The alchemy of siblings singing together

October 11, 2017 10:31 AM

Help me source a half-remembered quotation about siblings singing.

I believe this is from a bit of prose, perhaps a novel. The narrator reflects on the magic or alchemy that happens when siblings or people who share genes join their voices in song.

I cannot for the life of me remember the exact quotation or where it is from and it is driving me mad! Help me, hive mind!

posted by gauche to Writing & Language (12 answers total)

I don't know the quote you're speaking of but adding "natural harmony" to your searches might get you there.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:48 AM on October 11, 2017

Possibly The Dark is Rising. There's a bit in there where the main character thinks about singing with his brother and trying to blend their voices to sound like one voice.
posted by capricorn at 11:57 AM on October 11, 2017

I was coming here to say what capricorn said, the bit from The Dark is Rising when they're singing carols.
posted by PussKillian at 12:19 PM on October 11, 2017

The song One Voice by The Wailin' Jennys is about a similar theme, though not explicitly about shared genetics.
posted by yuwtze at 1:06 PM on October 11, 2017

I've seen the term "blood harmony" used for this, maybe that helps?
posted by swordfishtrombones at 2:14 PM on October 11, 2017

(This is off topic, but thanks for bringing up The Dark Is Rising and helping me remember this book's name after years of struggling to recall enough detail about the story to track it down. Relief!)
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 6:08 PM on October 11, 2017

Linda Ronstadt made a comment like this regarding the Everly Brothers.
posted by sageleaf at 11:17 PM on October 11, 2017

Response by poster: Thank you all for your answers, although none of them hits home.

Memory is dim, but I believe that the observation came in the context of a story about several siblings (more than two) who had been amateur or semi-professional singers together as children, and who were commencing to sing together in a concert hall or similar.
posted by gauche at 6:44 AM on October 12, 2017

Response by poster: And, FWIW, I get that this question is, like, ridiculously specific.
posted by gauche at 6:46 AM on October 12, 2017

This is a long shot, but have you read The Time of Our Singing by Richard Powers? Three of the main characters are siblings who sing together as kids.
posted by Daily Alice at 10:08 AM on October 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Ok, not a novel. But I've got a half remembered inkling that perhaps the Vonn Trapps were spoken about like this. (The real life version.)

But: this quote sounded familiar, and I'd watched a video about the Willis clan on America's Got Talent: Mel B talks about family harmony blending. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MPdlsjl96I (at about 5:30 in.)
posted by freethefeet at 11:32 PM on October 12, 2017

Response by poster: This is a long shot, but have you read The Time of Our Singing by Richard Powers? Three of the main characters are siblings who sing together as kids.

I did once, long ago, start to read this book but never finished it. I happen to have it on my bookshelf at home. This is probably the right answer. Will update you.
posted by gauche at 7:44 AM on October 13, 2017