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It’s not a reprint. Why Sacred Harp singers are revamping an iconic pre-Civil War hymnal

At a Primitive Baptist congregation in western Georgia, singers preserve a folk tradition more than 180 years old by performing The Sacred Harp using distinctive shape-note notation.
The Sacred Harp, a shape-note hymnal initially released in 1844 by editors from western Georgia, has undergone periodic updates that both honor its historical roots and incorporate compositions by contemporary songwriters.
A nine-person committee, appointed in October 2018, has developed a new edition of The Sacred Harp. Its release, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now planned for September 2025 at the organization's annual convention held in Atlanta.
David Ivey, chair of the revision committee, emphasized, "It's a renewal, not a reprint," while Jesse P. Karlsberg noted, "people will be singing from it long after I'm dead," highlighting the songbook's lasting significance.
The new edition aims to unite a diverse community of singers across generations and backgrounds by making singing accessible, reflecting that The Sacred Harp is as much a social tradition as a musical one.

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It’s not a reprint. Why Sacred Harp singers are revamping an iconic pre-Civil War hymnal

By HOLLY MEYER BREMEN, Ga. (AP) — Singers at Holly Springs Primitive Baptist Church in West Georgia treat their red hymnals like extensions of themselves, never straying far from their copies of “The Sacred Harp” and its music notes shaped like triangles, ovals, squares and diamonds. Related Articles Taylor Swift has regained control of her music, buys back first 6 albums Rock Music Menu: Boston Calling braves cold…

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