Lost in transcription? The songbook as mediator for the distribution of songs in a post-digital era

Abstract

Taking its departure in Beck’s rather unusual release Song Reader (2012), a collection of songs in the format of a sheet book rather than an album, the article investigates the concept of the songbook as mediator for the distribution of songs. This is done by the use of Kirkesangbogen (2017), an unauthorized supplement to the Danish Psalm Book, in which a great number of songwriters have contributed – among these Nikolaj Paakjær. The article documents how one of his songs, included in Kirkesangbogen, came into existence in dialogue with his supervisor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, where Paakjær attended the songwriting bachelor programme. In doing so, the article points to a number of pros and cons of publishing songs in the format of sheet music instead of the format of the album.