The Harmonia Sacra

The Harmonia Sacra is a hymn book of renown. In 1832 a Mennonite named Joseph Funk published a songbook that had a profound influence on Mennonite singing for generations. Its name, Genuine Church Music, indicated the compiler's intention that the contents be songs that, in his words, "have stood the test of time and survived the changes of fashion." Its distinctively shaped notes of the fasola system linked it with dozens of songbooks published in America at the time to encourage musical literacy. The variety of musical content, ranging from simple psalm tunes and American folk melodies to complex early American anthems, offered ideal materials for singing schools. The Harmonia Sacra is still used in old folks' all-day singings in Rockingham and adjacent areas. In fact, this edition is the revised Legacy Edition, making it the twenty-seventh edition of The Harmonia Sacra.