Ordering The Sacred Harp
Buy yourself a copy of The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition songbook:
the best collection of sacred songs, hymns, odes, and anthems ever offered the singing public for general use.
Also available from the Sacred Harp Publishing Company
Like Cords Around My Heart Audiobook
By Buell Cobb. Cobb’s acclaimed Sacred Harp memoir brings to life singers and singings of decades past with poignancy and wit. Audiobook features 6 CDs with a digital download and a booklet with preface, author notes, and photos. More info »
Original Sacred Harp: Centennial Edition
Edited by Joseph Stephen James. Centennial Edition edited by Jesse P. Karlsberg. Commemorative reprint of a much-loved 1911 historical edition of The Sacred Harp, with a new introduction on the book’s legacy and context. More info »
The Makers of the Sacred Harp
By Warren Steel with Richard Hulan. The long-awaited companion to The Sacred Harp, tracing the sources of every tune and text in our songbook, from the work of B. F. White and E. J. King to the contributions by various composers to the 1991 edition. More info »
The Legacy of the
Sacred Harp
By Chloe Webb. Curiosity about Webb’s grandmother’s tattered 1869 edition of The Sacred Harp songbook, sparked a quest to reconnect with Dumas family ancestors who composed, sang, and lived by the words of The Sacred Harp. More info »
Revision of The Sacred Harp Approved
Read a May 2024 status report on the revision of The Sacred Harp.
The Board of Directors of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company has approved a revision of The Sacred Harp. The book has been revised every generation since its first publication in 1844 and has always included the music of living composers. David Ivey is the chair of the Revision-Music Committee, which also includes Lauren Bock, Helen Brown, Richard Ivey, Jesse P. Karlsberg, Nathan Rees, Karen Rollins, Terry Wootten, and David Wright.
The Revision-Music Committee is pleased to invite you to participate in two special singings for 2024. Finalist songs from more than 1,100 submissions will be sung and recorded in these sessions. We expect to sing about 80 finalist songs in each session (notes and words). The committee will use these sessions and recordings to make final decisions on which songs will be added to the book.
Europe Session
Sun., June 9, 10:30am–3:30pm GMT
Bristol, UK – Saltford Hall
Wedmore Road, Saltford, Bristol
US Session
Sun., June 30, 10am–3pm ET
Bremen, Georgia – Holly Springs Church
Previous status reports on the revision:
Online Exhibition: The United Sacred Harp Musical Association
Since its first session in Atlanta in 1905, the United Sacred Harp Musical Association, commonly known as the United Convention, has affected the form of The Sacred Harp and public consciousness of our traditions. The story of the United Convention—told here through recordings, photos, and more—offers a fascinating perspective on the history of Sacred Harp singing in the twentieth century and beyond.