I wrote my first Amish novel in 2007, and I knew then that music wasn’t allowed. My point has been that I think some of the rules in the Ordnung (unwritten rules that the Amish known by heart) have just been passed down generation after generation with the reason for the rule getting lost along the way. When I told them what I’d read online about music invoking emotion, they said, “That makes sense.” When I first posed the question about music, they just looked at each other, then back at me, and gave the answer I quoted above. For instance, why listen to a sad song if you aren’t sad-then, you become sad.ĭuring a recent trip to Indiana, I discussed this with an Amish husband and wife.

Through my research, I learned that the Plain people believe that music invokes unnecessary emotion. The standard response was “It just isn’t allowed, and that’s the way it’s always been.” But why?įor over a decade, I’ve been asking Amish folks why the rule is in place. Most people who read Amish fiction know that music isn’t allowed. My inspiration for Hearts in Harmony evolved over years. What inspired you to write a story about this In our interview, Beth shares why the Amish don’t pursue music, how her real life travels helped her pick the setting, and we also get a peek into her latest novella.īeth, Hearts in Harmony revolves around the dilemma for Amish pursuing music when it goes against the rules of their community. The author shares her journey to solve the mystery behind a well-known rule among the Amish.įormer newspaper-reporter-turned-novelist Beth Wiseman introduces the An Amish Journey series with Hearts in Harmony (Zondervan): Against the rules of the Amish, Levi and Mary share a secret love for music.

Hearts in Harmony by Beth Wiseman