NK J. METCAL [\ ‘ 4 rs ers < ay. are =— e. beret rar eed i nitf f Aah ffs me CERES ae Boxee cl z SS Ke oe HG» AEF CS Res BEE 8 fc SA aie mere SSS EI mena, a sliss fls an t 1 sf} ROD ol GF AE BS Seed x ie er, ee 8 KF SR GOK + WE 6 See EY EBS Oe ccenwl as filsi fee Pil, 39. Marts 7 Tuna : q dar fff sl rae Palsy St. Davlds, Tune. (a ae 2 on Sem 2. ee OE ae SB MAR He Bosh to] Kem Epthatia felhle Tedeia The earliest music printed in America, from the ninth edition of the Bay Psalm Book, 1698. Massachusetts Historical Society American riters and Compilers of Sacred Music By Frank J. Metcalf Member of the American Historical Association The Abingdon Press New York Cincinnati y ‘ “ " %. 1 r ‘ r , { 4 ¥ * ‘ Y as Pots eee oe ee er y ‘ \ k Sa : m ete, ate o> = ; ‘ j i 4 i i Py a . ¥y i 4 t * i A, ’ v - _Conytict 1925, 1 by including the Scand Bi, re Printed in the United States CONTENTS TUNE COMPOSERS ARRANGED BY DatTEs PART I PAGE The Rev. John Tufts...... 1689-1750........... 13 Thomas Walter.......... 1696-1725........... 19 Daniel Bayley........... 1725(?)-1799........ 23 Andrew Adgate.......... NTO ss Rake Fes 29 Seer A PPA EUTIDTUISLOR. i 8 a aye De hae 82 PRIRCR LIV ON so. 6 tesice afters PTB B17 90 nh cee ds 32 John Stickney. . 2...) 1744-1827. .......... Al Jolin Aitken... nei weirs. 1745(?)-1831........ 45 Dr. George K. Jackson... .1'745-1823........... 46 William Billings.......... 1746-1800........... 51 - Simeon Jocelyn.......... 1746-1823........... 64 Rae PERPOWOIIEON of coc ves be Gh kav vp wa woe ws 65 Justin Morgan........... 1747-1798. .......... 66 PUarEW LAW... ee ees P7A8-182V es oe 69 The Rev. Solomon Howe. .1750-1835........... 79 Pits MSN... 4 te. 1750-1825. 2.000850) 81 Supply Belcher........... 1751--1886.4.5 (009 2. 83 Abraham Wood.......... 1752-1804.........., 85 BOP een eS, isyeaeg Wah Ole Tae at area 87 (See “Daniel Read’) Jacob French............ 1754- | 88 Amos Doolittle........... 1754-18332 rs) 89 Asahel Benham.......... 1757-1805 0 90 Penner ee EL Pe oe BEG 93 Daniel Read. ...........% 1757-18386..000 20 94 PART II 4 CONTENTS PAGE Timothy Olmstead....... 1759-1848........... 107 John Hubbard........... 1759-1810... We 109 Amos Blanchard. . .¢ 24 3..) ¢ 2) (ee 110 Jacob Kimball, Jr........ 1761-1826. 5. ak 111 Samuel Holyoke.......... 1762-1820... Po wee 114 Chauncey Langdon....... 1768-1830. eee 120 Jeremiah Ingalls......... 1764-1828... yaa 121 Oliver Holden............ 1765-1844. .......... 124 Hans Gram (no dates found, but lived about the same time as Graupner)..........-5:2++:08 134 Gottlieb Graupner........ 1767-1836 136 Peter Erbens 3 0.3 0 1769-1861........... 138 Benjamin Carr........... 1769-18810... oe 139 John Wyeth............. 1770-18582 7 ee 141 Daniel Belknap.......... I771-TOLs, 3. ee 146 Jonathan Huntington..... 1771-1888 >. ore 148 Zedekiah Sanger......... 1771-1821 Se 149 Bartholomew Brown...... 1772-1854... 150 Eliakim Doolittle......... 1772185075. Waa ee 152 Amos Albee... 0.00.) S00 1772 ae 153 Stephen Jenks........... 1772-1856, © ae 154 PART III Abraham Maxim......... 1778-1829... 235 ee 161 Joel Harmon............. 1778-1888) oO) ee 163 John Cole... ae es 1774-1855 2. us 164 Benjamin Holt........... 1774-1861. 2. oc. ed 167 John W. Nevius.......... 1774-1854........... 171 George E. Blake......... 1775-18745, kn ee 172 Stephen Addington. . 2.2.1: “4 = eee 173 Samuel Willard.......... 1776~-1889.. 2a 173 Solomon Warriner........ 1778-1860; (cee ee 176 Qliver Shaw... 4, 7. sks 1779-1848. 7... aaa 179 Ezekiel Goodale.......... 1780-4. oes ee 185 Anthony Philip Heinrich.. .1781-1861........... 185 Christopher Meinecke... . . 1782-1860. 50. ae 191 Thomas Hastings......... L784-1872 ood Sa at 194 Arthur Clifton «Da 1784—-1832...... yoo 199 CONTENTS 5 PAGE Samuel Dyer............ 1785-1835........... 205 Lowell Mason............ VI92-IS727 6s, ee Q11 The Rev. Jonathan M. Pen VVaimiwiignt.... 25...» 1792-1854. .......... 218 Charles Zeuner........... 1795-1857. .......... 220 Simeon Butler Marsh..... ViD8-1S75 2. ee 225 Samuel Lytler Metcalf... .1798-1856........... 237 Thomas Loud...... Sy. tip Ae IO ele eee 229 Henry Kemble Oliver..... 1800-1885........... 230 PART IV John Henry Newman..... 1801-1890........... aay George James Webb...... IBOS-1B870 Fe ae. Q41 George Hood............ 1807-1882........... 245 Deodatus Dutton......... TOUGH Lboee oe eee pl: Q47 David Creamer.......... ISIS TISST ten. 2 8 249 Henry Wellington Great- ToS eich ROR Ee Sara IBIS—-IBG8 oF bei es 256 Jonathan Call Woodman.. .1813-1894........... 262 POnensOnOS.. | s... ic I TED seit 7a ea 264 Darius Eliot Jones........ 1815—-1881........... 266 Marcus M. Wells......... 1815-1895........... 268 Dare nel. yuk Ve. 1815-1882 oe 269 William B. Bradbury...... 1816-1868........... Q74 Virgil Corydon Taylor.....1817-1891........... 278 Isaac Baker Woodbury. ...1819-1858........... 281 Samuel Parkman Tucker- MMe ei ae oo... EB IO-TS00 he 3 old 285 Robert C. Kemp......... 1820-18979... os 286 George Frederick Root... .1820-1895........... 289 Silas A. Bancroft......... 1823-1886........... 293 Nathaniel C. Burt........ 1825-18740 oe 193 (See Meinecke) Stephen Collins Foster... .1826-1864........... 295 William D’Arcy Haley... .1828-1890........... 300 Horatio G. Spafford....... 1829-1881........... 303 Samuel A. Ward......... 1848-1903........... 307 6 CONTENTS PART V nite Revivalist Group, The... ..1868-1872........... Sit Camp Meeting Music, 7. ..5)... 6. ee ee 325 An Indian Hymn, “In De Dark Wood”......... 335 Washington Hymnody and Psalmody........... 336 Mathias Keller........... 1813-1876; 5%. 4a ee 362 “The American Hymn’?. .. 2:s s<09 ee eee 366 ~ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Earuiest Music Printep In America... .Frontispiece FACING PAGE “Oxrorb” Tung, Joun Turts’ “INtropuction”. 18 BEMNIPENTIAL HYMN, 1721.........0.25....6 005 22 ree ey POUND ATG). 3. ee. ee ae 36 ESS aa ie ey cr 45 Wiiu1am Biuuines’ Famiry Recorp............ 54 Ree ee ei. 62 SETAE DIES oe ee eee ees 65 “O_p Hunprep,” Law’s Noration, 1819........ 76 “Cuina” AND “Mount OLivet,” 1804.......... 105 CONTRACT OF SAMUEL HoLyoxkk, 1807 .......... 117 eriverriini®, IS05. 600.400. cee. ee ee vk ce eee 122 ATTN, LTS oe. he ie Vin os 126 SUMMER IRON GS ASLO 60. ccc ce sles te ee UN tw 142 (ee Sa 1s I ic a 210 NT gy no inle Gd chine pee ew 8 Q17 SMSO i MePE MOE 6. id caliece ecsie'e v da whe olew ae ¢ 248 Henry WELLINGTON GREATOREX .............. 256 “HOLBROOK” AND “STATE STREET,” 1858........ 263 Ree OnTpON LAYLOR.. 2... ..2-.-00. 00. cee 278 EMEA PRING 0 ck eo wav esis ewe eh acent 335 Tire ATHOW VEST oi... 0006s ccceccevecede 354 PREFACE Tue following pages are the results of ten years of research into the history of the writers of sacred music. For at least an equal period prior to that the writer had been studying the history of hymns, and had written much concerning them, when sud- denly he discovered that very little had been written up to that time about the tune composers. When he sought information he found few sources. En- couraged by Mr. Edmund S. Lorenz, he began to collect facts about the development of church music, and the results were published in the Choir Herald, and other publications of the Lorenz Company. By the courtesy of Mr. Lorenz, permission has. been granted to use those articles which appeared from time to time in his magazines. The other articles appear for the first time and afford some informa- tion regarding nearly every one of the composers whose work was done before the year 1800, and it has been thought advisable to include also some mat- ter of a miscellaneous character which has from time to time been gathered for various occasions. The printed periodicals relating to sacred music, or containing information about American com- posers of tunes, begin with the Euterpiad, edited by John R. Parker in Boston, 1820 to 1828, but it fur- nished very little about the early writers. Nearly every such periodical printed up to 1900, and many of those printed since that date which might prob- 9 10 PREFACE ably add any items of interest, have been read, and other sources of information have been sought. Much of the record here preserved has been obtained from relatives of the composers through private cor- respondence. Genealogies and biographies have fur- nished much of value, and many of the music books themselves contain facts that cannot be obtained elsewhere. It would be impossible to give credit to every source from which facts have been extracted. The Library of Congress, the Boston Public Library, and that of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, have been those whose contents have been most thoroughly explored, and the thanks of the writer are hereby extended to the librarians and attendants of those institutions for the many courtesies extended. Frank J. Metcatr. Washington, D. C. PART I 1689-1757 THE REY. JOHN TUFTS AND THE FIRST AMERICAN TUNE ROOK! 1689-1750 For one hundred years after the landing of the Pilgrims and the founding of the towns in eastern Massachusetts the communities had to rely upon the music which they had brought with them from England. Most of the singing was by rote, and books which contained the tunes were very scarce; in fact, they were not desired, for in most churches it was preferred that the lines should be read one at a time, and the congregation should sing them after the reading. In 1708, John Tufts graduated from Harvard College, a youth still in his teens. He had some knowledge of music, had some ideas as to how he would like to hear it sung, and was soon to become the first compiler of a tune book in the colonies. He had studied theology, and in 1713 was a candidate for pastor of the church in Charlestown, receiving eight votes out of the one hundred and fifty-nine cast. It was not long after this that he secured a church in Newbury, the second parish. Their pastor was getting old and an assistant was desired. The parish records show that on January 15, 1713-4, voted to give Rev. John Tufts £70 a year so long as Mr. Samuel Belcher lives, and the use of the whole parsonage, and after the decease of Mr. Belcher £80 a year, provided the said Mr. Tufts accepts the call to the min- istry in the parish and preacheth a monthly lecture. 1From The Choir Herald. 13 14 AMERICAN WRITERS AND He was ordained June 13, 1714, and a few months later published a small book of church hymns and psalm tunes with instructions for singing by note. This was the first publication of its kind in America, and was considered by many as a daring innovation. Before the appearance of this book the number of tunes known and used in the ordinary congregation could be counted upon the fingers of one hand. This new collection contained thirty-seven tunes, arranged for the several meters that were needed. At least eleven editions of this little book were issued during the next twenty-five years. The date of the first edi- tion is given by different writers as between 1714 and 1721. The earliest which I have seen is the fifth, dated 1726, in the Boston Public Library. Its title page is as follows: AN INTRODUCTION To the Singing of PSALM TUNES In a plain and easy method with A collection of tunes In Three Parts By the Rev. Mr. Tufts. The Fifth Edition Printed from Copper Plates Neatly Engraved BOSTON in N. E. Printed for Samuel Gerrish At the Lower End of Corn- Hill, 1726. The copy of the tenth edition in the New York Public Library has a modern binding, but the partial COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 15 covers which are included indicate that the original was a pamphlet bound in marbled-paper covers. There were twenty-three pages. It is not strange, therefore, that most of the copies of so small a book should have been lost during the nearly two hundred years that have elapsed since it was first issued, and that only a few are to be found at this day. Again, as the new book of Thomas Walter came out with notes instead of letters, as Tufts’ book had, the old was doubtless discarded and not valued as the re- maining copies of it are at the present time. An interesting incident in point is told of an experience of the Bodleian Library, which possessed a copy of the First Folio of Shakespeare’s works when it was first issued, But when the Second Folio came out the First was disposed of as a duplicate of less value. The strangest part of the story is that three hun- dred years later, after such a high value had been placed upon first editions, this very volume was offered for sale on the market, and the Bodleian Library placed it again upon its shelves, but at a cost of £3,000. Some of the rules of Tufts’ book are as follows: The tunes are set down in such a plain and easy method that a few rules may suffice for direction in singing. The letters F S L M marked on the several lines and spaces in the following tunes, stand for these syllables: that is, Fa. Sol. La. Mi. Mi. is the principal note, and the notes rising gradu- ally above Mi. are Fa. Sol. La. Fa. Sol. La., and then Mi. again; and the notes falling gradually below Mi. are La. Sol. Fa. La. Sol. Fa., and then comes Mi. again in every eighth. For as every eighth note gives the same sound, so it has the same letter and name. The place of Mi. is altered by flats and sharps put at the beginning of the five lines on which the tune is prick’d. 16 AMERICAN WRITERS AND The length of the tone is not indicated by differ- ent kinds of notes as it is in present-day music, for there were no notes used. But, for instance, the letter F indicated a quarter; F. (followed by a period) was equal to a half; and F: (followed by a colon) was equal to a whole note. The thirty-seven tunes are printed on twelve pages, and, as has been implied, the letters took the place of notes upon the lines. ‘The tunes in this book were set in three parts called cantus, medius, and bassus. BioGRAPHY John Tufts was born in Medford, Massachusetts, May 5, 1689, and was the son of Captain Peter Tufts and Mercy Cotton. His maternal grand- mother was Dorothy Bradstreet, the oldest daughter of Simon and Anne Bradstreet, the latter being the first female poet in America. Through his mother he could also trace his ancestry to the Rev. Seaborn Cotton and the Rev. John Cotton, the latter of whom was frequently referred to as the patriarch of New England. Because of these ministerial ancestors it was but natural that he should follow the same profession after his graduation from Har- vard in 1708. One of the earliest references to him after he had settled in Newbury is found in a curious contract dated May 13, 1718, by which a few persons were given permission to use certain lands in that town on condition that they give one salmon per year to the pastor of the First Church, and one to the Rev. John Tufts, pastor of the Second Church in Newbury “if they catch them.” It was in 1731, while he was still pastor of the Second © COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 17 Church, that a petition was presented to the General Court of Massachusetts for a division of the parish; and the Fourth Church of Newbury was organized. The third parish had been formed in 1725, now the First Church in Newburyport, and the dedication sermon had been preached by Mr. Tufts on June 25, 1725. Two of his sermons have been printed and may be seen in the library of the Massachusetts His- torical Society. One of them, “The Duties of Min- isters,” was printed in 1725; the other was preached at the ordination of the Rev. Benjamin Bradstreet at Gloucester, September 18, 1728. After more than twenty years of service in the Newbury church, Mr. Tufts was in 1737 accused of immorality and un- christian behavior by some of the women of his parish, and in February a council of ten ministers was called to consider “‘the distressed state and con- dition of ye Second Church of Christ in Newbury.” Mr. Tufts strenuously opposed the investigation and declined to cooperate with the council or to question the witnesses called to testify against him. On March 2, 1738, “in consequence of the unhappy differences prevailing in the parish,” he asked to be released from the duties of pastor. The church voted to grant his request and the council with only one dissenting voice consented to the separation, “hoping thereby to restore harmony to the church.” During the first year of his pastorate Mr. Tufts had married, December 9, 1714, Sarah Bradstreet, a daughter of Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet and Sarah Pierce. There were four children, the second of whom, Joshua, graduated from Harvard in 1736, and became minister in Litchfield in 1741. After 18 AMERICAN WRITERS AND leaving Newbury Mr. Tufts went to Amesbury, where he died in August, 1750. His “easy method of sing- ing by letters instead of notes,” as one of his title pages reads, was not a success, in the sense of being permanently adopted, though his book passed through at least ten editions in twenty-five years. Much opposition followed the attempt to teach the congregation to sing by note, instead of the old way of having the tunes taught by rote. But Mr. Tufts’ book was the entering wedge for the new way, and it was only a short time before his ideas, if not his methods, were adopted. EpiIrIons The date of the first edition of Tufts’ “Plain and Easy Introduction to the Art of Singing” is given as 1714! and 1721. I am inclined to think that the latter date is the correct one. The Brinley library had a copy of this year, “Printed by J. F(ranklin) for S. Gerrish,” which sold for ten dollars. It was a small pamphlet of sixteen pages, and was of such a size that it could be laid in or bound in with the psalm books in use at that date. Charles Evans in his American Bibliography gives the title page of a copy printed in Boston in 1723, but does not locate it. The earliest copy that I have seen is in the Boston Public Library. It is the fifth edition, printed in Boston for Samuel Gerrish, 1726. a . > ty ; oe vo i. : x * j i ’ P P - ~ é A Vv ° ' rk i ‘ r 5 ’ ~ me : . > 7 : : : 4 J - ‘ “ 4 5 vs 2 é SOE Ree % a BER SE sogwies be ge NEY « OLLECE 1ON or ” t Sic fiste nied ax & COME. WON fe NALS AIM Cit St “t7. Wares: Agee SEG e Pipe Bes rE pe Pe es ALAD, gyi Books arb iy be ia KUN EAE VIS ALS : NEM PAV ES Higtaved & Pabtaliert ts ve 3 2 ce > : : Adapted le other CONFRRENCE ME oes crepe Gt EE IE AS A ARE SECM MONS FREE See cate eae = Sen BOM EB EE OS IE Rh? “ind Kins GRMN SNOT GO SOS: ait PR GE SS % SHES 20 SO CUES Rb HS HRI F % F Roskt i> 2 SP >» a4 ead oo! FE SRO OBS BRR LENOTE BEBO SIE EE BLE POLITE BE ‘Sonus ES SMR HE © BEE sae eae ee SOS BE BM SR "S SORE. 2 academies S72. bh. # rae ee ROE BE [sn tay on Ge SRUURRNTNNTE Bote ae ‘a one a of a ah ee tt nt tae ee ee & sii det Be wok Bball MS IE Bn 2 FERS BE Kook SSDs, 28 5: TURING * Se BR BE NE ORBEA ELD Soe AB nn ERLE BS BRE. ay ene aE Be fy FE dak SEM ee RE Soo a, 3° a SS aeeE a a a en: AB Spree see 2 Be = 6 GE § 8 Tro EE. BB: gh eS URNS & ~ = i COMPILERS OF SACRED. MUSIC 69 devoted to the teaching of music, so that the account of his activities is to be obtained from his music books, but these facts indicate his preparation. He - was born in Milford, Connecticut, in March, 1748, was the oldest son of Jahleel Law and Ann Baldwin, and the grandson of Governor Law, of that State. When he was five years old the family removed to Cheshire, and with that town he was more or less closely connected the rest of his life. He joined the church there in 1769. He graduated from Brown University in 1775, and received his master’s degree from the same institution three years later. In the meantime he had been studying divinity, according to the custom of that day when there were no theological schools, with the Rev. Levi Hart, of Preston, Connecticut, and in 1777 we find him preaching in Chesterfield, that State. Yale con- ferred upon him the degree of A.M. in 1786, and Allegheny College of Meadville, Pennsylvania, then in its infancy, honored him with LL.D. in 1821. He was ordained as a minister September 8, 1787, at Hartford, by a Congregational council, and on the 18th of October following he was recommended by the Philadelphia Presbytery to preach in the South, Mr. John W. Moore, a prolific writer about musicians, states that “as late as 1820 Mr. Law resided in Newark and from thence wrote letters for publication, recommending his system of nota- tion.” In another place he notes that “he died in New Haven, Connecticut, 1824,” though “it had been stated by Allibone that he died in Cheshire in 1821.” Evidently, Moore did not have access to papers that would verify his statements, for we may 70 AMERICAN WRITERS AND read in the Connecticut Courant, printed in Hart- ford, July 17, 1821: Died, at the house of William Law, Esqr., of Cheshire, on the 13th, inst., the Rev. Andrew Law, in the 73d. year of his age. For the last forty years Mr. Law has been an assiduous cultivator and teacher of sacred music. Mr. Law never married. In an advertisement in the last part of one of his musical magazines is the following notice referring to works of his: Also by the same author, and to be sold by William Law at the press, a small number of the Select Harmony, and also a collection of Hymns and Tunes; likewise, upon short notice, at the press and very cheap, any number of a collec- tion of fifty-four Psalm Tunes, designed ‘to be bound in with editions of psalm books. This last-named collection doubtless refers to his first publication of Plain Tunes, issued at Boston in 1767, and followed by other editions in 1772, 1781, and 1785. Sixteen pages of plain tunes engraved by Joel Allen, are found in a copy of Tate and Brady’s Psalms of 1774 in the Boston Public Library, but there are fifty-five tunes instead of fifty-four. Twelve of these tunes had been used by Lyon in his Urania in 1761, and one, called “Mear,” is still in common use in the hymnals of the present day. His next book was the Select Harmony, contain- ing, in plain and concise manner, the rules of singing, together with a complete collection of psalm tunes, hymns, and anthems. New Haven. Printed by Thomas and Samuel Green, 1779. ‘There were one COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 71 hundred pages of. music engraved by J. Allen, of Farmington, and the first part of fifty pages may have been published in advance of the entire work as an advertisement; on the title is dated Cheshire, December 10, 1778 (so says Charles Evans in his American Bibliography). The copy of the Select Harmony in the Library of Congress was “Prudence Minor’s and Sally’s book, bought October, 1787, giving (sic) by their brother, Andrew Minor.” The index of this book shows the names of the composers, but there do not appear to be any of Law’s own tunes in it. Another edition of a Select Harmony, “containing in a plain and concise manner the rules of singing, chiefly by Andrew Law, A.B., to which is added a number of psalm tunes, hymns and anthems from the best authors, with some never before published” was “‘printed and sold by Daniel Bayley at his house in Newburyport, 1784.” In 1780 the first edition of his Musical Primer was issued by Mr. Law from New Haven, in the common round notes; but the fourth edition printed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by W. Hillard in 1803, appears to have been the first one to contain his new system of notation, for he says: This book exhibits a new plan of printing music. Four kinds of characters are used, and are situated between the single bars that divide the time, in the same manner as if they were on lines, and in every instance where two charac- ters of the same figure occur their situations mark perfectly the height and distance of their sounds, and every purpose is effected without the assistance of lines. These four kinds of characters also denote the four syllables, mi, faw, sol, law, which are used in singing. The diamond has the name of mi; the square of faw; the round of sol; and the quarter of a diamond of law. 72 AMERICAN WRITERS AND As he had been a teacher of music for over twenty years, he had felt the need of some musical notation that would be easily read by the learner. This nota- tion, however, did not become popular and was used in only a few of his books. The Christian Harmony, which was a collection of sixty-five psalm and hymn tunes, was printed in 1805 at Windsor, Vermont. In 1792 Mr. Law had projected a musical magazine which he hoped to make a periodical publication, and the first number of it was issued from Cheshire, Connecticut in that year. A second number followed in 1793. This was not such a magazine as is now published under that name, but merely contained a few tunes without reading matter. I have not seen a copy of the con- tents of the first number, but the second contains eight tunes, had covers of coarse paper, and in advertising it he says: This is a periodical publication and is designed to contain several new and a number of celebrated pieces of American and European composition. Numbers 1 and 2 are already out. Price of each number by the dozen, one-eighth of a dollar, and singly, one-sixth of a dollar. Printed and sold by William Law, Cheshire, Conn. Later we read: “Additional numbers may be printed upon this plan and published as frequently as the public mind shall be prepared to receive them.” The sixth number was “‘published as the law directs, November, 1801.” and contained eight pieces set from type. In the year 1800 he had proposed to issue The Art of Singing, in three parts, to contain in one volume his Musical Primer, The Christian Harmony, COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 73 and The Musical Magazine. A volume was printed with Parts One and Three in 1801 with the common style of round notes. Then in 1805 he put forth the completed book with music in his new notation. It is of interest to observe that the three parts which go to make up this volume were printed in three different places. Part One was printed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by W. Hilliard in 1808; Part Two at Windsor, Vermont, by Nahum Mower in 1805, and Part Three at “Boston, for the author, by E. Lincoln,” in 1805. This last part is desig- nated as a fourth edition with additions and im- provements, so it is evident that three editions were printed in the years from 1801 to 1804. ‘The plan of printing music,” he says, “with four kinds of characters and the method of teaching by characters are explained in the fourth edition of the Musical Primer.” The first imprint of this latter title bears date 1780, but the copy which I have examined in the Library of Congress is “newly improved and revised, designed especially for the use of learners, by Andrew Law,” and the plate printing was “‘done by William Law in Cheshire, Conn.” in 1793, A third edition, which is not dated, was published in Philadelphia “upon the author’s new