Kentucky Harmony

Creator

Preview

Date

1816

Description

Kentucky Harmony, a shape-note tune book, was compiled by Ananias Davisson and first printed at Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1816. The first edition was 140 pages and contained 143 tunes. Roughly 60% of the tunes are in minor keys. The influence of the Kentucky Harmony can be seen in later tunebooks, and it is considered by some to be one of the most important and influential collections of American folk hymnody. Despite the name Kentucky Harmony, Davisson lived most of his life in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The Cedarville University copy is a facsimile edition published by Augsburg Publishing House in 1976.

Origin

United States

Language

English

Location

Special Collections (Sacred Music Collection)