slow it down, then take your turn.
  • Your notes light upEach note shows where you landed, and a hint when to go up or down.
  • Record every part yourselfStack your takes in time until you're the whole choir.
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