plan.” The date is penciled in some copies as 1812. It could not have been earlier than that year for the reason that some of the recommendations are dated as late as June 13, 1811. One was from the pen of the Rev. William Staughton, then pastor of a Baptist church in Philadelphia, and later president of what is now called the George Washington University, located in Washington, D. C. Another letter, 74 AMERICAN WRITERS AND approving his new system, was written by John Hubbard, professor of music in Dartmouth College, a man well versed in music, who later wrote and pub- lished an essay upon that subject. At the April session of the Philadelphia Methodist Conference a committee to whom had been referred the matter of introducing Mr. Law’s book into the churches, reported favorably. His new form of musical nota- tion had been invented several years before this, in 1803, and in his advertisement to his Musical Primer, he says: A book that might be obtained at little expense and be suitable for learners at their first setting out has been fre- quently called for. Such a one is the following. The rules comprised in it are explained with the utmost conciseness and simplicity. If the learner, upon perusing them and practic- ing upon the additional lessons and tunes, finds that he is likely to succeed as a singer, he may safely venture to pur- chase other music; if not, he may relinquish this book and his undertaking together without much loss of time or money. He then compares the new plan with the old and concludes that the characters and their locations compare as seven to twenty-eight, so that the advan- tages which are gained by the new plan are very great and of vast importance. To the objection that it is new and not in general use he adds that upon this ground every improvement in the arts — must be rejected. Nevertheless, the new notation did not last long, though it may have obtained some vogue, and he himself, as well as later composers, went back to the common round notes that are now almost universally used. A Collection of the Best and Most Approved ey a COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 75 Tunes and Anthems for the Promotion of Psalmody was printed in New Haven by Thomas and Samuel Green, in 1779, and what was perhaps the third edi- tion with this title, 4 Collection of the Best and Most Approved Tunes and Anthems Known to Exist, was issued from the printing office of William Law at Cheshire in 1782. In the meantime, 1781, a second edition had been printed by the Greens at New Haven, and for it he had procured protection by what was the second copyright given by special legislative enactment in the United States. For in October, 1781, the General Assembly of Connecticut by special act granted the author the exclusive patent for imprinting and vending his collection for _ five years and imposed a fine of five pounds and payment of damages for every infringement of his right. He was led to take this action by an expe- rience with his Select Harmony, for he says in the introduction to his Rudiments of Music that he hopes this “will not be pirated as the other was by those who look, not to the public good, but to their own private emolument.” This statement raises a very interesting question -and one that we would be glad to solve. The ques- tion is this: Under what title did the pirate edition appear? In 1784 there was a Select Harmony printed and sold by Daniel Bayley at his house in Newburyport, containing in a plain and concise manner the rules of singing, chiefly by Andrew Law, A.B., to which are added a number of psalm tunes, hymns, and anthems from the best authors, with some never before published. This could not have been the edition referred to, for the reason that it 76 AMERICAN WRITERS AND was not issued until the year following his remark. There is no doubt, however, that so much of it as was taken from Andrew Law was pirated, by which we mean that it was printed without his consent, for Daniel Bayley was not a composer, but merely a compiler who took what he chose from the books that came in his way, leaving out what he did not care to reprint. In one of his reprints of the Eng- lish Collection of Aaron Williams he plainly states that he has left out some of the pieces, and it will be noted that in the title of his Select Harmony the rules are taken chiefly from Andrew Law, but some of the hymns, etc., have never before been pub- lished. The Massachusetts Harmony presents a more promising field for speculation. The editor is not named in this book and it is not dated. In a recent letter from Mr. Hubert P. Main, he writes: “I am very certain that Billings was not the editor of the Massachusetts Harmony from evidence I have.” And in Warrington’s Short Titles he is quoted as saying that this is printed from plates that are identical with one of Law’s books. It was presum- ably attributed to Billings because it was printed in Boston, which was his home. Mr. Evans, in his bibli- ography, puts it in the list for 1784, and questions Billings as its editor. The book itself is undated, and 1784 was probably given to it because a second edition was issued in 1785. It is rather improbable that the two editions should follow each other so closely, and therefore two or three years earlier may be nearer the correct date. This would take it back to a time when reference to it could be made in a ee ee ee ee a, ee si gay 24 lesa) sldadld Ale ab ¥ id Og Rg gid ald Ae ‘ A Ug. 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As to its editor it may be said that Billings was not at all backward in acknowledging the work of his genius, and it is not conceivable that he should have been the editor of the Massachusetts Harmony, and let it go forth signed only “By a Lover of Harmony,” withholding his own name. On the other hand, we cannot think of any motive which would cause Law to omit his name from the title page, if it were really his book printed with his consent. But if it is true, as Mr. Main writes, that “The Massachusetts Harmony was printed from plates that are identical with one of Law’s books,” and if we are right in assuming _ that this is the pirated edition referred to by Mr. Law, then we discover a reason for omitting the ‘name of the real author and for not having any name appear upon its pages. In 1782 he issued A Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, in forty-eight pages. This collec- tion and his book of tunes were frequently bound together. His Rudiments of Music was “A short treatise on the rules of psalmody, to which are annexed a number of plain tunes and chants, by Andrew Law, A.M., in 1783.” This was entered for State copy- right December 3, 1783. A second edition was printed two years later. A fourth edition was printed and sold by William Law in 1792, with the addition of a number of pieces never before pub- lished. This too was entered according to the laws of the United States. There were eighty-seven pages of engraved music as compared with the twenty in the first edition, and the common notation 78 AMERICAN WRITERS AND of round notes was used. ‘The purchaser of the book which is now in the Library of Congress has written the price as six shillings. ‘The copy of Law’s Rudiments of Music, which is in the library of the Harvard Musical Association, was presented to it by Timothy Swan, a contemporary composer and recognized as the author of the minor tune ‘‘China,” which is still in common use. Two other publications of his are The Harmonic Companion and The Art of Playing the Organ. Copies of these may be seen in the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts. The former is thus described in an advertisement: The first and second parts of the Art of Singing are com- prised in the Harmonic Companion, which is a volume of 120 pages. It contains the rules of psalmody, 145 psalm and hymn tunes and eight set pieces. It was first issued in 1807 and reprinted in four editions. T'he Art of Playing the Organ was a small pamphlet of eight pages, printed in 1807 also and reprinted twice. In 1814 Mr. Law began a series of Essays on Music. They were copyrighted August 24 and printed at Philadelphia for the author. Two num- bers were issued. The first was on the general sub- ject of music and in his second essay he says, “One object of these essays will be to notice the musical publications of this country.” He then proceeds to discuss critically one of the recent books of church music. An idea of the esteem in which Andrew Law was held by his contemporaries may be had in a sen- COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC ch tence taken from the notice of his death in a news- paper of 1821: To his correct taste and scientific improvements may be ascribed much of that decent, solemn and chaste style of singing so noticeable in so many of the American churches. He led a life of exemplary obedience to religious impression and has doubtless entered “into that rest which remaineth to the people of God.” Though he may have improved upon the manner of singing, his style of composition did not abide, and his tunes have passed from the hymnals. Dr. F. L. Ritter, in his History of Music in America, says of him: Law was more thorough in his musical knowledge than many of his contemporaries. The different collections of ‘church music he published prove him to have been a singing teacher of comparatively good taste and judgment. Billings and his style seem not to have had much attraction for him. His aim was more serious. He selected his tunes with more care, and the harmonic arrangement of his pieces is simple and correct, and more in accordance with the spirit of church music. He did not indulge in much “fuguing.” He does not seem to have been very popular as a compiler or as a composer. Only one of his original tunes, “Archdale,” acquired great popularity. It was for a long time reprinted in almost every book of church music. Law’s most efficient work was that of a singing teacher. He did good pioneer work in the New England States and in the South. THE REV. SOLOMON HOWE 1750-1835 - SoLoMoN Howe was a native of Massachusetts, born in North Brookfield, September 14, 1750. At the age of twenty-seven he graduated from Dart- 80 AMERICAN WRITERS AND mouth College, 1777, and started on a career which was rather eccentric and desultory at times. Part of the time he was a preacher, then a teacher, then he practiced the art of printing, and when not other- wise engaged he turned his energies to farming. He was living in Greenwich, in the western part of Mas- sachusetts, when his three music books were pub- lished, and he had attained to the age of eighty- five years when he died November 18, 1935, at New Salem. His first music book was called The Worshiper’s Assistant and contained, besides the rules of music, which at that time were usually introduced into every singing book, “a variety of easy and plain Psalm Tunes adapted to the weakest capacities and designed for extensive utility as an introduction to more critical and curious music.” This was printed from music type by Andrew Wright at Northampton for the author in 1799. ‘The author has put his own hymns to the following tunes and has in manu- script five hundred more which he intends to publish in the future.” His second book was The Farmers’ Evening Enter- tainment, was printed by the same firm in North- ampton in 1804, and contained new hymns and a number of new tunes of as various airs and meters as the compass of the book will admit. An inter- esting side light on the time for which a copyright was issued is found in the statement that the copy- right was secured to the author for fourteen years, one half the period of a copyright at the present time, or one third if a renewal is made. The next year, 1805, he issued a collection of 92 pages, Divine COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 81 Hymns on the Sufferings of Christ, “for the use of religious assemblies.” None of his hymns are now in use. | ELIAS MANN 1750-1825 Eias Mann was born in Weymouth, Massachu- setts, in 1750, but most of his life was spent in Northampton, where he taught music during the week, and led the singing in the Congregational church on Sunday. ‘The time of his removal to Northampton is approximated by the date on which he and his wife joined the First Congrega- tional Church there, which was in 1796. Here in the town made famous by the long pastorate of the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, he taught singing and printed books. At one time he was employed by the town to teach singing school on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings during the months of Decem- ber and January. He was paid twenty-six dollars for this service, and was to lead the singing on the Sabbath. He was again hired to conduct the sing- ing school for two days a week from November to May, for which he was to be paid fifty dollars. The years during which these schools were to be held are not stated. He was one of the fifteen who met in Boston in June, 1807, to organize the Massachusetts Musical Society, from which sprang the Handel and Haydn Society, which was founded in 1815. He appears to have stopped in Worcester before settling in Northampton, for in the Massachusetts Maga- 82 AMERICAN WRITERS AND zine, printed in 1789 and 1790, we find that there were several pieces of music credited to E. Mann, of Worcester. His earliest compilation was The Northampton Collection of Sacred Harmony, printed in that town by Daniel Wright and Company in 1797, and a second edition in 1802. He next issued The Mas- sachusetts Collection of Sacred Harmony, a book of 200 pages, printed in 1807 by Manning and Loring in Boston. The first tune in this book is “Confi- dence,” by Oliver Holden, and the copy of this book in the Library of Congress is the presentation copy from the compiler to Mr. Holden. On one of his visits to Boston he was asked to write a recom- mendation to The Psalmodist’s Assistant, which Abijah Forbush had compiled in 1803. Elias Mann died in Northampton, May 12, 1825, and was buried there with five of his children, and his widow, who survived him till April 22, 1842, Herman Mann Herman Mann, whose work as a printer of music may be considered with that of his relative, was born in Walpole, Mass., November 10, 1771. Dur- ing his young manhood he taught school, but after he had removed to Dedham, in 1797, he engaged in printing. For a year he lived in Providence, Rhode Island, but most of his days were spent in Dedham. From 1797 to 1804 he published a newspaper called The Minerva, but it was not a profitable business, and it was discontinued. From 1804 to 1815 he printed a number of music books compiled by Daniel COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 83 Read, Walter Janes, Stephen Jenks, Amos Albee, D. L. Peck, and Oliver Shaw. The last named was a Providence musician whom he had met during his stay in that city. SUPPLY BELCHER 1751-1836 SuprpLty Betcuer, whose name is sometimes incor- rectly given as Samuel Belcher, was associated with William Billings in the early development of music in Massachusetts, though his maturer years were spent in Maine, and his musical career should be credited to that State. References to him, how- ever, are found on the records of Massachusetts, of which the District of Maine formed a part up to 1820, when it became a separate State. Supply Belcher was born in Stoughton, March 29, 1751. As this was the year when the change from old to new style was effected, and eleven days were dropped, according to an act of Parliament, it may be that the date of his birth, which is sometimes stated as occurring on April 10, 1752, may be accounted for by this means. For eleven days added to March 29 would give April 10, and throw the date into the following year. Mr. Belcher kept a tavern in his native town, which was the favorite resort for the musicians of that vicinity, and he was a member of the famous Stoughton Musical Society. In 1785 he removed to Hallowell, Maine, and in 84 AMERICAN WRITERS AND » 1791 to Farmington, where he became one of its best- known citizens. When the town sought incorpora- tion from the Massachusetts Legislature, he was the agent sent to Boston on that mission. At home he was a justice of the peace, even as late as 1815, as appears from a copy of the Massachusetts Regis- ter for that year, which happens to be at hand. He was the principal magistrate of his adopted town until near the end of his life, and repeatedly represented that town in the Legislature of Massa- chusetts. He also taught the first school in the town. He was the first choir leader in Farmington, and for many years led the music in the old church. The Rev. Paul Coffin in his journal refers to “Squire Belcher’s singers, who were called together and gave him an evening of sweet music.” In 1792, accom- panied by another member of the Stoughton Musical Society, he visited the commencement exercises at Harvard for the purpose of enjoying the musical program, and in 1796, when Hallowell Academy gave an exhibition near the close of its first year, Squire Belcher was called from Farmington to conduct the music. In the language of the Tocsin, a paper then printed in Hallowell, “The exercises were enlivened by vocal and instrumental music under the direc- tion of Mr. Belcher, ‘The Handel of Maine.’” As a composer of music and as a performer on the violin he displayed far greater abilities than as a singer. After Mr. Belcher had settled in Farmington, he prepared The Harmony of Maine, which was pub- lished in 1794 by Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 85 Andrews in Boston. The title page shows that the compiler was of Farmington, County of Lincoln, District of Maine, and that the book was an orig- inal composition of psalm and hymn tunes of various meters suitable for divine worship, also a number of fuguing pieces and anthems, and a concise introduc- tion to the grounds of music, and rules for learners. Two of his pieces were included in the Centennial Collection of the Stoughton Musical Society, and a third was used in Holyoke’s Columbian Repository, 1802. Mr. Belcher was married March 2, 1775, to Mar- garet More, a native of Boston, and they had ten children. He died June 9, 1836, in Farmington, Maine, at the age of eighty-five. ABRAHAM WOOD — 1752-1804 The Columbian Harmony was the joint compila- tion of Abraham Wood and Joseph Stone. It con- tained, besides the rules of psalmody, “a collection of Sacred Music designed for the use of worshiping assemblies and singing societies.” It was an oblong book of 112 pages, engraved partly by Joel Allen, and the last few pages by E. Ruggles, Jr. The pieces were mostly by American composers, Mr. Stone contributing forty-two tunes, and Wood twenty-six. Mr. John W. Moore, who wrote so much about the early music of this country, tells us that Joseph Stone was from the town of Ward, Massachusetts. This town, near Worcester, was 86 AMERICAN WRITERS AND named for General Artemas Ward, of Shrewsbury, a town on the other side of Worcester, and in 1837 its name was changed to Auburn, later to be made famous as the home of Clara Barton, the founder of The American Red Cross. From the records of this town we gather that Joseph Stone was born about 1758; was married there and raised a large family, that he died February 22, 1837, at the age of seventy-nine, and is buried in one of its cemeteries. Abraham Wood was a native of Northboro, Mas- sachusetts, spent his whole life there, and became one of its prominent citizens and officials. He was the youngest son of his parents, was born July 30, 1752, married April 1, 1773, Lydia Johnson, and had a large family. Military duties and music occu- pied much of his time. He was clerk of a militia company of which his brother was the captain, and on the Lexington alarm he marched with his com- pany to Cambridge, the headquarters of the army, where he served as a drummer. As an example of the interest the women took in the great struggle for independence, it is recorded that his young wife sat up the entire night previous to the departure of his company and melted her pewter ware into bullets to be fired at the British. The soapstone molds used on that occasion are still in the possession of the family. General Artemas Ward, who was in command of the Provincials around Boston before the arrival of General Wash- ington, was in command of his regiment, and his brother Samuel Wood was captain of the company ; this service was for twenty-two days. He also served in the Revolutionary War from July 27 to August . Laie COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 87 29, 1777, and from July 31 to September 1, 1778. During the war he was also one of the Committee of Correspondence in 1777 and 1780, and was one of the assessors of the towns in 1781-82 and 1795. For many years after the war he was captain of a company of militia. Huis private business was that of a fuller or dresser of cloth. He was chorister of the church in Northboro, and a musician of con- siderable note for those days. Besides The Colwm- bian Harmony, already mentioned, he published in 1784 a “Hymn of Peace”; in 1789, a book of Divine Songs, and shortly after the death of George Wash- ington, a “Funeral Elegy,” 1800. The latter was ‘republished in 1840 at the time of President Har- rison’s death for use on that occasion. Abraham Wood died suddenly of an apoplectic fit at his home in Northboro, August 6, 1804. JOEL READ 1753-1837 Tuer Reads were a musical family. Daniel’s older brother, Joel, born August 16, 1753, was a choir leader, and organized and conducted singing schools in the towns around his native Attleborough. He was also a teacher in the common public schools and took an active part in the affairs of the town. He was selectman, assessor, and treasurer, represented the town in the State Legislature for a number of years, and was a surveyor and conveyancer.. In his journal Daniel Read notes on Sunday, January 8, 1797, “Brother Joel arrived last eve in a sleigh 88 AMERICAN WRITERS AND from Attleborough,” and on January 11, “Brother Joel set out to return home.” He compiled and published a music book, The New England Selection, or Plain Psalmodist, in 1808. The preface of the second edition is dated at Attleborough, June 20, 1812. Forty-three composers contributed to this volume, and there are also twenty-seven tunes which are anonymous. This book was in common use in Massachusetts for over thirty years. It has fifteen tunes attributed to “Read,” but as no given name is mentioned it cannot be stated whether any of them are by Joel. The list includes a number which are known to have been composed by his brother Daniel. It is said that one of Joel’s tunes was called “*Con- solation.” None of his are found in use at the present time. He died in his native town, January 27, 1837, upward of eighty-four years of age. There was a third brother, William, who was a teacher of psalmody, and a composer of music, but not to such an extent as the others. JACOB FRENCH 1754- JacoB Frencu was the second child of his par- ents, who were Jacob French and Miriam Downs. He was born in Stoughton July 15, 1754, and prob- ably lived there at least till his marriage May 26, 1779, to Esther Neale, who was also of that town. We have not discovered where he died, but he may have removed to Northampton, where his last book was issued, and may have died there. