This past weekend marked the publication of the "The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition," and the tunebook's launch produced the largest Sacred Harp singing in recorded history.
Thanks for your message, Kevin. So glad you liked the article, and we couldn't agree more -- what an amazing event! Regarding your note about Davidson's essay, the version that we have in our archive is in a Reader's Digest from the same year as the Virginia Quarterly Review. The magazine reprinted Davidson's essay under the title "Songs of the Sacred Harp." However, based on your note, we have updated the title in our article to reflect the original title. We appreciate you letting us know.
Plant had the right idea about sound and the absence of what feels like the human voice, but he completely missed the point of why it's like it is. It's not a question of plug-ins this or that but of the way people are recorded away from real acoustical spaces, in isolation and in recording studios where all the acoustics are created through processing. I say this from experience as a jazz musician who only records acoustically and live, all musicians in the same space, with some digital assist but always retaining the clash of acoustical intervals and harmonics. So it can still be done and it is done not just among the Sacred Heart people. There are still those of us out here who value, even with electronic music, the need to live and make sound in the air.
Really interesting article. I have all of your boxed sets, and they are so valuable in keeping music like this alive and vibrant. I love the paraphrased quote by David Harrington. I'm going to use it in my emails.
Nice article! Thank you. It was a remarkable event.
One note: Donald Davidson's essay was titled "The Sacred Harp in the Land of Eden"
Thanks for your message, Kevin. So glad you liked the article, and we couldn't agree more -- what an amazing event! Regarding your note about Davidson's essay, the version that we have in our archive is in a Reader's Digest from the same year as the Virginia Quarterly Review. The magazine reprinted Davidson's essay under the title "Songs of the Sacred Harp." However, based on your note, we have updated the title in our article to reflect the original title. We appreciate you letting us know.
Oh! That's actually interesting to know, too!
That darn Reader's Digest!
Plant had the right idea about sound and the absence of what feels like the human voice, but he completely missed the point of why it's like it is. It's not a question of plug-ins this or that but of the way people are recorded away from real acoustical spaces, in isolation and in recording studios where all the acoustics are created through processing. I say this from experience as a jazz musician who only records acoustically and live, all musicians in the same space, with some digital assist but always retaining the clash of acoustical intervals and harmonics. So it can still be done and it is done not just among the Sacred Heart people. There are still those of us out here who value, even with electronic music, the need to live and make sound in the air.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Allen.
I adore Ireland Sacred Harp Convention. Their unthinkable passion make me burning.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvxawOZ9FezfphaWSCH2d8vONSXM8S0d7&si=xOTxCfIOUE9Rs0-s
Really interesting article. I have all of your boxed sets, and they are so valuable in keeping music like this alive and vibrant. I love the paraphrased quote by David Harrington. I'm going to use it in my emails.
How did you know visited…did I leave a note?