Imperfect Harmony

by Stacy Horn

For Stacy Horn, regardless of what is going on in the world or her life, singing in an amateur choir - the Choral Society of Grace Church in New York - never fails to take her to a place where hope reigns and everything good is possible. She's not particularly religious, and her voice is not exceptional (so she says), but like the 32.5 million other chorus members throughout this country, singing makes her happy. Horn brings us along as she sings some of the greatest music humanity has ever produced, delves into the dramatic stories of conductors and composers, unearths the fascinating history of group singing, and explores remarkable discoveries from the new science of singing, including all the unexpected health benefits.

• ISBN10: 1616200413
• ISBN13: 9781616200411
• Publish Date: 2 July 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 15 June 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Algonquin Books (division of Workman)
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[wcs53]

I requested, and received, a review copy of Imperfect Harmony, but I didn't really know what to expect. I used to belong to a local community choir and it was something I mostly enjoyed, so I thought a book of someone sharing stories and anecdotes of choir experiences would be something fairly interesting to read. Although the book contained some of this, it really was a whole lot more and, in fact, turned out to be one of my most enjoyable reads so far this year.

Stacy Horn has written a book well worth reading. What really came through in her writing is her passion for music. I really enjoy music as well, so I found this book a pleasure to read. The book centres around her singing experiences in the Choral Society of Grace Church in New York, but around these she shares the history of many of her favourite choral pieces, along with some moments of the history of choirs, choral societies, and music in general. Intertwined among all of this we are given glimpses into her personal life and how she came to be involved in this particular amateur choir.

I really enjoyed reading much of the historical stuff that she shared. It was interesting to read how at one time it was not considered respectable for women to be members of a choir or choral society. It was also very interesting to read about the history of some of the pieces the choir sings as well as the background of some of the composers. I was inspired to check out some of the pieces she mentioned that I'm not familiar with and have added some of these to my own music collection. One piece, in particular, is O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen, a composer, I have to admit, who was previously unknown to me.

Horn shares how music can be a great benefit to one's life, especially in difficult times, sharing some of her own moments where this has been the case. I found myself being able to identify with some of her experiences as well.

I think that one of the best things about this book is that it can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of how musical they may or my not be. I gave it 5 stars because it really was an enjoyable read and also because I learned so much in reading it. If you have even the faintest passing interest in music, I'd recommend putting this book on your reading list.

[lovelybookshelf]

Last week, I was browsing NetGalley for the very first time. I was so excited to find "Imperfect Harmony" by Stacy Horn. The subtitle and description grabbed me immediately; I had to read this book. I was thrilled to receive an email letting me know my request had been approved.

Professionally, I'm an instrumentalist, not a singer. I'm in the flute section of a symphony, I work as a church pianist, I teach private lessons, and I play chamber music, weddings, and other gigs. The church choir where I work is small, and often there aren't enough altos to carry the part. So in the past year or so, I've tried my best to help from the piano whenever I can, singing along with my amateur-but-nice-enough voice; and I've discovered that I love to sing! So it was interesting to read Imperfect Harmony from the perspective of a professional in classical music, yet also as a (very) amateur singer.

Horn's experiences in the Choral Society of Grace Church are vividly brought to life in her book. I often felt that I was right there in the room, in the choir, having the very same experiences. She seamlessly and naturally interlaces music history with her stories. Before I knew it, I realized I'd just read pages of - gasp! - music history, and didn't find one bit of it dry. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I wish my own college music history texts had been as captivating. Horn also does a wonderful job describing more advanced musical concepts in layman's terms, which helps to keep the book accessible to all music lovers. She cites studies that give insight into why singing feels so good and how it affects us emotionally and physiologically. Even with the inclusion of history, a bit of music theory, and science, the flow of her words is never once broken. The reading never felt bogged down.

I cried while reading stories about how song came forth, often spontaneously, out of moments of deep grief to help carry people through. I laughed while reading some of the interactions between choir members, especially the "where to sit" and "someone's in my chair" antics. I texted my soprano best friend during that chapter and asked her, "Do you all have assigned seats in Choral Society?" She replied with, "No... but no one better ever sit in my chair!" I highlighted on my Nook like mad, taking special note of the many thought-provoking quotes by famous composers, conductors, and music educators; gems of knowledge and experience that I'm sure I'll pass on to my own music students.

Imperfect Harmony inspired me to listen more often, too. More often than I care to admit, I find myself listening to music out of necessity: I'll soon be performing the piece and need to study the score, or I have a student is learning a piece and I need to get to know it again. Horn's honest and heartfelt appreciation of each piece highlighted in the book compelled me to find recordings of each, put them in one playlist, and simply take in the music. We professionals forget to do that at times.

I have a few friends who will be receiving this book as a gift when it is released (April 9, 2013, Algonquin Books). If you love to sing with others...actually, disregard "to sing." If you love making music with others, you will love this book.