A NEW COLLECTION, CA. 1784

ASMI 391 

A New Collection of Psalm Tunes Adapted to Congregational Worship.

16 p. 16 x 9.5 cm. Engraved throughout [by William Norman]. See note below, under John Norman.

[ca. 1784.] The Boston Gazette, 25 Oct. 1784, in its advertisement announcing the publication of No. 376, The Massachusetts Harmony (Boston: John Norman), also mentions 'A New Collection of Psalm Tunes, suitable to bind up with psalm books,' an unmistakable reference to this item. Of six copies examined, four are bound in at the back of Watts's The Psalms of David-three with the 45th ed. (Boston: Norman and Bowen, 1785). These two links with John Norman, as well as his activity as a printer and publisher of sacred music in the 1780s, indicate that he was the publisher, and 1784 is a likely date of issue. It is possible that A New Collection was published earlier, but not before 1779, since it contains BETHLEHEM and PHILADELPHIA, fuging-tunes by William Billings which were printed in the composer's own Music in Miniature (Boston, 1779), with the fuges removed-the form in which they appear in A New Collection. p. [1], caption title; p. [1]-16, music.

          51 compositions for 4 voices; textless. No attribs. No 1st pr. identified. 6 compo-sitions traced to Americans (AMHERST, BETHLEHEM, BROOKFIELD, CHESTER, PHILADELPHIA, SUFFIELD), 44 to non-Americans, I unidentified (MORNING HYMN).

35 Core Repertory.

Not in Evans (MWA copy, b.w. E18930, Watts, Psalms of David, 45th ed. Boston: Norman and Bowen, 1785 is on Readex). CtHC (music inc.; b.w. unidentified ed. of Watts, Psalms of David), ICN (b.w. Brady and Tate, New Version, Boston: for Nicholas Bowes, 1774), InGo (b.w. Watts, Psalms of David, 45th ed., Boston: Norman and Bowen, 1785), MWA (b.w. same issue of Watts), MiU-C* (b.w. Brady and Tate, New Version, Boston: for Nicholas Bowes, 1774), NjPT (b.w. same issue of Watts as others).

ASMI pp. 469-470.