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 89 His first music book was The New American Melody, printed in 1789, and sold by Jacob French in Medway, Massachusetts. His stay in Medway must have been short, for his name has not been recorded in the history of that town. His second book was The Psalmodist’s Companion, and was printed in Worcester by Isaiah Thomas in 1793. In this book he states that he has been a teacher of music for many years. His third book was The Harmony of Harmony, and was printed in North- ampton for the compiler in 1802. Music seemed to run in the family. A younger brother, Edward (1761-1845), was a very good singer, and composed at least one tune called “New Bethlehem.” “The Heavenly Vision,” the most widely known of all anthems of Jacob French, is not in any one of his books, for the reason that he sold the copy- right to Isaiah Thomas, who used it in an edition of the Worcester Collection in 1791, but it is not there credited to anyone. AMOS DOOLITTLE 1754-1832 His partner, Amos Doolittle, was a native also of Connecticut, having been born May 8, 1754, at Wallingford, and he died in New Haven, January 31, 1832. He learned the trade of a silver smith, and was the first engraver on copper in America. Perhaps his most noted work was his illustrations of the battles of Concord and Lexington. He went 90 AMERICAN WRITERS AND to these towns with the military company of Bene- dict Arnold, and with the help of eye-witnesses he made sketches of the battle, and afterward engraved four views of the battle of Lexington on copper which were printed and sold for six shillings per set. Nathaniel Jocelyn (1796-1881) was the son of Simeon, began engraving in 1818, and with S. S. Jocelyn (1799-1879) continued the business of en- graving and printing music books. One of the most interesting of the music books issued by this firm is a little book called ZION’S HARP: or a new collection of music intended as a companion to “Village Hymns for Social Worship, by the Rev'd Asahel Nettleton”; also adapted to other hymn books and to be used in Conference Meetings & Revivals of Reli- gion. Engraved by N & SS Jocelyn, 1824. This book is frequently attributed to Asahel Net- tleton, but it is probably the work of the engravers, as the quotation marks indicate that it was the Village Hymns that were by Mr. Nettleton. This book was until a few years ago almost unknown to the large libraries, but now copies may be seen in the Boston Public Library, the New York Public Library, the Library of Congress, and the library at Oberlin; and there are several in private collec- tions. ASAHEL BENHAM 1757-1805 Most of the information for this sketch is taken from The Musical Herald of September, 1882, to COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 91 which it was contributed by the Rev. George Hood, who had written a History of Music in New Eng- land. Asahel Benham, he tells us, was a teacher and compiler of music, who was born in New Hart- ford, Connecticut, in the year 1757. He was one of the few who, having no craft, devoted themselves to teaching. Like many others he went from place to place, living on the avails of his schools, and finding them wherever he could. He taught mostly in the New England and Middle States. His education in early life was small, even for that day, but a good mind and diligent reading supplied in part the defect and placed him far above mediocrity. _ His personal appearance was remarkably prepos- sessing. Above the average height, with a noble face and fine address, he commanded the respect of the stranger, and with good sense and intelligence, correct morals and a kind heart, he retained the respect and love of his acquaintances. He died in 1805 at the age of forty-eight years. Music Mr. Benham wrote many pieces, but in the loose style of his contemporaries, and his compositions have long ago fallen into disuse. There were two books published over the name of Asahel Benham. His Federal Harmony first appeared in 1790 at New Haven, and was a small oblong of fifty-eight pages of engraved music and sixteen pages of introduction to music. His first book has the following title: THE FEDERAL HARMONY, containing in a familiar manner the rudiments of psalmody with a collection of sacred 92 AMERICAN WRITERS AND music most of which are entirely new. New Haven, printed and sold by Abel Morse, 1790. It was a small oblong book of engraved music, had twelve pages of introduction, and thirty-six pages of music. A second edition appeared in 1792 with fifty-eight pages. Of the third and fourth editions I have found no trace, but the fifth was issued at Middletown in 1794, and the sixth at the same place by Moses H. Woodward, but is not dated. When the Hartford Collection was issued in 1812, Mr. Benham was one of the subscribers, and gave his residence as Wallingford, Connecticut. The first hymn in the sixth edition of his Federal Harmony is a “Hymn for Wallingford” and a tune by that name is the first one printed in the book. This book has sixteen pages of introduction, and fifty-eight pages of engraved music. There are forty-six tunes, and two anthems, and besides the music of the compiler it contained tunes by the popular writers of that day—Daniel Read, Justin Morgan, Oliver Brown- son, Timothy Swan, and Lewis Edson. The publisher cheerfully presents the following collection of music (without either gloss or comment) to the inspection of the public, and if it meets with their approbation, his most sanguine wishes are answered; if not the consequence is obvious. His Federal Harmony must not be confused with another book of that name which was issued from Boston in various editions, without name of com- piler, but has been attributed to Timothy Swan. That was a larger book of 100 pages or more. About 1800 there appeared a collection of music COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 93 called Devotional Harmony, a posthumous work by Merit N. Woodruff, late of Watertown, Connecti- cut, deceased, published under the inspection of Asahel Benham. There were eight pages of intro- duction, followed by engraved music, nine to sixty. AMOS BULL Amos Buu was apparently another Connecticut man who made a collection of church music, The Responsary, which was set with second trebles instead of counters, and peculiarly adapted to the use of New England churches. It was printed in Worcester, Massachusetts, by Isaiah Thomas, in 1795, and was sold by the editor in Hartford, Con- necticut. It had one hundred pages, and about half of the music was new. Mr. Bull was born about 1744. The date is taken from an advertise- ment printed in a New Haven paper in 1766, when he stated that he was twenty-two years old. He wanted subscribers for a new book that he was about to publish, but whether the book ever saw the light of print has not been discovered. In 1775, when Oliver King advertised for subscribers to his Universal Harmony, he refers to a Mr. Bull, singing master in New York. Perhaps this is the same Bull. By 1805 Amos Bull had located in Hartford, and July 5, 1805, advertised that he continues to receive constant supplies of goods. Among those lately come to hand are Clock and Watch files. He pro- poses to open a school for Reading, Writing and Arithmetick, with other learning, useful and necessary in common life. The price will be only two dollars per quarter for each 94 AMERICAN WRITERS AND scholar; so that none who wish to have the benefit of his instructions, need be excluded on account of price. The school to begin as soon as six scholars shall have entered their names for one quarter. Nothing further has been found about him or his work in music, DANIEL READ 1757-1836+ One of the early composers whose tunes have been retained in the hymnals of the present day is Daniel Read—Masachusetts-born, but most of whose busi- ness activities were carried on in the Nutmeg State. He was born November 16, 1757, in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the son of Daniel and Mary Read. He had hardly reached his majority when he was called out as a soldier in 1777 and 1778 during the Revolutionary War in three short expeditions into Rhode Island. Each of these services lasted about a month. Before the close of the war he had removed to New Haven and entered into a partner- ship with Amos Doolittle, an engraver, and engaged in the business of book publishing and selling. About 1785 he married Jerusha Sherman in New Haven, and four children were born to them. Their second son was a graduate of Yale, class of 1811, and was a clergyman. He died at sea near Cape Cod in August, 1821, and was buried at Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard. A daughter, Mary White Read, married Jonathan Nicholson, lived in New Haven, and is buried there. After her death the oil portraits of Daniel and Jerusha Read were pre- 1From The Choir Herald. - COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 95 sented to the New Haven Colony Historical Soci- ety. This society also possesses a volume of manu- script music which belonged to “Daniel Read. Sat- _urday, July 9, 1777.” This was indorsed by his son, George Frederick Handel Read, whose name sug- gests the famous composer, as follows: “Whether any of the tunes were of his composition I do not know. February 9, 1855.” One of Mr. Read’s journals, or letter-books, also belongs to this soci- ety. It contains items covering the period from 1796 to 1812, and indicates that he took an active part in public affairs. Besides his book business, he was a manufacturer of ivory combs, was a stock- holder in one of the New Haven banks, a director of the Library, and he assisted Elisha Munson in the preparation of the catalogue of the Mechanic Library. Upon the death of his wife’s father he writes, “Her father would not consent to her marriage with me, because I was guilty of the unpardonable crime of poverty.” On January 15, 1797, he “attended singing meeting in the State House, it being the second time of meeting there for the purpose of sing- ing this season.” In March, 1793, he wrote to Oliver Holden subscribing for the periodical issues of music that might be made by the latter. Daniel Read’s first book was called The Ameri- can Singing Book. ‘This was intended as a new and easy guide to the art of psalmody, designed for the use of singing schools in America, and it was printed in New Haven in 1785. It had seventy-three pages, and the contents were composed by ‘Daniel Read. Philo Musico.” The copy of this book in the 96 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Library of Congress was Silas Hough’s book, bought February 7, 1789, for seven shillings six pence. So extensive was the sale in New England that a fourth edition was issued in January, 1792. A copy of this edition is in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society. It has a supplement contain- ing five tunes that were not in the original work, which had forty-seven. A supplement to The Amert- can Singing Book was issued separately in 1787 con- taining twenty-five tunes from different composers. About the time that the fourth edition was issued he wrote in his journal under date of January 9, 1793, that he was proposing to Richard Atwell, of Huntington, that he go to Alexandria as agent for his books. For he says: “A young man made in six months by one school only $300,” and that “books of the size of The American Singing Book, without the Supplement, sell for one dollar per piece,” and advises sending ten or twelve books to Alexandria immediately. The cost of binding his books he states in 1798 as “nine pence each.” In 1786 he began to publish The American Musi- cal Magazine monthly. In the first volume (Yale Library) he says it is “intended to contain a great variety of approved music carefully selected from the works of the best American and European masters.” This contained both sacred and secular music and was published and sold by Amos Doolittle and Daniel Read in New Haven. } INTRODUCTION TO PSALMODY His next book was An Introduction to Psalmody, or, The Childs Instructor in COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC. 97 vocal music, containing a series of familiar heads, viz: Psalm- ody in general, stave, musical letters and cliffs, an exercise for the bass, an exercise for the tenor or treble, an exercise for the counter, tones, semitones, flats, sharps and natural, sol-fa- ing transposition, &c. the several notes and rests, and their proportion, the several moods of time, several other characters used in music, key-notes, &c., graces, illustrated with copper plates by D. Read, Printed . . . in New Haven, 1790. This was followed in 1793 by The Columbian Harmonist, which reached its fourth edition in 1810. There were three numbers which were issued sep- arately, and also bound together in a single volume of 112 pages. The author explains the three parts by saying that “‘those who object to purchasing this book (No. 2) because it contains tunes before pub- lished, are requested to make use of the First Num- ber, which contains a collection of tunes never before published. And those who think anthems a necessary part of a collection of music are desired to peruse the Third Number, which contains anthems and set pieces, suitable for Christmas, Good Friday, Faster, Fasts, Thanksgiving, Funerals, &c.” In 1817, in connection with Eleazer T. Fitch, pro- fessor of divinity at Yale, and other men of musical taste and ability, he was requested to compile and arrange a collection of music for the use of the United Society of New Haven. In this work the labor of arranging and preparing for the press devolved entirely on Mr. Read; and he entered into it with his usual zeal and success. This was his last published work. It met with favor, and was used in that society for many years, and was also used in many other churches in different parts of the country. 98 AMERICAN WRITERS AND The book referred to in the preceding paragraph was called THE NEW HAVEN COLLECTION OF SACRED MUSIC, containing a set of tunes adapted to the metres and subjects of the Psalms and Hymns in general use, selected principally from the works of the most eminent authors, by an Association of Gentlemen for the promotion of Classical Sacred Music in the United Society in New Haven; to which is prefixed a concise introduction to psalmody for the use of Singing Schools. Dedham. Printed typographically by Daniel Mann, 1818. There is no name in the book to indicate who the gentlemen were who prepared the book, but the Rev. George Hood gives us the information above. The book is a narrow oblong, and contained 149 pages. His last work, which occupied his attention for some years, was completed in 1832, when he was in his seventy-fifth year, but was never published. It is neat in execution, methodical in arrangement, and well exhibits the character of the man. It con- tains nearly three hundred pages and over four hun- dred tunes. The manuscript he presented to the American Home Missionary Society, for them to publish, with the request that the avails which may arise from its publication be applied, under their direction, to the cause of missions in the United States. This donation, under the request to pub- lish the work, was declined by the Board, feeling they were not authorized to take such a responsibil- ity. Some of Mr. Read’s tunes have been in common use in the hymnals of this country down to the present time. “Lisbon” and “Windham” are the most popular, and have been found in seven of the a rn... COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 99 recent books examined. One book contained three of his tunes, and The Methodist Hymnal of 1878 has no less than five—one of them, “Sherburne,” belonging to that class so frequently used years ago known as fugue tunes. His “Windham” bears a strong resemblance to a German choral, and Charles Zeuner in his Ancient Lyre calls it a choral by Martin Luther arranged by Read. When we realize the change in sentiment regarding church music during the more than one hundred years since Read wrote, it is surprising that any of his compositions should have any vogue at the present time. PART II 1758-1772 TIMOTHY SWAN 1758-18421 “All records agree that July twenty three Was my birthday a, long time ago; ‘An’ I will engage, ye’ll ken my auld age If yee’ll read the four lines just below. Twice twenty yars an haf a skore Ar’ ye mayn ad jist ten yars more, Noo join eight yars twa times an then Cast a’ thegither my age ye’ll ken.” Turse lines were written by Timothy Swan at Northfield, July 23, 1834, and signed by him upon a slip of paper which is pasted inside the front cover of his New England Harmony, 1801, in the library of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts. The place of his birth is stated in some histories as Suffield, Connecticut, while in others it is given as Worcester, Massachusetts. From the printed records of that city we verify the statement that he was born in Worcester, July 23, 1758, and learn that he was the son of William and Lavina Swan. The following information is taken from a magazine printed in 1853, and is said to have been revised by the daughter of Mr. Swan, so that it may be relied upon as: correct: There were thirteen in the Swan family, Timothy being the eighth. After the death of his father he was placed under the care of a Mr. Barnes, of Marlboro, Mas- sachusetts, an English gentleman, who was a mer- chant there, and whom young Swan was to serve 1From The Choir Herald. 103 104 AMERICAN WRITERS AND till of age. When the difficulties between Great Britain and the colonies arose, Mr. Barnes, who was intensely loyal, was induced to return to Eng- land, and Timothy, now sixteen years of age, went to live with his brother, who was a merchant in Groton. It was while here that he obtained his musical education by attending singing school for three weeks. Soon after this he began to compose airs, but being completely ignorant of the rules, both of musical composition and harmony, his work was uncouth and unpolished. In the same year he joined the army at Cambridge and attained con- siderable efficiency in playing the fife under the tui- tion of an English fifer. At seventeen he began to learn a trade by apprenticing himself to a brother- in-law, who was a hatter in Northfield. He now commenced to compose hymn tunes, “Montague” being the first. These were done mostly while he was at work. He was accustomed to write the melody first, and then the other parts, jotting down a few notes at a time until the piece was complete. During his apprenticeship he composed “Poland” and many other church tunes, which were copied and used in manuscript form over a considerable part of New England. When he heard of William Bil- lings he was exceedingly anxious to see the man, who, strange as it may seem to modern musicians, for a long time gave direction to the music of New England. ‘This desire was not gratified, however, until some years afterward, when Mr. Swan met him in Boston. At the termination of his apprenticeship he went to Suffield, Connecticut, where at the age of twenty- ~ 2 = « 7 J x . J : : > } . ; a —_ 7 ee a : * 7 . » | i $ 7 a vf 1 {4 7 > ~ 1 : ; : 2 ‘ ‘ * , ¥ E y ‘ ml bh < , ae - : zB, ‘FORT ‘AuowBE, Jo spysTod SAUL gsoisu0y jo Areaqry NYMG AHLOWI[, “VNIHC ssorsuor jo AlBiqi : ‘KUOULIB oO syysTeaq syuo \ {! FOSI jaty : ‘ SUNG NGHdELG “LAAITC) LNAOJ COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 105 five he married a daughter of the Rev. Ebenezer Gay, D.D. (Harvard, 1792), the pastor of the First Congregational Church of that place. He lived there for twenty-eight years, and wrote there most of the music which he published. His church tunes of greatest merit are “Poland,” “Quincy,” “Lon- don,” “Spring,” and “China.” The last named he regarded as his best, and in this estimate the public has agreed with him, for this is the only one that now finds a place in modern hymn books. In the copy of. The New England Harmony, in the library of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, there is a notation over the tune “China” to the effect that it was composed in 1790, and was first sung in public in 1794. It is written in a minor key, and is usually set to the words of Watts, “Why do we mourn for dying friends?” It has been styled ‘fone of the most unscientific tunes ever published,” but the people regarded it as the most effective. These verdicts indicate the force of that genius which could burst through the barriers by which it was surrounded and produce such results. ‘That “one could be scientific with the advantages that Swan enjoyed is not, of course, to be expected. Science did for him almost nothing—nature everything. In 1807 Timothy Swan removed to Northfield, Massachusetts, where he continued to reside till his death, which took place July 23, 1842, the very day which completed his eighty-fourth year. He was a fine-looking gentleman, had a well-stored mind, a retentive memory, and a genial tempera- ment, which made him an agreeable companion. He was a great reader, sitting up till past mid- 4 106 AMERICAN WRITERS AND night, and then lying late in the morning. This led his Northfield neighbors to say he was “Poor, proud, and indolent.” He was an ardent admirer of Robert Burns, and often wrote poetry in the Scotch dialect, as the verse at the head of this sketch indicates. He is said to have been a fre- quent contributor of poetry to the local press, and he was for a long time in charge of the library in Northfield. He was very fond of the lilac, and planted three rows of Lombardy poplars around his house. The flocks of blackbirds that nested in their branches he guarded as his especial pets. Booxs Three if not four books may be attributed to Timothy Swan. The Songsters’ Assistant was a collection of secular songs set to music, about half of which was the composition of Mr. Swan. The engraving was done by A. Ely, and its thirty-six pages were printed at Suffield by Swan and Ely, without date, probably about 1800. The Songsters’ Museum was printed anonymously at Northampton in 1803. The title page of his New England Har- mony indicates its contents, and is as follows: Tue New Enctanp Harmony containing A variety of Psalm Tunes in Three and Four Parts adapted to all meters; also a number of Set Pieces of several Verses each, together with a number of Anthems. by Timothy Swan. Published according to Act of Congress. Printed at Northampton, Massachusetts, by Andrew Wright. And sold at his Office. Sold also at Suffield, in Connecticut, by the author. 1801. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 107 It was oblong in shape, and had 123 pages. His family state that it was a pecuniary loss to him, and never went beyond a first edition. The other book that may have been his is The Federal Harmony, first issued in 1785, in Boston by John Norman, and attributed by Charles Evans to Timothy Swan. Another edition was by the same printer in 1788; the issue of 1790 had 114 pages, and one in 1792 130 pages, all four printed by Norman. TIMOTHY OLMSTED 1759-1848 The Musical Olio, printed in Northampton by Andrew Wright in 1805, was compiled and com- posed by Timothy Olmsted. According to the pre- vailing arrangement of those days, it contained an introduction to the art of singing, a variety of psalm and hymn tunes from European authors, and a number of original pieces never before published. In his advertisement he says: The pieces given out in my name [there are twenty four of them], must speak for themselves. I have been importuned by many of my acquaintance to insert more of them than I intended, but to the public I now submit their trial and fate. As the modern European authors have furnished us with many excellent pieces of music in three parts, the air placed for the female voice, and as that custom is prevailing, I have adhered to it in part. Some publishers of psalmody have exploded the alto or counter tenor and in their stead substi- tuted second trebles; others have published in three parts only. Objections have been made to each of those methods singly. To obviate which I have inserted some tunes in three parts and some in four, some with counters and some with second trebles. Part of the airs are placed for the tenor 108 AMERICAN WRITERS AND voice and part for the female voice, all of which I have thought best to print in characters universally made use of, having not as yet been made to perceive the utility of the simplifi- cations and new inventions, which are so frequently presented us for our improvement by many of our modern masters. These characters are not only our old acquaintance, but that of the whole musical world, in which all nations can read and probably never will discard. A second edition was issued in 1811 in New Lon- don, Connecticut. This contained a few more orig- inal pieces. Some of his tunes were copied into other books, even as late as Edmands’ Psalmist, 1859; but, like most of the tunes by the writers of a century ago, they have been left out of the books of the present day. Timothy Olmsted was descended from an old New England family, and was born in Phenix, Os- wego County, New York, November 12, 1759. When only sixteen years old he marched to Boston with the East Hartford company on the Lexington alarm in 1775; served as a musician in the Revolu- tionary War in the Seventh and in the Ninth Con- necticut Regiments, and was present at the battle of White Plains. Just before the close of the war, on May 2, 1783, he married Alice Olmsted, a second cousin, by whom he had a large family—thirteen children. In 1785 he moved to Hartford, Connecti- cut, and later to Whitestown, New York. His wife died February 5, 1811, in Rome, New York. Dur- ing the War of 1812 he served from August 18 to October 28, 1814, at New London, in Captain Eras- tus Strong’s company in the First (Brainerd’s) Regiment of Connecticut Militia. He died August 15, 1848. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 109 JOHN HUBBARD 1759-1810 JoHN Hussarp of New Hampshire was very fond of music, in fact, one writing of him has said that “perhaps one of his weak points was his excessive fondness for sacred music, on which he spent much time, it may be, at the expense of more solid and scholarly attainments.” ‘This remark also indicates the small value set upon the art of music at that time, and too much upon that which brings mere pecuniary profit. His musical publications began in 1789 with the issue of a book called Harmonia Selecta. In 1807 he prepared and read before the Middlesex Musical Association, at Dunstable, an *“Kssay on Music,” which was published at the re- quest of the society in 1808 at Boston in a pamph- let of nineteen pages. This Association was com- posed of musicians mostly from the northern part of Middlesex County, and in 1807 it issued The Middlesex Collection of Church Music, or Ancient Psalmody Revived, containing a variety of plain tunes the most suitable to be used in Divine serv- ices, to which is annexed a number of other pieces of a more delicate and artificial construction proper to be performed by a choir of good musicians occasionally, in schools and public religious assem- blies.” The publication of this compilation was committed by the association to the Rev. David Palmer as their agent. Mr. Palmer was the presi- dent of the society, was minister of the church in Townsend from 1800 to 1830, and during the years 1833 and 1834 represented his town in the General 110 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Court of Massachusetts. A second edition of The Middlesex Collection was issued in 1808, and a third in 1811. In 1814 there was published in Newburyport a volume of T'hirty Anthems, which had been selected by Mr. Hubbard, one of which was original. This collection of tunes was in use for all ordinations, installations, and Thanksgivings for more than twenty-five years. John Hubbard was born in Townsend, Massachu- setts, August 8, 1759. He graduated from Dart- mouth College in 1785, and after studying the- ology for a time he served as preceptor successively of the academies at New Ipswich and at Deerfield. From 1798 to 1802 he was judge of the Probate Court for Cheshire County, New Hampshire. In 1804 he became professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in Dartmouth College, which position he held until his death, which occurred August 14, 1810, at Hanover, New Hampshire. When the Lock Hospital Collection of sacred music was issued in 1809, he subscribed for sixteen copies, and this collection was doubtless used in the college. His contributions to literature were not confined to music, for an oration which he delivered July 4, 1799, was printed, also a book on The Rudiments of Geography, in 1803, and an American Reader in 1808. AMOS BLANCHARD Tuer only item found regarding Amos Blanchard, outside of his own books) is taken from Brook’s Old COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 111 Time Music, and records that he will teach a school for instruction in sacred music on Monday and Friday evenings at the Methodist Chapel in Sewall Street, Salem, Massachusetts, beginning in Novem- ber, 1823. The terms were two dollars a quarter, one half payable in advance. The Newburyport Collection of Sacred European Music made its appearance in 1807 from the press of Ranlet and Norris, Exeter, New Hamp- shire. It had 152 pages. The following year he issued a smaller book, called The American Musical Primer, and its tunes were European in origin. None of the tunes in his first collection were re- peated in this. His music had little usage outside of his own collections, though one tune called “Corinth” was introduced into The Continental Harmony, 1857, and it also appeared in the Stough- ton Collection in 1878. JACOB KIMBALL, JR. 1761-1826 Jacos Kimpatt, Jr., was born February 22, 1761, at Topsfield, Massachusetts. He was the third of ten children of Jacob Kimball and Priscilla Smith. The father was a blacksmith, had some musical ability, and in 1765 was “chosen to set ye psalms, and to sit in ye elders’ seat.” Ritter, in his History of Music in America, attributes this honor to the son, but erroneously so, as the son was too young at that time. At the age of fourteen he was a drummer in Captain Baker’s company of Little’s 112 AMERICAN WRITERS AND regiment, Massachusetts Militia, from May 2 to October 2, 1775. Soon after this he entered Har- vard University, from which he graduated in 1780. