Southern Harmony

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker, first published in 1835.

The book is notable for having originated or popularized several hymn tunes found in modern hymnals and shape note collections like The Sacred Harp.

Besides Walker, notable contributors to Southern Harmony included Matilda T. Durham and John Gill Landrum.

[1] The American composer William Duckworth used some of the songs in the Southern Harmony as a starting point for his own minimalist choral arrangements of the same name.

The Black Crowes named their second album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion after this song anthology.

Front cover of The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion tunebook compiled by William Walker.
Original long hymnal with shape note music notation of a tune titled "New Britain" set to Newton's first verse, with four subsequent verses printed below. Underneath is another hymn titled "Cookham".
An 1847 publication of Southern Harmony , showing the title "New Britain" (" Amazing Grace ") and shape note music. Play ⓘ