I've been rather slow getting anything posted on the blog lately. I have been immersed in a project that has been slowly festering for some time -- compiling a "biographical history" of the composers in The Sacred Harp: Revised Cooper Edition, 2012. It's a long way from publication, but it is starting to take shape and drive my OC nature to a frenzy. Hopefully it will be accompanied by an extended research trip to the land of its birth -- Southeast Alabama.
In 2010 my friend Warren Steel and Richard Hulan produced an excellent book titled The Makers of The Sacred Harp. It is a companion book to The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition. They presented history of some of the poets and most of the composers of the songs in that book.
I intend to follow much the same tack. Because the two Sacred Harp books share the same 19th century, they also share many composers in common. I will not include bios of folks that are already in Warren's book, but rather those that are unique to the "Revised Cooper Edition, 2012". So mine will not be a complete "companion book". I will be pointing you to Warren's book to read about the composers I don't discuss (it's well worth it). I will also give a list of the page, title, poet and composer for each song. The introduction will try to make sense of the making of the first "Revised Cooper Edition" in 1902. This will be the hardest part, because much of that is uncharted waters. This, at least, is my hope and plan (d.v.).
Since I am immersed in this I have decided it will make sense to share many of these short bios on my blog as I work along (as opposed to not posting anything on the blog!). Perhaps this will be a good testing ground. Readers can point out mistakes, ask for clarification, make suggestions -- and maybe just provide a little encouragement along the way. Tomorrow -- Thomas Jefferson Allen.
In the meantime, you might want to check out the latest Sacred Harp Publishing Company Newsletter. You might find “Melancholy Day”: Letters of Condolence after the Death of Thomas Jackson Denson (and other articles) very interesting.
1 comment:
Brother Vaughn,
I noticed on your blog that you are hoping to make a trip to Southeast Alabama (and the link to the Pea River Historical Society). I hope that this trip is very, very soon.
Currently, I am working with a singing school in this area that has been in operation since Sept 2012, called the Wiregrass Shape Note Academy. God has blessed this endeavor in many ways and I would like to invite you to come visit while you are in this area.
Please contact me via the Contact Us section of the website, or you can use the telephone information to call me.
God bless your efforts and Lord willing we can meet someday very soon.
If not here, in the air!
Bonnie Caron
http://www.WiregrassSingingSchool.com
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