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in Stratford, New Hampshire. The Rev. William Bentley, pastor of the church in Salem, called upon the elder Kimball in Topsfield, and wrote in his diary under date of December 7, 1795: “Found Mr. Kimball, the celebrated musician, at his father’s. It is his purpose to establish himself in the law in Maine.” But he did not like that profession, and soon gave it up for music, which suited him better. He had considerable talent as a musician, and adopted teaching as a permanent business. He taught music in the different towns in New England, endeavoring to introduce his own collection. He was not very successful as a business man, and he died in the almshouse in Topsfield, February 6, 1826, at the age of sixty-five. He was never mar- ried. The style of his music is like that of his con- temporaries. He composed single psalm tunes and fuguing pieces, but was less original than Billings. He also wrote some hymns, which he set to music. His version of the sixty-fifth psalm was used in Dr. Belknap’s Sacred Poetry, 1795. The first four lines follow: “Thy praise, O God, in Zion waits; All flesh shall crowd thy sacred gates, To offer sacrifice and prayer, To pay their willing homage there.” Booxs He compiled two music books. The earlier one was The Rural Harmony, an original composition COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 113 in three and four parts, for the use of singing schools and singing assemblies. It was printed in Boston in 1793 by Thomas and Andrews, and had seventy-one pieces. His other book was The Essex Harmony, which he also calls an original composi- tion. This was printed by Henry Ranlet in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1800, for T. C. Cushing and B. B. McNulty, of Salem, Massachusetts. The dedi- cation is to the Essex Musical Association, founded in 1797, “with an ardent wish that it may contribute in some small degree toward furthering the objects of the society; the ameliorating and refining the taste for music; and that it may have a tendency to increase innocent amusement, as well as to exalt the feelings in public devotion.” This book con- tained forty-four tunes and two anthems. An imper- fect copy of it is in the Boston Public Library. This is not the same book issued by Daniel Bayley in various editions from 1770 to 1785. But it is the book to which the Rev. William Bentley refers when he writes: “Mr. McNulty has published a book of Kimball’s psalmody. ‘This young man was very amiable until he became addicted to intemperance. It is lamentable that so many publications in this country are evidently only catch-penny productions —not even suggested by genius but first asked by the promise of cash for the compilation.” The Essex Institute has a copy of The Vil- lage Harmony in which there is a pencil notation attributing it to Jacob Kimball, but there is some question about his connection with it. The Village Harmony was a very popular book in eastern Mas- sachusetts during the twenty years following 1795, 114 AMERICAN WRITERS AND the various editions being printed in Exeter, New Hampshire; Newburyport and Boston, Massachu- setts, but the compiler is not named. ‘The tunes of Kimball had a short life. They are no longer found in the hymn books, though one or two are occa- sionally heard at ‘Old Folks’ Concerts.” Bentley’s comment is true—‘His tunes did not prove pop- ular.” SAMUEL HOLYOKE 1762-1820" THE most important contribution of Samuel Holyoke to the musical literature of America was (as shown by its title page) : THE COLUMBIAN REPOSITORY OF SACRED HAR- MONY, selected from European and American authors, with many new tunes not before published, including the whole of Dr. Watts’ Psalms and Hymns, to each of which a tune is adapted, and some additional tunes suited to the particular meters in Tate and Brady’s and Dr. Belknap’s Collection of Psalms and Hymns; with an introduction of practical prin- ciples. The whole designed for the use of schools, musical societies, and worshipping assemblies. This is the largest collection of music that had been gathered in this country up to that time. It was dedicated to the Essex (Mass.) Musical Association, of which he was a member. It was sold by subscrip- tion for three dollars, contained 472 pages, and had 734 tunes. In the advertisement he says: It is presumed that there has no work of the kind yet appeared in the United States in which there is a greater variety of style to be found than in the present, and should 1From The Choir Herald. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 115 the encouragement be equivalent to the time and labor bestowed upon it, the design will be answered. It was published in Exeter, New Hampshire, by Henry Ranlet, but there is no date upon it. James Warrington, in his Short Titles, says about 1800. In the Christian Harmonist, published in 1804, there are two tunes credited to The Columbian Repository, which would indicate that the latter was in print prior to 1804. eS ae z : f Fe et. tet cn: anrnnatin : : Bs a i ‘ cok Pe ite el horas Reese ree ies oases sin: mutans cnet enmettne Set o - a ~ coe Rh oleae pees COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 123 shire, in 1805. The preface is dated at Newbury, Vermont, November, 1804. The music is printed from type, and there are 134 pages of hymn tunes. A letter before me states that “in an advertise- ment it is stated that nearly the whole of the tunes were the original composition of the author and there was but one in the book that was known to be composed by any one but Mr. Ingalls.” This is erroneous, for the names of the composers are given in the index, and include the well-known names of Billings, Swan, Read, Edson, and Brownson. And, further, an advertisement in the book itself shows that “some are wholly and some in part the original composition of the author, and others selected from various authors which are credited where they are known.” An interesting story is told of him as follows: His children were musical and his sons could play clarinet, bassoon, flute, and violin, and they would often practice for hours, the old man leading the band with his bass viol. One Sunday they were having an excellent time performing anthems, and after a while the youngsters started a secular piece, the father with composure joining in. From that they went on until they found themselves furiously engaged in a boisterous march, in the midst of which the old gentleman stopped short, exclaiming, “Boys, this won’t do. Put away these corrupt things and take your Bibles.” In stature he was short and corpulent. In 1800 we find him among the list of subscribers of Samuel Holyoke’s Columbian Repository. Much of the old-fashioned conference meeting music is in his Christian Harmony, and attributed to his authorship by later compilers, making him the author of many of the tunes sung from forty to 124 AMERICAN WRITERS AND seventy years ago, to the sweet old “Pennyroyal Hymns” of those times. His “Lavonia” and ‘Penn- sylvania” were for years very popular. “The operatic warbler may voice her culture rare, With Wagner, Rubenstein, and Bach, or any high-flown air, But still her notes are lacking, they’re so very straight and prim By the side of that old melody, the Pennyroyal hymn.” A number of his tunes have survived in common use. ‘Northfield’ seems to be the most popular in modern hymnals, while “Come, Ye Sinners,” some- times called “Invitation,” is remembered by some of us who are not yet so very old. These two, with “Filmore” and “Kentucky,” are in The Methodist Hymnal of 1878. The primitive Baptist Hymn Book, 1902, has two of his tunes not found in other recent books. ‘The words set to the tunes in the various books are different in each one, and no hymn. appears to be wedded to any one tune. This is to be expected, as when Ingalls composed his music, it was not written for any definite words. OLIVER HOLDEN 1765-18447 Ourver Hoxpen, the carpenter-composer, is the first one of the earlier tune writers whose work is still found in the hymnals. He is known almost entirely by his tune “Coronation,” and this tune is in every one of the twenty-five modern hymnals 1From The Choir Herald. | ‘ . COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 125 which I have examined, and which are used by the various denominations of evangelical churches. His other musical compositions, which were numerous, are not so well known. Born September 18, 1765, in Shirley, Massachusetts, he lived in that town with his parents till he was twenty-one years of age, and then the family moved to Charlestown. Being a carpenter, the rebuilding of that town, which had been burned by the British, promised employment. Here he prospered. He became a large operator in real estate, and when a new Baptist church was organized he gave the land on which to erect the building. Later another organization was effected, popularly called for many years the Puritan Church, of which he became the head, and was its preacher all through its existence. Their meetings were held in a one-story wooden church erected largely by the personal labors of Mr. Holden. Their services were congregational in form, and the sacra- ment of the Lord’s Supper was observed every Sun- day. He represented Charlestown in the Massa- chusetts House of Representatives for eight annual terms between the years 1818 and 1833. He was a prominent Mason, and the records of his lodge fur- nish many allusions to his musical entertainments at its meetings. Music But circumstances turned him to music; he opened a music store, became the leader of a choir, and con- ducted singing schools. ‘Then he began to compose music and compile music books. The letter-book of Daniel Read, under date of March 12, 1793, states 126 AMERICAN WRITERS AND that he had subscribed to the periodical issues of music that were made by Oliver Holden. So many books were arranged by him that it would seem that most of his time during his later years must have been devoted to his favorite muse. Indeed, when his strength was almost gone, and he lay dying, his wife and daughter heard him whisper, “I have some beau- tiful airs running in my mind, if I only had strength to note them down.” ‘These were his last words and indicate his all-absorbing thoughts. He died Sep- tember 4, 1844, and over his grave in Charlestown his name is inscribed as “the composer of the tune Coronation.” AMERICAN HarMony His first contribution to the literature of psalm- ody was a small volume of thirty-two pages, “the whole entirely new,” and called American Harmony. The preface is dated at Charlestown, September 27, 1792, and Mr. Holden refers to himself as a teacher of music. His next compilation was a more pre- tentious effort, The Union Harmony, or Universal Collections of Sacred Music, in two volumes, aggre- gating 300 pages. It was in this collection that his “Coronation” was first printed, and set to the words of Edward Perronet, “All hail the power of Jesus’ name,”’ with which the tune has ever since been asso- ciated in this country. The name of the Rev. Mr. Medley appears as the author in Mr. Holden’s book, but we know this was an error, for these familiar lines first appeared in Occasional Verses, Moral and Sacred, published in London in 1785, and were writ- ten by Edward Perronet. The Union Harmony was ssolsuog jo AIvIqry ‘Usp[OFT IOAYO “E6LT ‘AuowULp uBoweuUry COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 127 issued in a second edition in 1796, and a third edi- tion appeared in 1801. The Massachusetts Compiler was published early in 1795 in Boston by Thomas and Andrews. It was a small book of seventy-two pages and was the joint work of Hans Gram, Samuel Holyoke, and Oliver Holden. The Modern Collection of Sacred Music, by an American (Oliver Holden), appeared in No- vember, 1800. It was a book of 254 pages, and the preface is signed by the publishers, Thomas and Andrews of Boston. During this same year he pre- pared a collection of Sacred Dirges, and A Plain Psalmody. 'The latter was an original composition consisting of seventy psalm and hymn tunes. The author says he is opposed to fugue tunes and hopes that their omission will please the lovers of real devo- tion. The composers of five of the tunes are named ; the others are, of course, by Mr. Holden. In November of this year, 1800, Mr. Bentley, min- ister of a church in Salem, notes in his diary that a musical composition published by Holden of Charles- town, called “West End,” was performed in his church after the sermon. The Charlestown Collection of Sacred Songs, adapted to public and private devotions, was pub- lished according to act of Congress in November, 1803, at Boston by Thomas and Andrews. It was made up principally of original compositions by Oliver Holden, never before published, but contained also seven by John Cole, of Baltimore, one by Jacob Kimball, and one by Mr. Day. In the preface Mr. Holden says, As this work is principally designed for a supplement to a 128 AMERICAN WRITERS AND larger collection, and as an appendix to the eighth edition of the Worcester Collection, it is thought unnecessary to add the rudiments. It has been the constant endeavor of the author to compose the music in a style suited to the solemnity of sacred devotion, and which he hopes will accord with the sentiments and feelings of real worshipers. As sacred poetry in general is best adapted to the pensive or solemn, he has aimed to give that air or character to the following compo- sitions which, if he is not deceived, will produce no trifling effect on auditors or performers. The above reference to the Worcester Collection requires that we notice that book which was so popu- lar just after the Revolutionary War. It was in fact the most popular music book of the period, and was often reprinted. It first issued from the press of Isaiah Thomas at Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1786, under the title, Laws Deo, or the Worcester Collection of Sacred Harmony, in three parts con- taining I. An Introduction to the grounds of music or rules for learners. II. A larger number of celebrated psalm and hymn _ tunes from the most approved ancient and modern authors, together with several new ones [the index shows eight] never before published; the whole suited to all meters usually sung in churches, . III. Select anthems, fugues and favorite pieces of music with additional number of psalm and hymn tunes, the whole compiled for the use of schools and singing soci- eties, and recommended by many approved teachers of psalmody. The compiler of this collection is not named. Some have assumed that the publisher, Isaiah Thomas, was also the compiler, although he says that he is unskilled in music. Still it is safe to say that even if he did have the assistance of some one else, his Be Fy Fs, Obes ties 5 aa a ete COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 129 was the directing mind in its preparation. This book was also notable in being the first book printed in New England from music type. In 1767 James Parker had issued from his printing office in Beaver Street in New York city the psalms of David edited by Francis Hopkinson, with the music printed above each line. This was the first book printed from music type in America. The type had been im- ported from Amsterdam. Only the melody was printed above each line alternating with the lines of words. The Worcester Collection, however, had all the parts printed on the double staff, as is the rule at the present day, so that it can claim to be the first book of complete music from type. It was dedicated to the several musical societies in New England, and of its contents the publisher says, Mr. William Billings, of Boston, was the first person we know of that attempted to compose church music in the New England States. His music met with approbation. Some tunes of his composing are inserted in this work, and are extracted from The Chorister’s Companion, printed in Connecticut from copper plates. [This had been first issued in 1782 at New Haven.] Several adepts in music followed Mr. Billings’ example, and the New England States can now boast of many authors of church music whose compositions do them honor. A number of their tunes are in this collec- tion, and we hope are done in such a manner as will give them satisfaction. A few copies of this work will by request be published separately, in order to accommodate a few schools which are at present destitute of books. The Third Part is now in the press and will be published with all possible expedition. As a matter of fact, Part Three was not published until the next year, 1787. With regard to his new type the publisher says: Having observed with pleasure the attention paid to church 130 AMERICAN WRITERS AND music by most classes of people in the New England States, and knowing many of the books now in use, necessarily high- charged owing to their being printed from copper plates, he was induced both by inclination, and at the request of several friends, to attempt a work of this kind from types, hoping to afford it somewhat cheaper than any other book of its bigness printed after the usual manner. He accordingly engaged a set of musical types to be made in England by one of the most ingenious type founders in Great Britain, which he hopes on inspection of the tunes will be found to have answered the purpose. Many gentlemen lent their aid in furnishing tunes. Notwithstanding the expense of executing, this work has much exceeded his expectation, yet he hopes that he has so far answered the intention proposed as that the price fixed to it will not be thought unreasonable. The Hallelujah Chorus appears in Part Three, and the publisher says: Having been favored with a copy of the grand chorus in that celebrated work, the Messiah, by Handel, one of the greatest musicians that ever delighted the ears Of mortals, I am happy to give it a place in this Collection. Although it has been thought by some too hard to be learned and too delicate to be sung even by the best performers in this coun- try, I doubt not that there are many who have not only skill to learn, but judgment to perform it, at least equal to some of the best singers in Europe. Two years later a second edition was printed, and the publisher says: It gave great pleasure to the editor of the Worcester Col- lection of Sacred Harmony that the first edition of it was so generally approbated. Owing to the small number of which that edition consisted, it was soon out of print, and many persons who were desirous of purchasing could not obtain copies. Some persons in Boston, taking advantage of the scarcity, printed a spurious edition from copper plates, and palmed it upon the undiscerning for the real Worcester Collection. The editor, therefore, has been induced to publish a second edition. A few tunes, mostly out of use, and some others not used in public worship, are omitted, and others more modern and adapted to the present taste inserted in their COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 181 room. A considerable number of psalm tunes are also added, some of which were never before published, without any addi- tion in price. The index indicates a number of tunes that are not in the first edition, and four that never were before published. It would be very satisfying to be able to identify the spurious edition referred to as having been made by Boston parties from copper plates, but diligent search of the music books published be- tween 1786 and 1788 fails to reveal any one that resembles The Worcester Collection either in name or contents. The third edition with large additions was issued in 1791. In the preface he notes the increasing de- mand for the work, and alludes to the spurious edi- tion, saying: Advantage has been taken of the scarcity of genuine copies to impose incorrect and spurious ones, of which those who wish to be supplied with good books will beware... . A complaint hath been made that good tunes soon wear out by becoming too familiar by frequent repetition. To remove this evil the editor has had a tune made by way of experiment, (Worcester, New, by Mann) long enough for the usual number of stanzas without repetition. This tune is more like an anthem than a hymn tune. The fourth edition was published in Boston in 1792, and besides Parts One and Two had an “Ap- pendix containing a number of excellent psalm tunes, several of which are entirely new, and other pieces of sacred vocal musick, many of which are composed by eminent European authors, and never before published in this country.” This edition was hurried through the press and “many errors escaped the observation of the corrector.” These were cor- 132 AMERICAN WRITERS AND rected in the fifth edition in 1794. In this edition we note one composition each by Oliver Holden and Hans Gram, the latter being an anthem dedicated to the Singing Society of Newburyport. ‘These two musicians were assisted by Samuel Holyoke in the preparation of the Massachusetts Compiler in 1795. The sixth edition of The Worcester Collection, printed August, 1797, is by Oliver Holden, and Mr. Thomas “informs his musical friends who have so liberally encouraged the five former editions of the Worcester Collection that he has contracted with Mr. Oliver Holden, who is interested in the work, to compile and correct the present and future edi- tions.” The seventh edition, 1800, contains many new pieces, probably by the editor, though his name is not appended to any of them. The eighth edi- tion, 1803, has some new tunes and some European music not much known in this country. It is to be lamented that among so many American authors so little can be found well written or well adapted to sacred purposes, but it is disingenuous and impolitic to throw that little away while our country is in a state of progressive improvement. Some tunes are inserted which do not merit approbation. The motive needs no explanation. The new tunes, which are more numerous than in any former edition, are impressed by themselves in an appendix, and may be had separately. As a separate book it was known as The Charles- town Collection of Sacred Songs. | OrcAN The organ that was once the property of the Charlestown musician, and upon which he composed COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 133 his tune “Coronation,” is now in the rooms of the Bostonian Society in the Old State House, Boston, Massachusetts, and it was my privilege, some years ago, to be one of a company which stood around it and sang a stanza of “America” to the accompani- ment of its tones. Above the keys is a case much like the old-fashioned secretary with two doors. On opening these one sees a number of short pipes, from a few inches to about twenty for the longest. The compass of the organ is four and a half octaves, It gives forth good music in summer, but it is said that in winter it is mute. On October 21, 1789, when Washington visited the city of Boston, he was escorted along Washing- ton Street past the State House. There a triumphal arch had been erected and an “Ode to Columbia’s Favorite Son” was sung by the Independent Musical Society of that city. The words and music were said to have been composed by Oliver Holden, and it is also said that he led in the singing. This same “Ode” was sung by the Stoughton Musical Society in 1893 at the Chicago Exposition. The original print of this Ode and music appeared in the Massa- chusetts Magazine in 1789, and it is reproduced in facsimile in Elson’s National Music in America. PoETRY In 1806 The Young Convert’s Companion, a Col- lection of Hymns for the Use of Conference Meet- ings, was published in Boston. It was edited by Oliver Holden, and there are nineteen hymns in it signed “H.” One of these, beginning “All those who seek a throne of grace,” is in long meter, and con- -134 AMERICAN WRITERS AND sisted of six stanzas. Every line has been altered to convert it into the meter of sevens, and a hymn of four stanzas has been produced which is now found in many present-day hymnals, and ascribed to Hol- den. The first stanza is “They who seek the throne of grace, Find that throne in every place, If we live a life of prayer God is present everywhere.” This hymn and the tune “Coronation” are all of Holden’s work that has been retained in our hymn books, although up to the time that he ceased pub-. lishing music there had been no American author whose productions had been so well received and so generally sung. He was a conscientiously religious and amiable man as anyone might judge from the style of his compositions, and his “Coronation” will live for generations yet to sing and admire. HANS GRAM Neituer the date of the birth or death of Hans Gram has come to our notice, but from the dates of his musical compositions we place the period of his active life in Massachusetts as about that of Mr. Graupner. Gram was a native of Denmark, liber- ally educated at Stockholm. He possessed a sound and discriminating mind, well stored with knowl- edge of men and books. For many years he was organist of the Brattle Street Church in Boston, and he taught many of the early native musicians of that vicinity, such as Jacob Kimball, Oliver Hol- COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 135 den, and Samuel Holyoke. He wrote and published little music, though we do find a few pieces scattered here and there in the literature of the day, both secular and sacred. In 1793 he published a small work, called Sacred Lines for Thanksgiving Day, November 7, 1793. ‘Written and set to music by Hans Gram, organist to Brattle Street Church, Boston; to which are added several tunes of different meters by the same composer.” ‘This was recommended by Jacob Kim- ball, Dr. Nahum Fay, and Isaac Lane. In 1795 he was one of the compilers, with Oliver Holden and Samuel Holyoke, of The Massachusetts Compiler, in which appeared the first article upon harmony ever written in this country. This was written by Mr. Gram, and Doctor Bentley, of Salem, tells us in his diary that the rules were compiled mostly from the foreign writers D’Alembert, Rous- seau, Selzer, and others. His other sacred pieces were an anthem for Easter, and one entitled “Bind Kings in Chains.” Another anthem dedicated to the Singing Societies of ‘Newburyport, and dated Charlestown, October, 1794, appeared in the ap- pendix to the Fifth edition of the Worcester Col- lection. Of secular music we may note a “Hunting Song” which was printed in the Massachusetts Magazine of 1789, another “Song” in the same magazine for 1790, and an “Ode to the President” by a lady, set to music by Hans Gram. It is to be regretted that so little has been found regarding one whose influence was felt by the Massachusetts group of psalm tune writers. 