Marini, S: Sacred Song in America Religion, Music, and Public Culture

"A unique and compelling contribution to American cultural history."--The Antioch Review "The breadth of Marini's study is staggering . . . Marini's solid contribution to the all-too-sparse number of works that recognize the rich contribution of American sacred music promises to spur a number of academic studies and thereby enrich the future of historiography and understanding of American culture."--Journal of Southern Religion "A deeply reflective text, layered with multiple literary and musical references. . . . an excellent text for the classroom. Marini is able to draw many strands of influence together as he explains each musical tradition with ease and clarity."--Journal of the NABPR "A wealth of information as well as readable, thought-provoking interpretations. . . . Marini has produced a volume of value for those interested in American religion and music as well as for specialists in cultural history."--Theology Today "We owe Marini deep thanks for this unusual study. He offers compelling insights into the nature of our public religion, what moves us, how secularity and sacrality intertwine. . . . Marini's book also helps church musicians to think carefully about their powerful role in religious communities and to understand their enormous responsibility in leading those communities in song."--Cross Accent "This book provides rich descriptions of many varieties of sacred music that have evolved in America over the last three hundred years."--Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly "This unusually fine and important book has no parallel. I know of no other book on American religious music with as wide a sweep. As a historian of American religion, and as a student and practitioner of sacred music, Marini is simply and utterly unique."--Harvey Cox, Thomas Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School and the author of The Secular City and Fire from Heaven "Enlightening, well informed, and sophisticated. I know of nothing like it."--Richard Crawford, author of America's Musical Life: A History