''Harmonia Sacra'' is a

Mennonite Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...

shape note Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the noteh ...

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

and tune book, originally published as ''A Compilation of Genuine Church Music'' in 1832 (

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

) by

Joseph Funk Joseph Funk (1778–1862) was a pioneer American music teacher, publisher, and an early American composer. He invented a shape note system in 1851 for the Harmonia Sacra. Funk was born April 6, 1778 (though his gravestone states March 9, 1777) ...

(1778–1862). The original publication was a "four-shape" shape note book using the shapes and syllables "faw, sol, law, and mi". Funk designed ''A Compilation of Genuine Church Music'' for use in

singing school A singing school is a school in which students are taught to sightread vocal music. Singing schools are a long-standing cultural institution in the Southern United States. While some singing schools are offered for credit, most are informal program ...

s. It contained 208 pages, including rudiments of music and tunes harmonized for three voices. Funk released a second edition in 1835, and a third in 1842. The 1847 fourth edition was the first publication by Joseph Funk and Sons at Singers Glen. The name was changed to ''Harmonia Sacra'' in 1851, using the original title as a subtitle. In 1851, Funk also changed from the four-shapes to the seven-shape shape note system. Rather than adopt the Aikin system, Funk devised his own. Further editions were released, including 1860, 1866, 1878, 1980 and 1993. In 1866, called the 12th edition, the three voice parts were expanded to four. After 1878 (17th edition), the rudiments of music were deleted. In 1980, the 24th edition, the format was changed, changing the old four stave oblong tunebook to an upright modern soprano-alto-tenor-bass format. The 25th edition (1993) restored the old oblong tunebook format, as well as the rudiments of music and 27 three-voice hymns from the first and second editions. A newly typeset 26th edition is available. An online edition of the 26th edition provides tunes in both four- and seven-shape settings. According to the ''

Mennonite Encyclopedia Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radi ...

'' this "music textbook ... has reached a total issue of nearly 100,000 copies." The book is still is in use by Mennonites today. Most singings are held in the

Dayton Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...

- Harrisonburg area of Virginia.

External links

Samples of Harmonia Sacra Singing
in ''Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online''
Online Edition
of the 26th Edition of the Harmonia Sacra

Shape note Protestant hymnals Christian music media 1832 in music 1832 books 1832 in Christianity {{music-publication-stub