136 AMERICAN WRITERS AND GOTTLIEB GRAUPNER 1767-1836 JOHANN CHRISTIAN GOTTLIEB GRAUPNER, to use his full name, and Hans Gram were two foreign-born musicians who came to this country during the last decade of the eighteenth century, settled in the east- ern part of Massachusetts, and became quite promi- nent in the musical affairs of that period. ‘The former, and probably the older, was born October 6, 1767, in Verden, Germany. He was for some time an oboe player in a Hanoverian regimental band, from which he was discharged April 8, 1788. He then went to London, where he played in an orches- tra under Haydn in 1791-92. From London he went to Prince Edward’s Island, thence, in 1796, to Charlestown, Massachusetts, where he married Mrs. Katherine Hillier. He established himself in busi- ness in Boston as a teacher and publisher of music, and a leader of both instrumental and vocal con- certs. For May 15, 1798, he advertised a concert in Salem, the tickets being priced at “half a dollar.” The doors were opened at six o’clock and the per- formance began at precisely half-past seven. There were two parts to the program and twelve persons who took part. The numbers taken by Mr. Graup- ner and his wife included a clarinet quartet, in which Mr. Graupner played one of the instruments, a solo, “He Pipes So Sweet,” by Mrs. Graupner, a vocal quartet in which Mrs. Graupner took the soprano, and an echo song by her, accompanied by her hus- band on the hautboy. Mr. Graupner was one of those who signed the ea COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 137 call, March 24, 1815, for a meeting which resulted in the formation in April of the Handel and Haydn Society. The first concert of this society was given at Christmas, 1815, and the program consisted largely of selections from “The Creation.” There were one hundred in the chorus including ten ladies ; there were twelve instruments and an organ. The tickets were one dollar apiece, 945 were sold, and the net proceeds were $533. In 1810 the instrumental players in Boston were organized by Graupner into a Philharmonic Society, and soon began to give con- certs. This society was continued for fourteen years, their last concert being given on November 24, 1824. His business as a publisher of music was located in 1801 in Sweetser’s Alley. Later he estab- lished a “Musical Academy” at 6 Franklin Street, near Franklin Place, and in 1817 we find the firm of Graupner and Company at 15 Marlboro Street, where they advertise they have just printed the popular piece of music, “Strike the Cymbal,” ar- ranged for the pianoforte. One of the advertise- ments of this musician states that he had piano- fortes for sale and to let, and that private instru- ments would be tuned both in town and country. Mr. Graupner married in Charlestown, April 6, 1796, Mrs. Catherine Comeford Hillier, the daugh- ter of a London attorney. When she appeared in public she was known as Mrs. Heelyer, and it was said that for many years she was the only vocal- ist in Boston. After her death, which occurred May 28, 1821, Mr. Graupner married again, for at the settlement of his property his widow is given as Mary H. Graupner. 138 AMERICAN WRITERS AND He died of ulcerated sore throat at No. 1 Prov- ince House Court, Boston, April 16, 1836. His funeral was held April 20, in Trinity Church, and he was buried in the family vault under Saint Mat- thew’s Church in South Boston. When this church was demolished in 1866, his body was removed to Mount Hope Cemetery, West Roxbury, Massa- chusetts. He left no real estate; his personal prop- erty was appraised at $975. PETER ERBEN 1769-1861 Tue Erben family were organ builders in New York. From Messiter’s history of the music in Trinity Church we learn that Henry Erben built the organ that was installed in 1842, Michael Erben was an occasional organist in the church during the sixties. Peter Erben, born about 1769, was director of the society for cultivating church music con- nected with Trinity Church as early as 1800. Seven years later he was appointed organist of Saint George’s Chapel, a mission that was supported by that church; and in 1813 he was made the first organist of Saint John’s Chapel, another branch of that parish. From 1820 to 1839 he was the organist of Trinity Church, and in that year was retired on a gratuity of three hundred dollars a year. He was followed by Dr. John 8S. B. Hodges. Mr. Erben continued his connection with Trinity Church till his death, which occurred April 30, 1861, in Brooklyn, when he had attained the age of ninety- COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 1389 one years. His funeral took place from the church which he had served for so many years. In 1806 he published a volume of Select Psalm and Hymn Tunes. BENJAMIN CARR 1769-1831 ProsaBty the first music store in Philadelphia was “The Music Repository,” opened by Benjamin Carr about 1793. Benjamin Carr was born in Eng- land about 1769, received a thorough musical train- ing in that country, and had been connected with the London Ancient Concerts before he emigrated to America in 1793. After landing in New York he set up as a music dealer for a short time, then went on to Philadelphia, where he advertised him- self in 1793-94 as “B. Carr & Co., Music Printers and Importers.” From 1794 to 1800 he carried on his Musical Repository in Philadelphia. His New York branch he sold in 1797 or 1798 to James Hewitt. Joseph (probably a brother) Carr opened a Musical Repository in Baltimore in 1794 in Mar- ket Street near Gay, and the next year the address was changed to 6 Gay Street. Joseph first appears as a music publisher in connection with Benjamin in 1796, and the firm continued far into the nine- teenth century, Joseph having the Baltimore branch, while Benjamin remained in Philadelphia. William Carr, probably another member of the family, was born in Yorkshire, England, worked as an engraver in Philadelphia, and died there January 14, 1852. He is buried in Saint Paul’s churchyard. 140 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Benjamin Carr’s distinctive work for music and musicians was the organization of the Musical Fund Society. Its history cannot be written without weav- ing into it many threads from Mr. Carr’s brain. As early as 1816 Mr. Carr was one of a quartet of musi- cians who tried to form a society for regular prac- tice. The first meetings for discussion and organi- zation were held at his house, and before the soci- ety was finally constituted it was decided that one of its subjects should be the assistance of needy musicians. So that when it was instituted it was called the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia. As its birth was February 29, 1820, its anniver- saries must be marked in quadrenniums. i in ee ee da Ee 7. eS ee ee ee ee eee COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 185 EZEKIEL GOODALE 1780- The Hallowell Collection of Sacred Music was the product of the Handel Society of Maine. It is not stated who was the compiler, but it was recommended by both the president and the vice-president of the society named. It was printed and published by Ezekiel Goodale at Hallowell, in 1817. For a second edition issued two years later there were added six- teen pages. Most of the tunes were by European composers, though we find Tuckey’s Psalm 97, and a tune named ‘*‘Canton,” by Supply Belcher, a Pine Tree State musician. One tune, here called “Oporto,” is the well-known “Portuguese Hymn.” Mr. Goodale was born in West Boylston, Massa- chusetts, in 1780. After passing his majority, in 1822 he removed to Hallowell, Maine, and having spent a few years in book-selling, he opened a print- ing establishment in 1813, “At the Sign of the Bible.’ In 1820 Frank Glazier, the son of Mr. Goodale’s sister, entered the business with his uncle, and with changing partners the firm continued until 1880. ANTHONY PHILIP HEINRICH 1781-1861 Antuony Puitie Heryricy, often called “Father Heinrich,” was born in affluence in Schoenbuchel, Bohemia, March 11, 1781. When he reached man- hood he became the principal in an extensive bank- 186 -AMERICAN WRITERS AND ing house in Hamburg, and during his travels in connection with his business he went to Malta, where he purchased a Cremona violin, and at once pro- ceeded to learn to play it. His next extended travels brought him to Lisbon, thence to America in 1818, and he settled in Philadelphia for a while, where he directed the music in the Southwick The- ater. It was while there that he learned of the failure of his business house, and he was reduced to poverty thus suddenly. From Philadelphia he went on to Louisville, Kentucky, supporting himself by giving violin lessons. He lived for some time at Bardstown among the Indians who then inhabited that section of the country, and many of his musical compositions refer to these aboriginal companions. He was a species of musical Catlin, painting his dusky friends upon the musical staff, instead of upon canvas. His work as an American composer is important from the fact that “though not the first to recognize the North American Indian as a fit subject for music he was the first to do so in sym- phonic and choral works of large dimensions calling for an orchestra of almost Richard Straussian pro- portions, and indeed, the first to show, as a sym- phonic composer, pronounced nationalistic aspira- tions.” (See the report of the Library of Congress for 1917.) In 1882 we find him in Boston, where he was for a while the organist in the Old South Church. It was during this year that Nathaniel D. Gould pub- lished his National Church Harmony and he placed therein four of the hymn tunes of Professor Hein- rich. One was called “Antonia,” the Latin form of - Sei i ET, eg! eS ee ee ee ee een COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC _ 187 his own name, and it was also the name of his daugh- ter. In 1838 we find that this venerable and tal- ented musician had taken up his residence in New York, and a writer in the Boston Musical Gazette for that year has the following: Years have passed since we had the pleasure of taking him by the hand, or of seeing that hand sweep the keys with its lightning rapidity, producing its enraptured tones. We most cordially wish him success, both with his “Bonny Brunette,” which no doubt is worthy of all the critical care and attention he has paid to it; also with his mighty “Condor,” of which we have had a goodly account. Cannot this gigantic bird wing its way hither, or is our climate too cold and uncon- genial to excite it into song? We understand that Mr. Heinrich still employs his time in composing, and that the fire of his genius is still in full glow. In the meantime “Father Heinrich” had visited London, where he played in the Drury Lane Orches- tra for thirty-six shilling a week. Then he went on to Germany, and the scenes of his youth. After his return to this country a short biography of him was printed in a Baltimore paper, which called out a correction from Mr. Heinrich, giving us some idea of his married life. He said, “Having only been wedded once and not to a lady of wealth, but one abundantly rich in beauty, accomplishments, and qualities of a noble heart, I draw a veil over my (other) private life.” His wife was an American, whom he had mar- ried, presumably, in Bohemia, for she died there in 1814, and their infant daughter, Antonia, was com- mitted to the care of a relative at Grund near Rum- burg. During his visit to his native land he tried without success to find his daughter, but on his 188 AMERICAN WRITERS AND return to America he found that she had followed her father, and they finally discovered each other. In 1842 he took part in a Grand Musical Festival in the Broadway Tabernacle in New York, and this city was his home for most of the remaining years of his life. He died in New York, May 3, 1861, and the notice of his death states that for the last four months he was confined to his room by a serious illness which he bore with Christian resignation. Soon after his arrival in this country he learned of the failure of the banking house with which he was connected, and so to earn a livelihood he began to compose music. He had finished seventy-five complete works, including several operas, when they were all destroyed by fire. A number of his com- positions were written for such an_ extensive orchestra that many of them were never given, and a still larger part remain in manuscript. A for- tunate purchase by the Library of Congress has placed his work where it is accessible to the music student, and there is also among his papers much material consisting of letters, memoranda, and news- paper clippings for a future biography. We will close this article with an incident from Hewitt’s Shadows on the Wall. The eccentric Anthony Philip Heinrich, generally known as “Father Heinrich,” visited Washington, while I resided in that city, with a grand musical work of his, illustrative of the greatness and glory of this republic, the splendor of its institutions and the indomitable bravery of its army and navy. This work Heinrich wished to publish by subscription. He had many names on his list; but, as he wished to dedicate it , to the President of the United States, and also to obtain the signatures of the Cabinet and other high officials, he thought it best to call personally and solicit their patronage. Ea pT ee ee ee ee COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 189 He brought with him a number of letters of introduction, among them one to myself from my brother, a music publisher in New York. I received the old gentleman with all the courtesy due to his brilliant musical talents; and, as I was the first he had called upon, I tendered him the hospitalities of my house—“potluck” and a comfortable bed, promising to go the rounds with him on the following morning and intro- duce him to President Tyler (whose daughter, Alice, was a pupil of mine) and such other influential men as I was acquainted with. Poor Heinrich! I shall never forget him. He imagined that he was going to set the world on fire with his “Dawning of Music in America”; but, alas! It met with the same fate as his “Castle in the Moon” and “Yankee Doodliad.” Two or three hours of patient hearing did I give to the most complicated harmony I ever heard, even in my musical dreams. Wild and unearthly passages, the pianoforte abso- lutely groaning under them, and “the old man eloquent,” with much self-satisfaction, arose from the tired instrument, and with a look of triumph, asked me if I had ever heard music like that before? I certainly had not. At a proper hour we visited the President’s mansion, and after some ceremony and much grumbling on the part of the polite usher, were shown into the presence of Mr. Tyler, who received us with his usual urbanity. I introduced Mr. Hein- rich as a professor of exalted talent and a man of extraor- dinary genius. The President after learning the object of our visit, which he was glad to learn was not to solicit an office, readily consented to the dedication, and commended the under- taking. Heinrich was elated to the skies, and immediately proposed to play the grand conception, in order that the Chief Magistrate of this great nation might have an idea of its merits. “Certainly, sir,’ said Mr. Tyler; “I will be greatly pleased to hear it. We will go into the parlor, where there is a piano, and I will have Alice and the ladies present, so that we may have the benefit of their opinion; for, to confess the truth, gentlemen, I am but a poor judge of music.” He then rang the bell for the waiter, and we were shown into the parlor, and invited to take some refreshments at the sideboard. ‘The ladies soon joined us, and in a short space of time we were all seated, ready to hear Father Heinrich’s composition; I, for the second time, to be gratified. The com- 190 AMERICAN WRITERS AND poser labored hard to give full effect to his weird production; his bald pate bobbed from side to side, and shone like a bubble on the surface of a calm lake. At times his shoulders would be raised to the line of his ears, and his knees went up to the keyboard, while the perspiration rolled in large drops down his wrinkled cheeks. The ladies stared at the maniac musician, as they, doubtless, thought him, and the President scratched his head, as if wondering whether wicked spirits were not rioting in the cavern of mysterious sounds and rebelling against the laws of acoustics. ‘lhe composer labored on, occasionally explaining some incomprehensible passage, representing, as he said, the breaking up of the frozen river Niagara, the thaw of the ice, and the dash of the mass over the mighty falls. Peace and plenty were represented by soft strains of pastoral music, while the thunder of our naval war-dogs and the rattle of our army musketry told of our prowess on the sea and land. The inspired composer had got about half-way through his wonderful production, when Mr. Tyler restlessly arose from his chair, and placing his hand gently on Heinrich’s shoulder, said, “hat may all be very fine, sir, but can’t you play us a good old Virginia reel?” Had a thunderbolt fallen at the feet of the musician, he could not have been more astounded. He arose from the piano, rolled up his manuscript, and, taking his hat and cane, bolted toward the door, exclaiming: “No sir; I never plays dance music!” I joined him in the vestibule, having left Mr. Tyler and family enjoying a hearty laugh at the “maniac musician’s” expense. As we proceeded along Pennsylvania avenue, Heinrich grasped my arm convulsively, and exclaimed: “Mein Got in himmel! de peoples vot made Yohn Tyler Bresident ought to be hung! He knows no more ‘apout music than an oyshter!” He returned to New York by the next train, and I never heard any more of the “Dawning of Music in America.” Mr. Heinrich died quite poor in New York. He was, in his earlier days, a very wealthy and influential banker in the city of Hamburg. His fondness for music, however, drew him away from the less refined but more profitable operations in the money market. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 191 CHRISTOPHER MEINECKE 1782-1850 Mucu of the musical history of Baltimore during the early part of the nineteenth century centers around Saint Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church. As early as 1817 its fourth edifice was erected, and it was in this building that John Cole and Chris- topher Meinecke officiated. Only a very few facts have been gathered about Mr. Meinecke. First let us quote from Hewitt’s Shadows on the Wall: Charles Meinecke was a fine pianist as well as organist. A German by birth, he possessed the German faculty of amass- ing money, leading a bachelor’s life and economizing to a miserly extent. He was a quiet, unobtrusive man, easy in his manners, and when he died he left a large property to his relatives in Europe. He composed many secular songs as well as sacred, and his piano music, generally variations, was quite popular. He died in 1850. After a long search a correspondent in Baltimore found the exact date of his death to be November 6, 1850, and he quotes the following from The Sun: Death of a musician. Mr. Christopher Meinecke, exten- sively known in this city as a composer and a musician, died on Wednesday evening. The deceased had attained to a con- siderable eminence in his profession, and was much esteemed for his integrity and virtue. The American added that he died after a brief illness, was a native of Germany and for many years a resident of this city: The records of the Probate Court reveal the sur- prising fact that at his death he possessed an estate which amounted to $190,000, a very large sum for that period. Curiosity led us to investigate the 192 AMERICAN WRITERS AND reason for the accumulation of such an amount, for surely it could not have been gathered from his receipts as a teacher of music, or a church organist. The real source of his wealth was fortunate invest- ments. He bought real estate in the city of Balti- more, and held it until its value was greatly enhanced. Christopher Meinecke, often called Charles, was a native of Germany. He came to this country in 1800, at the age of eighteen, landed at Baltimore, and continued to live in that city as his home until his death. His father was organist to the Duke of Oldenburgh, and consequently the son had the advan- tages of a complete musical education. His talents both as a composer and performer were of a very superior order. He excelled especially as a pianist; he was a brilliant concerto player, a quick reader, and accompanied the voice as only the sympathetic performer can. In 1817 he visited Europe where he was introduced to Beethoven, and submitted to him a “concerto” which won from him high approba- tion. Mr. Meinecke returned to Baltimore in 1819. Music He composed considerable music, both secular and sacred, and his productions were highly esteemed in his day. In 1821 he composed a ‘*Te Deum” which was performed in Saint Paul’s Church, and drew favorable comment from a musical journal called The Euterpiad. A “Messe, (Lateinisch)” of eighty-two pages and marked “Op. 25,” is undated and was published in Leipzig; a copy of this is in the Lowell Mason Collection of Yale Library. In Say *s i COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 198 1844 John Cole copyrighted a book called Music for the Church, “containing 62 Psalm and hymn tunes, . . . composed for the use of the choir of Saint Paul’s Church,” Baltimore, by C. Meinecke, ’ organist. This was a book of 100 pages, and near the end appears his “Gloria Patri,’ a melody which has been the most commonly used of all the work of this composer. His music has been introduced into hymnals only to a limited extent. In 1859 the Rev. N. C. Burt, a Baltimore ‘pastor, made A Pastor’s Selection of Hymns and Tunes and used three of Mr. Meinecke’s tunes. As Dr. Burt was a resident of the Monumental City when his book was prepared, a few words regarding him may not be out of place in this article about a fellow-citizen. NaTHANIEL Cxuarx Burt Nathaniel Clark Burt, born in Fairton, New Jer- sey, April 23, 1825, graduated from Princeton in 1846, and from its theological seminary three years later. After ordination into the Presbyterian min- istry he held three pastorates of five years each at Springfield, Ohio; Baltimore, Maryland; and Cin- cinnati, Ohio. ‘Then on account of failing health he traveled in Europe and the Holy Land, spending the last years of his life in Southern Europe, where he undertook the care of young ladies who wished to complete their education abroad; and he died in Rome March 4, 1874. It was while pastor of the Franklin Street Presbyterian Church in Balti- more that he prepared especially for the use of his own congregation the book of music already named. He wrote considerable for the religious press, and 194 AMERICAN WRITERS AND the observations on his trip to Egypt were given to the public in a book called The Far East. His love for music is there manifested by numerous examples of the songs of the boatmen on the Nile, the stringed band at the hotel, and the Moham- wedan worship. THOMAS HASTINGS! 1784-1872 Tuomas Hastines, born in Connecticut, spent the greater part of his active musical career in the Empire State, first at Utica, and later in the city of New York. ‘To him and Lowell Mason is due a larger proportion of the psalm tunes of American origin now in common use among Protestant peoples than to any other two men. The Episcopal hymnals, however, still cling to music of English origin including many by Barnby and Dykes, though slowly introducing tunes by American composers. BioGRAPHY Thomas Hastings was born October 15, 1784, at Washington, Connecticut, and was the son of Seth, a country physician and farmer. When the boy was twelve years old the family removed to Clinton, New York, a town which was then near the western fron- tier, and at eighteen he was leading the village choir. Such education as could be obtained in the country school was all the preparation he had for his life- work. In 1828 he moved to Utica, where for nine 1 From The Choir Herald. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 195 years he edited a weekly religious paper, The Western Recorder. This gave him a _ channel through which to express his musical opinions, and these were the subject of many an editorial. In 1832 he went to New York city at the request of twelve churches which had combined to secure his services in the leadership of their choirs. He was a Presbyterian, and for several years was choir- master in the Bleecker Street Church of that denomi- nation. His son, Thomas S., once president of the Union Theological Seminary, said of him, “He was a devout and earnest Christian, a hard student, and a resolute worker, not laying aside his pen until three days before his death.” He was a diligent reader of the Scriptures, was a concordance in himself, and his own copies of the Word of God form quite a little library. He is properly referred to as Doctor Hastings, for the University of the City of New York, recognizing his musical abilities, conferred the degree of Mus. Doc. upon him in 1858. He died in New York city May 15, 1872. Musicat Worx Doctor Hastings is said to have written six hun- dred hymns, composed about one thousand hymn tunes, issued fifty volumes of music, and published many articles on his favorite subject. All the recent hymn books contain both hymns and music of his. The first lines of some of his most frequently used stanzas are, “Delay not, delay not, O sinner, draw near,” “To-day the Saviour calls,” “He that goeth forth with weeping,” and “Hail to the brightness of Zion’s glad morning.” His Essay on Musical Taste 196 AMERICAN WRITERS AND was first given to the public in 1822, and it excited so much interest that he was said to be a generation ahead of his time. A new edition appeared in 1853, and a reviewer says that “it speaks well for the advance of musical knowledge and taste that this scholarly treatise should be called for anew. It treats upon precisely the topics on which correct views are most important, and it treats of them with great ability.” In 1854 a book dealing with Forty Choirs came from his pen. These forty groups do not, he says, represent actual choirs, but all the characters had been met with in those that he had taught. Musica SACRA When Hastings was directing a County Musical Society he felt the need of a small collection of tunes for his work, and he proceeded to compose music adapted to that purpose. This was called The Utica Collection, and was merely a pamphlet of a few pages. A few years before this Solomon Warriner, of Springfield, Massachusetts, had issued The Springfield Collection (1818), a selection of 150 pages of sacred music from the works of European authors, and in 1816 these two collections were united to form the first edition of the Musica Sacra, which became so popular that it was reissued with slight changes almost every year up to 1836. The first four editions were printed in the quarto form, like the present-day hymn books, but the fifth was issued in two forms, the quarto and the oblong, so as to suit all tastes. The preface says: The shape of the book which has always incommoded the ” ‘ gh Sox " t —_—. f os : : % J Py ‘ COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 197 instrumental executant, is now changed for his accommodation, and though the vocalist might have preferred the former shape, yet in consequence of the present arrangement he will have the advantage of possessing a greater quantity of matter than could otherwise have been presented to him at the present reduced price. Ornuer Booxs A Musical Reader of eighty-four pages was issued from Utica, New York, in 1819: then followed The Juvenile Psalmody, in 1827, and many others in rapid succession. It will suffice to name only those that were the most popular. ‘These were The Manhattan Collection, 1837; The Sacred Lyre, 1840; The Selah, 1856; and The Songs of the Church, 1862. The Mendelssohn Collection he edited with William B. Bradbury in 1849, and he was one of the four who issued The Shawm in 1858. His son, Thomas S., helped him in the preparation of the Church Melodies in 1858. And so we might go on with a list that would be uninteresting to the ordi- nary reader. Usr During the life of Mr. Hastings his music was very popular, and some of his compositions still hold a place in the hymnals. It is but natural that some of his lesser pieces should give place to the new music that is constantly coming into use. An examination of a dozen hymnals, both denomina- tional and unsectarian, shows at least four that are contained in eight of them. ‘“Toplady” is in every one; “Ortonville,” in ten; “Retreat,” in nine; and “Zion” in eight. Each book has from one to eight of Hastings’ tunes. Mr. Hastings did not always 198 AMERICAN WRITERS AND write over his true name, and for that reason did not receive credit for all the pieces that he wrote. His “Selah” is made up largely from his own com- positions, and even if we take only those that bear his name, we have ninety-nine. We also find a num- ber attributed to “Kl ff.’ This is a nom de plume used by him, and this is his reason: “I have found that a foreigner’s name went a great way, and that very ordinary tunes would be sung if ‘Pales- trina” or ‘Pucitto’ were over them, while a better tune by Hastings would go unnoticed.” The Selah has a tune by Zol ffer, which is probably another of his nom de plumes. ‘There are also a number under the name “Carmeni,” a name which I have not been able to locate in any other book, and these may be tunes by our author. ANECDOTES Many interesting facts are told of the Utica musician. He and two of his brothers were complete albinos. His hair was entirely destitute of color so that he looked old while he was still young. He was absent-minded at times, and it is told of him that one evening he rode to his school and walked home, oblivious that his horse was still hitched outside. He was nearsighted, and when directing his classes his head was bowed down close to the book, and moved across the page as his eyes followed the music. In spite of this defect he was able to direct with the book either side up, and when practicing with his brothers he would sometimes stand in front of them and follow from over the back of the book. Much of his work was done in connection with COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 199 Lowell Mason and William B. Bradbury, and these three led the prevailing school of sacred music at the beginning of the last century. ARTHUR CLIFTON 1784-1832 Wuar became of Philip Anthony Corri, the eldest son of that Dominico Corri, who came from Italy to England in 1774, and soon thereafter established himself in a music business? The members of the Corri family were all more or less musical. The second child was Sophie, a singer and a harpist, born in 1775, who married, in 1792, a Bohemian musi- cian, J. L. Dussek. A few years later he and his father-in-law began a partnership in a music store, which soon ended in failure, and Dussek fled to the Continent, where he had varying fortunes till his death in 1812. Montague was the next son, born in Edinburgh, who became a composer and arranger of music. Dominico, the father, left London after the failure of his music venture, and went to Edin- burgh, where he was a publisher and teacher for many years. He was the conductor of the Musical Society of Edinburgh, was a fine musician and an enterprising business man, and did much to improve the musical tastes of the Scottish capital. He wrote a number of operas, made a collection of the favorite songs of Scotland, and compiled a Musical Dic- tionary. But it is the career of the oldest son which inter- ests us just now. The English National Biography 200 AMERICAN WRITERS AND tells us that Philip Anthony Corri published many songs and piano pieces, and in 1818 did much to promote the foundation of the Philharmonic Society. Shortly after this date he settled in America, and there the authentic history of him seems to lose itself. The recently published history of the London Philharmonic Society states that the first meeting for its organization was held on Sunday, January 24, 1813, and that P. A. Corri was one of those present. He was one of the original members, and also a director for the first season. ‘The first con- cert was given on Monday, March 8, 1813, and Mr. Corri took one of the parts in a vocal quartet, sung in Italian, and in the second part of the program he took part in a chorus from Mozart, also sung in Italian. As no further reference to him occurs in the history of this society, it is evident that he left England shortly afterward, and that further record of him is to be sought in the United States. The next item is an advertisement, copied from a London paper into The Euterpiad of Boston, Sep- tember 14, 1822, and reads as follows: ADVERTISEMENT. £100 REWARD Whereas, Philip Anthony Corri, musical composer and teacher, left this country about flve years ago for New York, and his personal abode is desired to be known to the adver- tiser, but not for any hostile purpose, this is to give notice whoever will, within six months from this date, furnish satis- faction to Mr. Harmer, solicitor, Hatton Garden, of the pres- ent residence of the said Mr. Corri, so that an interview may be obtained with him, shall be paid a reward of £100. N. B. It has been reported that the above-named P. A. Corri, after his arrival at New York, proceeded to Philadel- phia, thence to Baltimore and there married a Quaker lady. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 201 It has also been asserted that he is returned to England. The said P. A. Corri has a sharp, Italian visage, sallow com- plexion, black curly hair, black eyes, and is bald on the crown of the head. He is forty years of age, five feet eight inches high, and has a soft voice and a gentlemanly manner. London, June 17, 1822. Arthur Clifton was an early organist of Balti- more, and little seems to be known about his life before he went to the Monumental City till the appearance of a book, Shadows on the Wall, in 1877. ‘This book was written by John H. Hewitt, and dealt with people of Baltimore known to the author. Many of them’were musicians. Of Arthur Clifton he writes: Clifton’s real name was Arthur Corri. He was an English- man by birth, and the son of the celebrated Corri, of London, an Italian. The reason for his changing his name when he came to this country was of a domestic nature, and I therefore avoid giving it. He was a musician of talent: composed many songs, duets and glees, also the opera of “The Enterprise,” _ which brought out the vocal talent of Mrs. Burke (afterward Mrs. Jefferson) on the boards of the old Holliday Street Theater. Many of his songs were very popular; they were all in the English style. He was a handsome man, but a man of care, always brooding over the miseries of life, look- ing on the dark side, never the bright. Nevertheless, when in company, he was full of wit and anecdote, and one of the staunchest pillars of the Anacreontic Society. He was found dead in bed, some averring that he died of a broken heart, his domestic misfortunes having been given to the public. This seems to identify Arthur Clifton as the son of Dominico Corri, and so his history acquires an added interest for us. Following the clue of the advertisement we sought the directories of New York, but were unable to find either name therein. In the Baltimore Directory for 1814 there was an Anthony Corry, who may have been the person we 202 AMERICAN WRITERS AND are seeking, and who had a dry goods and grocery store on Union street. If this was Arthur Clifton, it was before he had made the change in his name. Arthur Clifton was the organist of the First Presbyterian Church in Baltimore as early as 1819, when he issued a book of music under the title of An Original Collection of Psalm Tunes “extracted from Ancient and Modern Composers, to which are added several tunes composed especially for this work.” His services were during two pastorates, those of James Inglis and William Nevins. The First Presbyterian Church of Baltimore was at this time the only church of that denomination on the west side of the city, though the Second Church had been organized in 1804 and located in East Baltimore. Its congregation was large, wealthy, and influential, and it had a central loca- tion on the site of the present Courthouse, which it retained until 1859, when it was removed to its present corner at Madison and Park Streets. Its minister was the Rev. James Inglis, a native of Philadelphia, who had been installed its pastor in 1802. He died so suddenly of apoplexy on Sunday morning, August 15, 1820, that while his congrega- tion was waiting for his arrival, a messenger appeared to tell them that Doctor Inglis had passed away. He was followed as pastor by Dr. William Nevins, October 19, 1820. The member- ship was strong in all the elements of material and social power, but was waiting for pentecostal power. In 1827 Doctor Nevins preached a sermon which resulted in awakening a revival which spread ,to all COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 2038 the churches of the city, and added largely to their spirituality and numbers. Doctor Nevins died Sep- tember 14, 1835, thus passing beyond the lifetime of Arthur Clifton. A few other facts about his music have been gleaned as follows: At the laying of the first stone of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, July 4, 1828, “The Carrollton March by Mr. Clifton was per- formed.” He composed a March in 1824 at the request of the committee of arrangements for the city of Baltimore which was used during the serv- ices of welcome to General Lafayette upon the occasion of his visit to the United States. He also composed the music for the Annual Coronation Ode sung at the Academy of the Visitation in George- town, D. C., in 1831. This was one of his last com- positions. In the Baltimore directory for 1822 his name appears as a professor of music at number 19 Second Street. In 1824 he is at the same address. In 1827 he was living on Holliday Street, opposite _ the theater; in 1829 and 1831 he was over 69 East Baltimore Street. We miss his name from the 1833 book (he died in 1832), but we find one, A. Clifton, in 1836 keeping a fancy dry-goods store at 69 Bal- timore Street. There is no A. Clifton in the direc- tory for 1838, but we do have a Mrs. A. Clifton in the dry-goods business at 69 Baltimore Street, and in 1841 Mrs. A. Clifton is in the same business at 61 Baltimore Street. Arthur Clifton died February 10, 1832, and the notice of his death is thus recorded in a Baltimore paper: “Died suddenly on Friday night, Arthur 204 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Clifton in the 48th year of his age.” His estate was administered by Catherine Ringgold, and was probated February 29, 1832. The total amount of his estate was $639.54, and included a piano, $125, music $10 and a gold watch, $25. A few more facts from directories may be of interest: Mrs. Ringgold appears in 1824 as the pro- prietor of a dry-goods store at 43 Baltimore Street. In 1827 Mrs. Ringgold had a fancy-dress store at 76 Baltimore Street, and in 1829 Mrs. C. Ringgold had her fancy dry-goods store at 69 East Baltimore Street. In 1831 there is the same entry, and it will be noted also that Arthur Clifton appears in that same year as a professor of music over 69 East Baltimore Street. In 1833 Mrs. Catherine Ring- gold had a fancy store at 69 Baltimore Street, and in the next directory, which is for the year 1837-38, Mrs. Ringgold’s name does not appear, but Mrs. A. Clifton has a dry-goods store at the same address. Now we seem to have partially solved the mys- tery of his marriage and family life, though the record is not entirely complete. He was baptized December 31, 1817, according to the register of Saint Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church, perhaps by Bishop James Kent, who was then its rector, and the next day, January 1, 1818, he was married to Miss Alphonsa Elizabeth Ringgold, the city records state, by Minister Kent, while the newspaper reports of the event give the name of the officiating clergy- man as the “Right Reverend Archbishop Marechal,” who was then at the Roman Catholic Cathedral. The burial records of the Cathedral have this record: “October 9, 1829 was buried the child of Mrs. Clif- Anadis COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 205 ton, whose age and sickness are not known.” These records would seem to indicate that Mrs. Clifton was a Catholic, yet Mr. Clifton may have been an Episcopalian, though he was organist in a Presby- terian church. Catherine Ringgold, who adminis- tered his estate, was probably a sister of Mrs. Clif- ton, lived with them, and conducted the dry-goods store at the same address. Several further facts are necessary for a complete record, but we must be satisfied for awhile with the results of the long search, which has been so well rewarded. SAMUEL DYER _ 1785-18351 SamMvueu Dyer, who introduced the tune “Mendon” into this country, was a native of England. His father was James Dyer (1744-1797) and his mother was Sarah Barton (1744-1833). His parents lived first at White Chapel in Hampshire, but in 1782 they removed to Wellshire, where Mr. Dyer, Sr., was ordained as preacher and ministered in the Baptist church of that place. There were eight children born to this couple, Samuel being the seventh, born November 4, 1785, after their removal to Wellshire. This date is verified by the state- ment of Mr. Dyer himself in one of his books when he says that in 1811 he was in his twenty-sixth year. In the summer of 1806 the family moved to Cov- entry. Samuel spent his childhood in his native land of England. He received some instruction in 1From The Choir Herald. 206 AMERICAN WRITERS AND music from Mr. Thomas Walker, of London, begin- ning in 1808. Mr. Walker was an eminent singer and leader, and the most distinguished chorister in London, one hundred years ago. His voice, Mr. Dyer tells us, “was a fine counter-tenor, and of extraordinary compass and power, and his style animated and expressive.” In 1811 Mr. Dyer came to New York, where he began his musical career in the United States as a choir leader and a teacher of sacred music, being then in his twenty-sixth year. His first residence in the metropolis continued only for about one year, for in 1812 he went to Philadelphia, where a society was soon afterward formed for the practice of ora- torio music, and a series of sacred concerts was given under his leadership. In July of 1815 he visited his father’s home in England, and while in London had the great pleasure of meeting his former instructor, Mr. Thomas Walker, and of singing with him at the regular rehearsal of the Cecilian Society. Mr. Walker was the compiler of a collec- tion of tunes to accompany Doctor Rippon’s hymn book, first brought out about 1797. Just before Mr. Dyer’s visit, that is, in 1814, he had published a selection of his own, intended as a supplement, and entitled Walker’s Companion to Rippon’s Twne- book. Sacrep Music When Mr. Dyer returned to America he brought with him a large amount of new music, to be used in his work. In November he was induced to settle in Baltimore, and he was so much encouraged by the COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 207 patronage offered him that he undertook the publi- cation of a book of tunes and anthems. This was Dyer’s New Selection of Sacred Music, and was printed in Baltimore in 1817. This collection com- prised not only a great variety of psalm and hymn tunes, but anthems, odes, and choruses from many ancient and modern composers, most of them being such as had never before been published in this country. He aimed to correct the faults he had found in previous books, and mentions among others, the following: insufficient attention to the insertion of the useful and pleasing description of church music, the alteration and mutilation of tunes, inac- curacy in engraving, indifferent paper, and the use of shaped notes. He calls attention to the clear type and letters in his book and notes that this class of music is mostly used “‘by candle light.” For. the purpose of introducing the work to more general notice he visited, in 1818, many places south of Bal- timore, traveling even as far as Savannah, Georgia, and then back along the Atlantic coast as far north as Salem, Massachusetts. ‘In numerous places he taught singing schools and conducted public per- formances, and was generally “successful in effect- ing some improvements in church music.” He also had a good opportunity of forming an opinion of the class of pieces that were most likely to prove generally successful. OrnerR Epitions The first edition of his hymn tunes having been sold, he left out the anthems and issued a second edition in Baltimore in 1820, a third in 1824, a 208 AMERICAN WRITERS AND fourth in 1828, and the Philadelphia Collection of Sacred Music, known as the sixth edition, enlarged, was printed in New York the same year, 1828. The second edition of his anthems was issued separately in Baltimore in 1822, the third in 1834, and the sixth, though copyrighted in 1835, was printed in 1851. Years afterward a reprint was issued by the Oliver Ditson Company in Boston. The second and third editions of his Anthems are especially valu- able to the historian, as they contain biographical sketches of the composers and much data about him- self. He is authority for the statement that the words to the music of Pucitta’s “Strike the cymbal’ were written by William Staughton. This piece is contained in Father Kemp’s Old Folks Concert Tunes, and is a favorite for such concerts. The author of the words is not shown in any copies I have seen. But Mr. Dyer writes in the third edi- tion of his Anthems: Familiar as this piece is and extensive as its circulation has been, it is yet probable that great numbers of those who perform it are unacquainted, with its origin and introduction into this country. It was originally set to Italian words, “Viva Enrico,” and was received by Mr. Benjamin Carr, organist and professor of music in Philadelphia, with a variety of other music from England about 1812. On inspection Mr. Carr was confident this piece was of a character. that would please; he accordingly applied to the Rev. William Staughton of that city to adapt English words to it, and brought it forward first as a grand oratorio held under his immediate direction in Saint Augustine’s Church, April 13, 1814, at which I had the pleasure to be present. It was published by Mr. Carr immediately afterward and became, as was predicted, a universal favorite. The author is an eminent composer. We have no means of ascertaining the date of its composition, but think it probable that it was first brought out in Italy about 1800. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 209 William Staughton was an Englishman by birth, and removed from Philadelphia to Washington, D. C., in 1820, to become the first president of Columbia College, now known as George Washing- ton University. In the preface of his secod edition of Anthems, Mr. Dyer says that he “proposes to publish a sup- plement of from twenty-five to fifty pages, to appear upon the first of October of each year, consisting of gleanings from the latest European works and the productions of living authors in the United States.” One other publication, copyrighted in 1830, comprising “Choruses, solos, etc.,” is often found bound in with the 1834 edition of his Anthem book. “BrocRAPHICAL Samuel Dyer was married in 1807 at Bedford, England, to Sarah Owen, and had four children. Their second child was Samuel Owen Dyer, who was born at Norfolk, Virginia, August 4, 1819, and died in Brooklyn, New York, April 2, 1894. During the years from 1829 to 1834 he was in England study- ing music. After returning to the United States he lived for a while in New Orleans. In 1839 he went to New York, where he was married the next year to Emma Price, and where he entered into employ- ment with Firth, Pond and Company. Here he learned the trade of piano-tuner, and it was this company that issued the edition of his father’s Anthems that he edited. After this he devoted all of his time to music—teaching, tuning instruments, and playing church organs. For many years he 210 AMERICAN WRITERS AND served churches in Brooklyn in that capacity. Samuel Dyer was a member of the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, and in 1829 was the con- ductor of the New York Sacred Music Society. The name “Samuel Dyer” appears in the New York directories from 1824 to 1828 as residing at 44 Lumber Street, and his New York Selection of Sacred Music, the fourth edition of 1821, shows upon its title page that it will be sold by him at that address. The next directory, 1829-30, shows him as a music teacher in Brooklyn. As his name then disappears from the New York directories, it may be that he moved across the river into New Jersey, for he died at Hoboken, New Jersey, July 20, 1835. “MENDON” The tune “Mendon” usually attributed to Lowell Mason, first appeared in the “Supplement of Samuel Dyer’s Third Edition of Sacred Music”; but there it had an extra note in each line. In his fourth edition he omitted this additional note, saying, “It is believed that the present arrangement is the orig- inal form.” He called it a “German Air.” Later when it was introduced into other hymn books, the melody of the last line was altered, and it became the tune as it is now known in most of the present- day collections. It is supposed that this change was made by Lowell Mason, and that he gave it the name of “Mendon.” Most of the recent hymnals give the credit for its introduction into this country where it properly belongs, to Samuel Dyer. Sselsuoy) Jo Areiqry ‘IoAg jonureg Aq ‘gzeq] ‘UOT}IPs YANO} “OIsnyA paroeg «NOGNE],, JO | aly NVWUAD,, ary xvRUSD COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 211 LOWELL MASON 1792-18721 Lowrett Mason was eight years younger than Thomas Hastings, and both died within a few months of each other in 1872. The first named was born in Medfield, Massachusetts, January 8, 1792, and was the son of Johnson Mason and Catherine Harts- horn. His aptitude for music showed itself at an early age and he became the leader of the choir in his native town. The weaving of straw and its man- ufacture into hats had been introduced about 1800, and young Mason started in on this work with his father ; but when he had reached his majority he set out with two other young men for Savannah, Georgia, traveling by post chaise, and the expense of this trip has been recorded as ninety-seven dol- lars. For the next fourteen years Savannah was his home, his business that of a clerk in a bank, while incidentally he was leading church choirs and making a collection of music. For seven years he was organist in the Independent Presbyterian Church, and just before he left the city he was one of the four who asked dismission for the purpose of form- ing the First Presbyterian Church of Savannah. Hanpet anp Haypn CoLuLectTion oF Sacrep Music It is interesting to note the extreme modesty with which his first collection of music was placed before the public. While in Savannah he had compiled from various sources a large eS and return- 1From The Choir Herald. 