1- In 1876, "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" was written. This song is considered a milestone in the development of the barbershop style of harmonization because of its significant chord variation; this variation was previously absent in popular songs. What else happened in 1876 that was of momentous importance to barbershop harmony?
2- The society magazine was not always called the Harmonizer. Identify the name of its predecessor and the years in which it was published.
3- In the early years of the society, arrangements of barbershop songs were available only from commercial publishing houses. In what year did the society begin publishing arrangements itself?
4- What was the problem with the commercial publishers which motivated the society to self-publish?
5- When and where was the first chorus directors clinic held? For extra credit, name the society luminary who was the instructor.
Answers to Barbershop History Quiz
1- Thomas Edison invented the phonograph which consequently led to recorded barbershop music being widely available in peoples' homes across the nation.
2- Barber Shop Re-Chordings, which was published from 1941-1943 when the name was changed to the Harmonizer.
3- 1956.
4- By the mid-1950's, barbershop had ceased to be a form of popular music with broad public appeal. There was no money to be made in publishing barbershop arrangements; and, consequently, material went out of print and remained so.
5- In the 1949 International Convention held in Buffalo, NY, by Frank Thorne