212 AMERICAN WRITERS-AND ing North had offered it in Philadelphia and Boston, but without finding a publisher. He was about to start back to Georgia when he was introduced to the Handel and Haydn Society, and his music was submitted to Dr. George K. Jackson, the organist of the society, and having been approved by him an agreement was entered into by which the book was to be issued as the work of that body. The name of Lowell Mason was omitted at his request, for, he says, “I was then a bank officer in Savannah and did not wish to be known as a musical man, and I had not the least thought of making music my profes- sion.” It is rather amusing to see the studied effort to make it appear that the book was the product of the Society, and in later editions we read, “In the selection of the music and the arrangement of the harmony the Society are happy to acknowledge their obligations to Mr. Lowell Mason, one of their mem- bers,” etc. This book became very popular, running through seventeen editions beginning with 1822; and during the thirty-five years following over 50,000 copies of the various editions were sold. ‘This was a profitable investment for the Handel and Haydn Society, as well as for the compiler, for first and last it brought to each over $30,000. Doctor Mason was a prolific writer of books, and an enumeration of those that were issued from his pen would more than fill the space allotted to this article. The Choir, 18338, sold more than 50,000; T'he Modern Psalmist, 1839, as many; Carmina Sacra, 1841, and the New Carmina Sacra, 1852, more than 500,000, while in its revised form as The American Tune Se oe eat BE ap hel pts na COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 213 Book, the circulation of the three books reached more than a million. When the Handel and Haydn Collection was issued in 1822 Mason was thirty years old, and returning to Savannah he remained there for five years longer, when he received an offer from Boston to go there and lead the music in three churches, six months in each in succession, for which he was guaranteed an income of $2,000 a year. This contract he did not carry out, and on being released returned to banking for a short time, serving also as organist in the Bowdoin Street Church. But music was to be his life work, and he needed all his time to devote to his plans. One of his objects was to secure the teach- ing of music in the public schools as a regular study. This he accomplished only after a long period of labor culminating in 1838. ~Boston AcapEmMy or Music When Mason went to Boston he became a member of the Handel and Haydn Society, was elected its president in 1827 and served in that capacity for five years. In 1829 W. C. Woodbridge, well known by his series of school Geographies, returned from Europe, where he had been to study the methods of instruction used by Pestalozzi, and Mr. Mason, slow in being impressed with the advantages of this meth- od, but seeing the results attained, adopted it in his musical work. For the purpose of promoting his plans for the introduction of music into the public schools he withdrew from active work in the society that had fathered his first book and that was wedded to oratorio and organized the Boston Academy of 214 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Music in 1832. He associated with himself in this work George J. Webb, and together they began to ~ instruct children in music. Their first classes were held in one of the rooms of the Bowdoin Street Church, where he was organist, and the children were taught free, the only condition being that they would promise to attend for the entire year. By persevering with the school officials he was at length allowed to teach one class as an experiment, and at no expense to the city. Thus he carried his point, and in 1838 music was adopted as one of the reg- ular school studies. The chief objection had been that this study would no doubt divert the minds of the pupils, so they would not make the desired progress in their other work. The result was that music really added to the zest with which their other work was done. CONVENTIONS. One of the most important means for teaching music to the people was the Musical Convention, introduced by Lowell Mason in 1834. 'These con- ventions were meetings, which usually held for ten or twelve days, and were attended by those who wanted to learn to sing by note; and on returning home many of them became teachers. At first these conventions were held in or near Boston, but when their good effects were realized, demands were made for them at other places, both west and south, and good music was brought to the attention of the mass of the people. Mason continued to reside in Boston until 1851, when he removed to New York, making his home with COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 215 his sons, Daniel and Lowell, Jr., who had estab- lished a music business in that city. The degree of Doctor of Music was conferred upon him in 1855 by the University of New York, the first instance of the granting of such a degree in this country. His later years were spent in Orange, New Jersey, where he died August 11, 1872, at the age of eighty years. Liprary Doctor Mason’s library was one of the largest and most valuable of the kind in America. A consider- able addition was made to it in 1852 when he pur- chased that of C. H. Rinck, who had died six years before. This library included 830 manuscripts and 700 volumes on hymnology, and among its rarities were volumes printed in Venice in 1589, Heidelberg in 1596, and a French book of songs in Paris, 1755. When he learned that the books of Professor Dehn, a famous teacher in Berlin, and a former librarian of the Musical Library of that city, were to be sold, he sent an agent to secure them for his collection. It is said that he was unable to read one of the books that were thus acquired, but he wanted them to add value to his growing collection. After his death his family presented this library to Yale Col- lege, where it is kept as a special collection. OPpPposITION It is not surprising that a man with such pro- nounced as well as advanced ideas in music as Lowell Mason should have met opposing minds. In fact, it is only the man who moves along with the current that finds his progress easy. 216 AMERICAN WRITERS AND The following is taken from a reply by L. O. Emerson in 1916 to an attack which had been made years before by John S. Dwight in his Journal of Music upon the methods of teaching that subject by Lowell Mason, I. B. Woodbury, and Mr. Emer- son himself, to which his attention had then been called. He says: So it was Dwight’s Journal of Music that said Lowell Mason and other psalm-tune writers were degrading and cheapening music? Well, we could not have expected anything better than that from that source, for Mr. Dwight was not in sympathy with the good work we were doing. In reality we were doing more to help his cause than he himself was doing. His Journal was a good one, the best published at that time. It stood for the highest and best music of all kinds. It did not have a large circulation. It did not go abroad among the masses of the people. He could talk about the musical giants of the past and of his own time, if there were any, criticize the performances of their music, the soloists, etc., which was all very well. While he was doing this we were carrying the best choral music of the various kinds, from church music to the oratorio and opera, and also the best soloists obtainable, to thousands and thousands of musically hungry singers and people all over the country, teaching them how to render it and giving them opportunities to hear the best solo singers of the country. If this kind of work was degrading and cheapening music, then revive the convention and musical festival and let the good work go on, for it is still needed. If the thousands of singers who attended the festivals, and the greater number of thousands who attended the concerts, could speak with one voice, they would send up a shout in their favor that would be heard across the continent. When Lowell Masen organized the musical convention in Boston and carried it from thence into the country, he set in motion an influence that for forty years or more did more to make this nation a musical one than any one thing else has done. ag a ey Pa OE ani gee os 47 SACRED SONGS, _ (6 OLIVET. 6 & 4*s. L. MABON. Savior div - vine! Now hear me while I pray, Take allmy ! f i i ie | guillaway, Oletme fromthis day Be wholly thine. Sie O_o 5 Sal tence cS -, 4 H aC ON Te a ee es = cee fF - bee oj mone First printing of Lowell Mason’s Oxivet from Sacred Songs, 1832. In the author’s collection COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 217 In 1846 W. H. Day, editor of the American Jour- nal of Music in Boston, and the promoter of a numerical notation, which he had used in a recent book, denounced Doctor Mason for his methods of teaching, and his use of the round-note notation, and spoke sneeringly of his Academy of Music. Even Theodore Seward, who wrote a pamphlet on The Educational Work of Dr. Mason, records the fact that he did not always agree with the plans and methods of the doctor. It is therefore pleasing to note in this connection that Mrs. Mason wrote upon her visiting card, and inclosed it in the copy of Mr. Seward’s essay now in the Library of Congress, “The accompanying pamphlet gives the best repre- sentation of my husband’s work, and the only one of any value to the world.” TUNES Doctor Mason’s compositions are still very much used in the hymnals. Ten of the different books now used by as many different denominations and not more than twenty years old have from eleven to sixty; six tunes are in each of the ten books. Of these six “Missionary Hymn” is said to have been the first of his published tunes, having been issued in sheet form in Boston, before it was included in the ninth edition of the Handel and Haydn Collection in 1829. It is there used with Heber’s hymn, “From Green- land’s Icy Mountains,” and because hymn and tune are usually found together, the tune is called in _some books “Heber.” “Hamburg” was in the Handel and Haydn Collection of 1824. “Olivet,” with Ray Palmer’s hymn, first appeared in print in Hastings 218 AMERICAN WRITERS AND and Mason’s Spiritual Songs, 1832. “Boylston” was printed the same year in the Choir, “Bethany” appeared in 1858 in The Sabbath Hymn and Tune Book. “Hebron” dates from 1830. ‘“Olmutz,” found in nine of the ten books examined, was arranged in 1834 from the eighth Gregorian Tone. Three were found in eight of the books—“Laban,” “Uxbridge,” and “Ward.” Had books bearing dates nearer the lifetime of Mason been examined, the pro- portion of his tunes would have been much larger. But it will be a long time before all of his work has passed out of common use. THE REV. JONATHAN MAYHEW WAINWRIGHT 1792-1854 JONATHAN M. Warnwricut was born in Liverpool, England, September 21, 1792. His parents were American citizens and were on a business sojourn there at the time of his birth, and two of their other children were of English birth. The family returned to this country when Jonathan was eleven years old, and he entered Harvard college, from which he was graduated in the class of 1812. He was a tutor at his Alma Mater from 1815 to 1817, and part of the time while at college he served as organist in Christ Church, Boston. Having fitted himself for the ministry in the Protestant Episcopal Church, he was made a deacon in 1816, and two years later became rector of Christ Church in Hartford, Con- a COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 219 necticut. While in that city he was also a member of a literary club, associated with Peter Parley and William L. Stone. His service to his church may be briefly stated as follows: From 1819 to 1821 he was an assistant at Trinity Church in New York; from 1821 to 1834, rector of Grace Episcopal Church, New York. In 1834 he was at Trinity Church in Boston; from 1837 to 1854, rector of Saint John’s Chapel in New York; and from 1852 to 1854 was provisional bishop of New York. He died September 21, 1854, and his funeral was con- ducted from Trinity Church in New York. His musical talent was displayed from early boy- hood. In college he served as organist; he presided over the meeting at which the Harvard Musical Association was organized. In 1819 there appeared as his compilation “A set of chants adapted to the Hymns in the Morning and Evening Prayer, and to the communion service of the Protestant Episcopal Church.” Music of the Church was copyrighted in 1828, and was an oblong book having two sets of double brace music at the top, and several hymns at the bottom of each page below the music. In 1852 a new edi- tion under the same title appeared, the page made narrower by the omission of the hymns at the bot- tom, and printed from entirely new plates. Many tunes occurring in the former edition were omitted, either from the inferior character of the music or because they were to be found in the majority of books of psalmody ; and many new tunes were added. In the first edition there were two compositions with his initials attached, and the plates used in this 220 AMERICAN WRITERS AND. book were used also for the second part of Psalm- odia Evangelica, “a collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes by the author of the Music of the Church, printed in New York by Elam Bliss in 1830.” CHARLES ZEUNER? 1795-1857 Tue town of Eisleben, near Gotha, in Saxony, where Martin Luther was born in 1483, claims also to have been the birthplace three hundred years later of Charles Zeuner, the distinguished organist and composer, September 20, 1795. He was baptized Heinrich Christopher Zeuner. We are quoting from the Musical Cyclopedia of John W. Moore when we write that we have no means of knowing why, on coming to this country, he took the name of Charles. But such was the fact. He came about 1824, and settled in Boston, Massachusetts. After a residence of thirty years in that city, during which he com- posed most of his music and assisted in editing sev- eral music books, he removed to Philadelphia, where he served as organist first of Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church, and afterward of the Arch Street Presby- terian Church. For several years before his death his friends had noticed a peculiarity in his demeanor, indicating at times a certain aberration of mind. On Saturday, November 7, 1857, he left his boarding house and was seen to cross the Delaware by steam- boat; and walk into the woods. Not long after this 1From The Choir Herald. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 221 the body of a man was found with the head entirely shattered with a gun, and the body was proven to be that of Mr. Zeuner. An examination showed plainly that he had taken his own life. Before leaving his native land he had been a court musician, and after he had become established in Boston he was considered one of the best educated musicians and organists in the country. For several years he led an active life in the musical circle of the Hub, and when he was to remove to Philadelphia in 1840 one of the magazines wrote of him: He has contributed materially toward elevating our style of church music by his publications, and yet at the present time his loss is comparatively little felt. He has lately kept much retired: he has hidden his talent and wasted it on trifles. We hope that his new career will excite him to new exertions and will again place him in that station in regard to the art which he is qualified and ought to fill. But it did not. Few if any new compositions were written and no new books edited. In Boston he had been president of the Handel and Haydn Society, 1838-39, during a period when it was expected that the president would also*be the director of the society’s chorus. But his temper was such that he could not keep harmony among the singers, and he resigned when requested to do so. It is said that when he did not know there was any critic in his audience he would often play very indif- ferently, although he was well able to perform in a masterly manner. One morning while he was organ- ist in Philadelphia his fancy led him to improvise an exquisite fugue which astonished the few appre- ciative members of his audience, but others were 222 AMERICAN WRITERS AND shocked at the wonderful performance that they could not comprehend. One of the latter, meeting him in the vestibule after the service, said to him: “Mr. Zeuner, pray is our organ out of order? There was such an unaccountable jolting and rum- bling in the pedals this morning that altogether it sounded very strange indeed.” This lamentable dis- play of musical ignorance entirely overcame the testy and sensitive harmonist, and with a contemptu- ous hiss between his teeth he strode from his inter- rogator and never went near that stately church again either professionally or otherwise. Tue AMERICAN Harp The year 1832 seems to have marked the climax of Mr. Zeuner’s musical work. In that year his American Harp appeared, and so successful was it that a second edition was issued before the close of the same year. The second edition was merely a second printing, the contents being the same save the arrangement of some of the pages, and the addition of a preface, explaining why this collec- tion was so different from those usually put forth. Up to this time the usual collection was made up largely of tunes from the older composers, and a few only that were new or original. The American Harp was an entirely new composition of Mr. Zeuner, with the exception of five tunes, one of which was “Old Hundred.” He deprecates the adaptation of music from secular or operatic sources. “Church music,” he says, “ought to be the most perfect in character and style, and ought always to be free from — | unhallowed associations; and its dignity and sol- COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC) 223 emnity ought to be constantly guarded and as far as possible religiously preserved from all derogatory influences and corrupt and debasing tendencies.” His two tunes that are now most commonly used, “Hummel” and “Missionary Chant,” are in this book. During this same year of 1832 he composed three pieces for Lowell Mason’s Lyra Sacra, and also some piees for N. D. Gould’s National Church Harmony. Many of his compositions were used in The Psaltery, 1845, by Mason and Webb. These two musicians were members of the Boston Academy of Music, and the choir of that organization had presented Zeuner’s oratorio, “The Feast of Taber- nacles.” A writer in 1873 says that this oratorio was probably destroyed—a belief which arose from the following incident: The manuscript was first offered to the Handel and Haydn Society; the price set on it was three thousand dollars, but the Society declined to purchase. It was presented, however, at the Odeon by the Boston Academy for eight even- ings, but the result was a financial failure. Incensed at this, Zeuner stole into the Academy, tore up and burned all the manuscript and printed score that he could find. One copy at least escaped destruc- tion, and is in the Library of Congress. Its date is 1837. Tur AncrIiENT LyrE His second book, The Ancient Lyre, was issued under the approbation of the Professional Music Society of Boston, and was different from The American Harp, in that it contained both old and 224 AMERICAN WRITERS AND new music. It was copyrighted in 1836, became very popular, and passed through at least twenty edi- tions. A copy of the 16th, printed in 1848, is in the library of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts. A book of anthems was issued in 1831 and considerable secular music came from his fertile mind at short intervals—marches, songs, a quickstep, etc. Psatum Tuners Out of the large number of psalm tunes that were composed by Charles Zeuner only two are still in common use. ‘Missionary Chant” is by far the most popular, and is to be found in nearly all of the larger books in use at present in the churches. Lowell Mason once asked him why it was so pop- ular. He said, “I was sitting on one of these seats on Boston Common on a most beautiful moonlight evening, all alone, with all the world moving about me, and suddenly ‘Missionary Chant’ was given me. I ran home as fast as ever I could and put it on paper before I should forget. That is what makes it please.” His tune “Hummel” is almost as fre- quently used. In this name he records his esteem for the teacher of his early years. Zeuner was never married, and was without rela- tives in this country. He is described as a plump, good-looking man with a florid, bright face, and of a quick nervous temperament. His compositions are well written and based on real original merit. In religion he was a Lutheran, and his chief object in all his compositions was to establish a chaste and pure style in church music. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 225 SIMEON BUTLER MARSH! 1798-1875 One of the first pieces of sacred music that the amateur tries to learn is “Martyn.” 'The reason for this is its simplicity and its slow movement ; and it is also probably that the words, which are usually those of Wesley, beginning, “Jesus, Lover of my soul,” attract by their noble sentiment and their appeal to rest from the troubles that assail us all at one time or another. ‘The tune was written by Simeon Butler Marsh, and one is surprised to learn that there is no other music of his in common use, though he wrote many other pieces. He loved music from the time when, as a boy of seven, he joined a children’s choir; and he wrote other music which was sung more or less in his day. But “Martyn” alone has survived in the hymnals of the present time. This tune and the words of Wesley are now so firmly wedded that the one suggests the other, and in recent hymnals it is seldom that the tune appears without these words. The tune was written in 1834, but where it first appeared in print I have been unable to determine. In the Plymouth Collection, compiled by Henry Ward Beecher in 1855, we find Martyn with words of John Newton, “Mary to the Saviour’s Tomb”; the hymn by Robert Grant, begin- ning, “Saviour, when in dust to thee,” is set to this tune in a book printed in 1859. But during the last fifty years the joint product of Marsh and Wesley has appeared together in every hymnal. 1From The Choir Herald. . 226 AMERICAN WRITERS AND The parents of our author had five children, four of whom were born in Weathersfield, Connecticut. In 1797 the family removed to Sherburne, New York, and here Simeon was born on the first of June, 1798. His father was Eli, and his mother Azubah Butler. He was reared upon a farm, and before he was eight years old he began to sing in a children’s choir in Sherburne. When he was sixteen years of age he secured a music teacher, and in 1817 began to teach the singing school, which at that period was so popular throughout the entire country. The fol- lowing year he met Dr. Thomas Hastings in his school in Geneva, and from him received much help and encouragement. For the next thirty years he labored with congregations within the Albany Pres- bytery, teaching choirs, and leading singing schools with great success. In 1837 he undertook another line of work, starting a newspaper at Amsterdam, New York, which he called The Intelligencer, and which later became The Recorder. This paper he conducted for seven years, and later established the Sherburne News in his home town. Not all of his work was for remuneration. For thirteen years he gave free instruction to the chil- dren of Schenectady in his own hired room. He made use of his knowledge of the printer’s art by setting the type with his own hand and preparing for the press the forms of three juvenile books. In 1859 he returned to Sherburne, where he taught voice, piano, and violin to large classes of men, women, and children. He was the superintendent of the Sunday school in Sherburne for six years and for half that time the leader of the choir. Among COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC) 227 his compositions were two cantatas, “The Saviour,” for mixed voices, and ‘The King of the Forest,” arranged mostly for boys’ voices. On his twenty-second birthday, June 1, 1820, he married Eliza Carrier, of Hamilton, New York. Two children were born to them, one of whom, John Butler Marsh, was for a number of years profes- sor of vocal culture and organ instruction in the Elmira Female College, New York. Mr. Marsh celebrated his golden wedding in 1870. His wife died in 1873, after which he removed to Albany to live with his son, and died there July 14, 1875. SAMUEL LYTLER METCALF 1798-1856 TuE payment of one’s college expenses from the proceeds of the publication of a music book is of such rare occurrence that it is worthy of note. This happened in the case of Samuel Lytler Metcalf, a native of Virginia, who was born near Winchester, September 21, 1798. While he was yet young his parents moved to Shelby County, Kentucky, and he began his education in Shelbyville. His aptitude for music led him to take up the teaching of music. He gave lessons once a week, and when only nineteen years old he wrote a volume of sacred music, which was published in Cincinnati at his own risk, and which gave him sufficient funds with which to enter college. This book was The Kentucky Harmonist, and was a “choice selection of sacred music from the most 228 AMERICAN WRITERS AND eminent and approved authors of that science, for the use of Christian Churches of every denomina- tion, Singing Schools and Private Societies, together with an explanation of the rules and principles of composition and rules for learners.” It was copy- righted in 1817, and printed in Cincinnati for the author. A second edition was called for and was dated at Lexington in 1819, while a fourth edition, to which he adds the letters of his degree M. D., was printed in 1826. Just as he was entering upon manhood, in 1819, he began his studies in Transylvania University, a school in Lexington, Kentucky, which had been founded during the year of his birth, 1798, and which was absorbed in 1865 by the Kentucky State University. Here he continued for the regular course of four years, and from this university he received his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He began the practice of a physician in New Albany, Indiana, later removed to Mississippi, where he met a lady who became his wife, but who died four years later. For many years he was a professor of chemistry in Transylvania University, his Alma Mater. He was a close student of a number of subjects, and pos- sessed a well-chosen library, which was at one time unfortunately destroyed by fire. The results of his studies he put into permanent form in a history of the Indian Wars in the West, a volume of Ter- restrial Magnetism, and two volumes on the sub- ject of Calorie, the latter of which was first issued in 1845, and this was followed by a second edition in 1853. This book was well received abroad, and Doctor Metcalf was solicited to become a candidate COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 229 for the Gregorian chair in the University of Edin- burgh, but this honor he declined. He had studied his favorite science in London, and in 1846 was married a second time to an English lady in that city. Doctor Metcalf died at Cape May in July, 1856, leaving, besides his widow, a daughter eight years old. THOMAS LOUD Tuomas Loup was one of the musical group in Philadelphia, and was probably a native American. He is found in that city as early as 1812, where he finished, musical training under George Pfeffer. He became so efficient that the rivalry between him and his teacher was settled by a public performance in favor of the pupil. His ability made him popular as an organist and a conductor of choruses. He was one of the directors of the Musical Fund Society of his home city. In 1824, when he was organist of Saint Andrew’s Church, he published The Psalmist, ‘a Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes arranged for the organ or pianoforte.” ‘This was a book of sixty-four pages, contained some of his own music, and was written and engraved by Joseph Perkins. Another book of his was printed in New York in 1853 and was called The Organ Study, “being an introduction to the practice of the organ together with a collection of voluntaries, preludes, original and selected, and a model of a church service.” This was also a small book, having only seventy-five pages. The date of Mr. Loud’s death has not been discovered. 230 AMERICAN WRITERS AND HENRY KEMBLE OLIVER 1800-1885 “FEepERAL STREET,” the best known of the tunes of Henry K. Oliver, was one of his first composi- tions. In a collection of his original hymn tunes, made in 1875, which gives the dates of the various compositions, 1832 is assigned to “Federal Street.” One other tune is credited to this same year, but none earlier. Its name comes from the street on which he lived in Salem, Massachusetts. It is said that he first thought of naming it for his wife, whose name was Sally Cook, but finally decided upon the street which ran past his door. The origin of the tune is thus described by S. J. Barrows: “One afternoon he was sitting in his library reading The- odore Hook’s novel, Passion and Principle, an affecting story, terminating with the saddest results. Laying down the volume, and walking around the room, thinking of what he had read, Miss Steele’s hymn came into his mind, beginning “So fades the lovely blooming flower,” and the last verse, “Then gentle Patience smiles on Pain. And dying Hope revives again; Hope wipes the tear from Sorrow’s eye. And Faith points upward to the sky.” An unbidden melody floated into his mind. He was not attempting composition, but without effort the words somehow melted into music. He sat down to the piano and played the tune, adding the har- monies; he then put it upon paper and threw it into a drawer, where it remained two years. When en ethers Coit BA Se OO ME Figg 2 OR SV piel tacit Nacsa eee: COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 231 Lowell Mason was teaching in Salem, he asked if anyone had attempted musical composition. Oliver produced this piece, and Mason was so well pleased with it that he asked permission to publish it in The Boston Academy Collection of church music which he was then preparing. This book issued in 1836 and ‘Federal Street” appears in it set to the words of the last stanza, but changed in the first word to “See gentle Patience smiles on Pain.” No other words than the first stanza quoted are given in the composer’s collection of original tunes, nor in his Collection of Church Music issued in 1860. This setting does not appear in any recent books. In fact, this tune is not wedded to any particular hymn. In nine of the thirty books examined it is set to the hymn of Joseph Grigg, beginning, “Jesus, and shall it ever be.” During almost all of the long life of Henry K. Oliver’s eighty-five years, music held him captive. “He was familiar,” he tells us, “with music from his mother’s knee, and sang with her the old melo- dies of Billings, Holden, and other early American writers. ‘The divine art had become to him as the years increased more alluring, more loved, and more venerated.”” He was born November 24, 1800, in Beverly, Massachusetts, the son of Samuel Oliver and Elizabeth Kemble. His education was thorough and his public life active. From the Boston Latin School he went to Phillips Andover, then two years to Harvard College, entering Dartmouth College in the middle of his course, and at the age of sixteen graduating in 1818. Harvard honored him in 1862 by granting him his degree of A. B. and also A. M. 232 AMERICAN WRITERS AND and placed his name among the graduates in the class of 1818. In 1883 Dartmouth granted him the degree of Mus.D. He entered the choir of the Park Street Church in Boston at the age of ten years. He was a church organist for thirty-six years and a school teacher for twenty-four. He married, August 80, 1825, Sarah Cook, of Salem. A rapid survey of his labors from 1844 shows him Adjutant-General of the State of Massachusetts for four years, superintendent of the Atlantic Cotton Mills in Lawrence for ten years, mayor of that city for one year, treasurer of his native State dur- ing the period of the war, and the first chief of its Bureau of Labor for ten years. After four years as mayor of his home town of Salem he retired to his home on Federal Street, where he died August 12, 1885. This old house has been famous in Salem history. On the parlor walls there is so-called landscape paper representing scenes in Paris. ‘There was an old-fashioned tall clock on the stairway, and when I visited his daughter some years ago I found upon the wall in the hallway a picture of the old gentleman as he was winding the clock. The door is in the colonial style, and has been made the subject of a souvenir postal. He was the boy soprano in Boston when the only instrument was a bass viol. Later the bassoon and the flute were introduced, and before many years, but not until after much discussion and opposition, the organ had become the accepted accompaniment to the hymn tunes and anthems. As early as 1826 he organized and managed the Old Mozart Associa- tion in Salem; for the twenty years from 1832 he COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 233 was connected with the Salem Glee Club. His Col- lection of Original Hymn Tunes is dedicated to the Salem Oratorical Society, which he refers to as an association of amateurs which has successfully ren- dered the most difficult and the best work of the great authors within the brief period of a half dozen years, and has attained a conspicuous rank among the most eminent of kindred associations. In this work he had no small part. The ease with which he composed tunes is illustrated by “Merton,” which was done in church during the time of the sermon. Not finding any tune that suited him for the hymn to be used at the close of the service, he wrote out the four parts of this tune, gave them to the mem- bers of his choir, and they rendered it so acceptably that the pastor inquired where the organist had obtained the new tune. When he confessed that he had made the tune during the service, the minister rebuked him, but forgave him when reminded that he was known to make notes on the margins of his sermons of thoughts that came to him, which could be developed later. For many years “Merton” was _ one of his most popular hymn tunes. me 4S tw ; at Se ke. 19 ' a 5, Vc > il ‘ — ‘ ; Me ne : a } * RB wey q ae i - ‘ : ‘ * + ‘ - ; : eae: i x y \ } ‘ 2s cay l # “4 ’ i a « i ‘ 4 . . fs yada ’ ‘ ba ak . 7 : ? - j 4 , * ‘ . a wy 4 ‘ ‘ ~—z | j iu 7 a] : x ie ‘a \ ‘ 5 = +a . ‘ ree te | + a \ ' ‘ a i ! f ’ ‘ ; 1 “ @ 2 . : » 4 i ° ‘ Thai! 7) ad Pay =) . : , iM fs ive © es . ‘ ' - « tis F ‘\ i i e - ‘ JOHN HENRY NEWMAN 1801-18901 One of the most difficult to sing of the hymns to be found in many of the recent collections of church music is Newman’s “Lead, Kindly Light.” First, the irregularity of the verse. By this I do not mean that the rhythm is irregular, for if the sense of the words be disregarded, it will be found that the words flow along smoothly, but I mean that the sentences are irregular, running over from line to line, with stops in the middle of some lines, where- as, in most hymns each line is a sentence or a clause by itself. A second reason is that the music too is irregular. ‘The short notes come in unusual places, and the time must often be changed to suit the words in the various stanzas. ‘The chief reason, however, I think, is the fact that few singers know what the writer meant to express, and as they do not understand what the idea really is, they cannot reproduce it in song. One of the early compilers of tune books says, “Sentiment and expression ought to be the principal guide in vocal music.” But the expression cannot be correct unless the singer feels the sentiment of the words that are sung. In order, therefore, to understand this hymn, we must stop awhile and recall the facts of Cardinal Newman’s life, and try to realize to some extent his feelings when the words of this hymn came from 1From The Choir Herald. : 237 238 AMERICAN WRITERS AND his heart. John Henry Newman was born in Lon- don, February 21, 1801. Both his parents were religious. His mother was Huguenot. His father, a banker, died when John was quite young. Of him- self he says: “I was brought up from a child to take great delight in reading the Bible, but I had no formal religious convictions till I was fifteen.” We may hastily follow his education by noting a few dates. He was graduated from Trinity College, Oxford, in 1820, became a Fellow in Oriel College in 1822, and a tutor in 1826. He had been ordained a deacon in the Church of England in 1824, and the following year was ordained a priest. In 1828 he became vicar of Saint Mary’s, the university church, a position which he retained until 1843, just a short time before he joined the Church of Rome. His theological studies and discussion had inclined him toward the Roman Catholic Church, and he was received into that communion in 1845. From 1848 to 1884 he was the Father Superior of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri at Birmingham, and for the next four years he was the rector of the Catholic University in Dublin. In 1879 he was made a cardinal, and he died August 11, 1890, at Birming- ham, England. Tuer TractTartan MoveMENT Beginning about 1830 there was a strong move- ment which arose within the Church of England, tending to clear up some of the obscure points of difference between that church and the Church of Rome. In 1828 Newman had met John Keble, that quiet and zealous advocate of the doctrines of the COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 239 Established Church, who refused an influential and remunerative position in the West Indies, preferring rather “a better and holier satisfaction in pastoral work in the country.” ‘They became firm friends, though the future cardinal always held the quieter man in awe, and when their ways diverged in 1845, it was a source of deep regret to Keble. On July 14, 1833, Keble had preached a sermon in the uni- versity pulpit under the title of “National Apos- tasy,” and this date has often been referred to as the beginning of the so-called Tractarian Move- ment, for this sermon brought about a series of ninety tracts in which the disputed doctrines were discussed. THe Hymn Keeping in mind the fact that his religious con- victions were not firmly established until his entrance into the Catholic Church in 1845, we may now go back to the year 1832, when he was vicar of Saint Mary’s, and when on account of failing health he was obliged to seek rest and change of scene in a trip to Italy. Regaining health and strength, he was anxious to return to England, where he felt that he had a mission. He says: “I was aching to get home, yet for want of a vessel, I was kept at Palermo _ for three weeks. At last I got off on an orange boat, bound for Marseilles. Then it was that I wrote the lines, ‘Lead, Kindly Light,’ which have since become well known. We were becalmed a whole week in the Straits of Bonifacio. I was writing verses the whole time of my passage.” In another place he gives the date of its composition as June 240 AMERICAN WRITERS AND 16, 1833. In the above quotation, taken from New- man’s “Apologia pro Vita Sua,” it is noted that the word “light” is not spelled with a capital letter. This hymn was first published in the British Maga- zine, and then in his Lyra A postolica in 1836. With these facts in mind, let us read over the words with no reference to the lines of poetry, but with a desire to get the meaning from “between the lines.” “Lead, kindly light, Amid the encircling gloom, lead thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet. I do not ask to see the distant scene: One step enough for me. “I was not ever thus, Nor prayed that thou should’st lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path; But now, lead thou me on. I loved the garish day; [bright or splendid day] And spite of fears, pride ruled my will: Remember not past years. “So long thy power has blessed me, Sure it still will lead me on o’er moor and fen, O’er crag and torrent, till the night is gone, And with the morn, those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.” His writings are in faultless English style and show a devout and saintly spirit. The hymn just quoted is written in the simplest Anglo Saxon words. Some one has called attention to the fact that at least thirty consecutive words of one syllable may be found in the first stanza, and it is most interest- ing to note that of the one hundred and thirty words in the three stanzas, only sixteen are pro- COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 241 nounced as of more than a single syllable. Mr. Newman himself, with becoming modesty, attributed much of the popularity of his hymn to the music which was written for it by Joseph B. Dykes, but as the tune to which a hymn has become wedded always suggests the words which are usually sung to its notes, it is certain that it is the hymn itself that attracts the soul of the listener. Several years ago the following appeared in a weekly paper: Andrew Carnegie has engaged one of the most prominent organists in the city [New York] to awaken him on the organ with the strains of “Lead, Kindly Light.” If it is true that our first thoughts in the morning have much to do with our conduct during the day, surely Mr. Carnegie has chosen a most heavenly way of beginning the day. GEORGE JAMES WEBB! 1803-1887 A caREFUL study of the names of the tunes given by George J. Webb to his compositions in the Mas- sachusetts Collection of Psalmody, 1840, would make one familiar with many of the people and places mentioned in the Bible, for fifty-four of the ninety-nine are from that source. Some of those commonly known are “Abednego,” “Drusilla,” “Jubal,” and “Naomi.” Another series might be made of the mental and moral qualities, such as “peace, joy, adoration and sincerity.” Still another group suggests geography, as “Genoa,” “Piedmont,” “Thebes,” “Corea” and “Amazon.” He was a pro- 1From The Choir Herald. 242 AMERICAN WRITERS AND lifie composer, contributing nearly one hundred pieces to this one book alone, which he edited. His long life embraced the period covered by George Kingsley, George N. Allen, W. B. Brad- bury, and John Zundel, and included the active musical careers of Lowell Mason, George F. Root, Benjamin F. Baker, and Thomas Hastings. He was born June 24, 1803, at Rushmore Lodge, Wiltshire, near Salisbury, England. His father was a large landowner, and though possessing little technical musical knowledge, he was a good singer, and wanted his children to have instruction in that branch. His mother was a cultured musician, and began the training of her son before he was seven years old. His first experience at a boarding school was at. Salisbury, where he came under the instruc- tion of Alexander Lucas, father of the Charles Lucas who was at one time principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London. Here he learned to play the piano and violin, without any idea of mak- ing more out of his music than his own pleasure. At sixteen he had gone back to his father’s house, but it was evident that farming was not to be his life-work. He had felt a drawing toward the min- istry, but realized that more education was neces- sary for that calling than he felt that he could afford the time to secure. When his father asked him what he would choose for his vocation he replied that he would be a professor of music. To fit him- self for that work he went to Falmouth, and placed himself under the instruction of a teacher named Sharp, who was also an organist there, and in a short time he was able to take the place of his COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 243 teacher at the organ. About this time some visitors at his home told of the opportunities that were offered in America, and he decided to try his for- tunes in the New World. He had engaged passage to New York when he fell in with the captain of a boat running to Boston, and was prevailed upon to change his plans and sail to the latter city. It was only a few weeks after his arrival in America that he was engaged as organist in the Old South Church, and for the next forty years Boston was his home, and many of the churches of that city enjoyed his services as a performer. The change of destination proved fortunate for him, as he soon met Lowell Mason, and for the rest of their lives they were associated in musical work. The bonds that bound them were later strengthened by the marriage of Mr. Webb’s daughter, Mary, and Dr. Mason’s son, William. Lowell Mason had begun his plans for the instruc- tion of children in music, and he found Mr. Webb a valuable helper in this work. The Boston Academy of Music was organized with this end in view, and its classes were first held in rooms of the Bowdoin Street Church, where Mr. Mason was the leader of the church music. Later an unused theater was leased and called “The Odeon.” A series of Normal Musical Conventions for teachers was begun in 1836. The attendance at the first one was only fourteen, but in 1849 there were one thousand present. In 1871 he moved to Orange, New Jersey, whither Lowell Mason had preceded him, and gave vocal lessons in New York city, while during the sum- mers he held a “Normal” at Binghamton, New York. 244 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Mr. Mason died in Orange in 1872, and the younger musician died there October 7, 1887. Mr. Root, who was associated with him in normal work, says of him, “He was the best vocal teacher in Boston, and the most refined and delightful teacher of the English glee and madrigal that I have ever known, an elegant organist, an accomplished musi- | cian and a model Christian gentleman.” Booxs His compilations of music include Scripture Wor- ship, 18384; The Massachusetts Collection of Psalm- ody, 1840; and The American Glee Book, 1841. His work with Lowell Mason comprised both secu- lar and sacred music, the more important books in the latter class being The Psaltery, 1845; The Na- tional Psalmist, 1848; and Cantica Laudis, 1850. During this period the two men were professors in the Boston Academy of Music. Mr. Webb edited two different journals—The Musical Cabinet with T. B. Hayward in 1841, and The Melodist with William Mason. When he issued The Massachusetts Collection in 1840 he was president of the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston. é TungES Out of the large number of tunes that George J. Webb composed, only one has survived the period of his lifetime, and is found in recent hymnals, ‘This is known by his name “Webb.” It was originally written to the secular words, * ’Tis dawn, the lark is singing.” As a church tune it was set to the words, “The morning light is breaking,” and given COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC) 245 the name “Goodwin.” I have not traced it to its earliest appearance, but it is found in Cantica Laudis, compiled by Mason and Webb in 1850, where it is called “Goodwin.” ‘This name is used as late as Hatfield’s Hymn and Tune Book, 1872, which gives both names, but after that date the title “Webb” is adopted. In twenty-six hymnals exam- ined there are as many as thirteen different hymns set to this tune, but there are two that are most favored by compilers. Duffield’s hymn, “Stand Up for Jesus,” is found thirteen times, while Samuel F. Smith’s missionary stanza, “The morning light is breaking,” the one first used with it, still leads, and is in nineteen of the books. GEORGE HOOD 1807-1882 Tue earliest historians of sacred music in America were George Hood and Nathaniel Duren Gould. Both were composers of music and compilers of books, but the facts they put into print regarding the early history of psalmody and those who had a part in its making are of greater value to-day than the music which they wrote. George Hood was the younger of the two and was the first to turn his attention to the subject. It was in 1846 that his History of Music in New England appeared, when he was not quite forty years old, for he was born February 10, 1807, in Topsfield, Massachusetts. He was, therefore, only a few days older than the poet Longfellow and a few months the senior of Agassiz, 246 AMERICAN WRITERS AND the naturalist. Mr. Hood’s interest in music led him to take up the teaching of that subject, first in the public schools and then in a female seminary. He afterward became a Presbyterian minister, and served several churches until his death September 24, 1882. Musica Propuctions He did not compose much music, but in the same year that his history appeared he published The Southern Melodist, intended for use in the South. This book had shaped notes and a figured bass, and contained two tunes under his name, and two com- posed by his brother Jacob. In 1864 George pub- lished a Musical Manual to be used as an instruc- tion book. His History is a small book of 259 pages, and in its preparation he spent ten years of research, the amount of matter that he was able to collect being remarkable, considering that his was a pioneer work. At the end of his book he has described all the music books that were available to him. The list, he tells us, was made from his own library, supplemented by Mr. Lowell’s large collec- tion of American music books. It was his intention to include all those printed before 1800, and in this he was quite successful. In spite of its deficiencies the results of his labors still have considerable value for the historian. In 1882 Mr. Hood furnished for the Musical Herald, published in Boston, a series of sketches of the early writers of church music, from which much information has been taken for the sketches in this book. COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 247 DEODATUS DUTTON 1808-1832 Tue career of Deodatus Dutton was a short one, yet it gave great promise during the few years of his public life. He was born in Monson, Massachu- setts, in 1808, and as his name carried a Junior, his father’s name must have been Deodatus also. He was a precocious musician, and at the age of sixteen was chosen to play the first organ in the Center Church in Hartford. He completed his col- lege course in that city, graduating from Washing- ton (now Trinity) College in 1828. His poetical abilities had already been discovered, and at the commencement he was selected as the class poet, and delivered a poem, whose subject was “Hartford.” He was licensed to preach by the Third Presbytery of New York, but was never ordained, as he died in New York December 16, 1832, while he was contin- uing his theological studies in that city. He was buried from one of the Dutch Reformed churches there. AMERICAN PsatMopy This joint compilation of Elam Ives, Jr., and Deodatus Dutton, Jr., was first issued in 1830 in a small edition, and reissued in the same year in a second edition greatly enlarged with alterations and improvements with 868 pages. The improvement considered of most importance by the compilers was the system of teaching music, which had been tested in practice for some time. A third edition was copy- righted and issued in 1834 with the name of Elam 248 AMERICAN WRITERS AND Ives only upon the title page, for Dutton had died two years before. Mr. Ives tells us that Mr. Dutton versified many of the hymns in this book, and also that he did the same for the book called “The Juvenile Lyre” issued in 1831 in Boston, by Lowell Mason and Elam Ives, though he had no credit for his work. Woopstock “Woodstock” is his best-known tune, written for the words of Mrs. Brown’s hymn, “I Love to Steal Awhile Away,” which had been printed in the Village Hymns of Asahel Nettleton in 1824. It is in The American Psalmody, was copied into The Boston Academy’s Collection in 1836, and appears in many of the present-day hymnals. It was probably named for the town of Woodstock in Connecticut, as a number of his tunes are named for towns in that State. Mr. Gould, in his History of Church Music in- America, has this to say: “Dutton, who was prepar- ing for the ministry, in connection with Mr. Ives, published a book of church music in Hartford, called The Hartford Collection, in which were many tunes of his own composition. His skill and taste were of the most promising order, and the tune ‘Wood- stock,’ with the words ‘I love to steal awhile away,’ will be associated with his name and handed down to future ages, and sung by many on earth, while he is singing the song of Moses and the Lamb in heaven.” 2 Se ee ee a Te uoroaT[oo $,LoYINE oy} UT “OST “TOHTPe puooes ‘Kpowuypesg weowoury sty ur “W0yyNd snjyepoegq Aq MOOLSAOO MM COMPILERS OF SACRED MUSIC 249 DAVID CREAMER 1812-1887 Tue first book of hymnology written about an American hymn book was prepared by a native of Baltimore, Maryland, who published in 1848 a Meth- _odist Hymnology, which was made up of annota- tions upon the hymns in the 18386 edition of The Methodist Hymn Book. For many years David Creamer had been investigating the history of the Methodist hymns; he had employed agents in Europe to purchase for him all the editions of Wesley’s poems and hymns that could be found until he had all but a single small tract, and had also sought other books of hymns from which selections might have been made for Methodist use. David Creamer was the fourth in descent from one Henry Creamer, who had come from Germany, and had_ settled in Westminster County, Maryland. David was born in Baltimore, November 20, 1812, the son of Joshua Creamer and Margaret Smith. Both his parents were Methodists, and his mother’s father, John Merryman Smith, was also of that faith. He was one of twelve children, eight of whom arrived at maturity, married, and had families. He was educated in private schools in Baltimore until he was seventeen, when he entered his father’s count- ing room, and in 1832 he became a partner in the business. under the name of “Joshua Creamer & Son, Dealers in Lumber.” The firm lasted for eleven years, when his father withdrew to engage in a com- mission branch of the business. In the financial 250 AMERICAN WRITERS AND crisis of 1857 his profits were swept away, and the next year he retired from active commercial life. He was married November 27, 1834, by the Rev. G. G. Cookman, to Eliza Ann Taylor, a daughter of Judge Isaac Taylor, of the Orphans’ Court, who was also a local preacher of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Of this union there were four chil- dren—two boys and two girls. Mr. Creamer was loyal to the government before and during the Civil War, and when the inquest was held over the per- sons killed in the attack on the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry, April 19, 1861, as it passed through the streets of Baltimore, he was foreman of the jury. There is in the Library of Congress a memorandum book, once the property of Mr. Creamer, in which among other notes he has put down a number of items about the trial, which appear to be summaries of the testimony of the witnesses. It was through his efforts that the citizens of Massachusetts learned of the care given to the wounded and the dead by the authorities of Baltimore. In August, 1862, he was appointed a recruiting officer for the State of Maryland, and in September of that year was selected by Governor Bradford to visit the regi- ments in and around Washington to find out their needs. In July, 1863, he was made an assessor of the internal revenue, and from 1882 he was a clerk in the post office department in Washington.