A Selection of Sacred Harmony, 3d ed., 1790

ASMI 459 

A Selection of Sacred Harmony, containing, lessons explaining the gamut, keys, and charac-ters used in vocal music; and a rich variety of tunes. The third edition, greatly improved and enlarged, and approved of by the most eminent teachers of church music. Philadelphia: printed for William Young, bookseller and stationer, at the corner of Chesnut and Second-Streets. By John M'Culloch, in Third-Street, near the market. -1790.

2 p.l., 132 p. 19.5 x 24 cm. p. 21-23 wrongly numbered 22, 23, 21; p. 64 wrongly numbered 60; p. 95 wrongly numbered 59.

1st p.l. recto, t-p.; verso, introductory note; 2d 1. recto & verso, 'Index'; p. [1]-12, 'Lessons explaining the characters in Music'; p. 13, 'Of tuning and forming the Voice'; p. 14-16, 'Observations on Singing'; p. 17-124, music; p. [125]-32, 'Appendix.' 'On perusing the foregoing pages the Psalmodist will find a very considerable number of the most pleasing tunes, are by our ingenious countryman Mr. Billings. Every lover of music will, I am persuaded, thank the Editor for inserting so great a proportion of tunes, from an author of such distinguished merit. By mere force of nature, he has excelled all his cotemporaries [sic], and equalled any, perhaps, who have gone before him, in composing for the voice. Although his music is justly admired for its pleasing simplicity; yet, to show us that he is not incapable of composing that which is difficult, he has given us one piece which will for ever baffle the most able performers in their attempts to execute. This piece of composition (for music it cannot be called) will show the surprising contrast between concord and discord.-Sounds so grating to the ear can be called by no other name than that of Jargon. The piece is as follows: [JARGON is printed.] [New par.] The author tells us, and we fully believe him, that ample justice cannot be done the above piece without a select band of vocal and instrumental performers. Therefore he proposes that an ass should bray the bass; a dog, when the moon is under an eclipse, howl the tenor; a cat wawl the counter; and a hog, that is extremely hungry, squeel the treble. These, with the additional notes of the peacock, the duck, and the screech-owl, might complete the vocal part. For the instrumen-tal-the filing of a saw, falling down of the shovel and tongs, rubbing the wet fingers on a pane of glass, grinding of scythes, the stone-cutters' saw, &c. might do tolerably well: And if all these in conjunction should fail of exciting the most exquisite sensations in the hearer, you may reasonably conclude, that he has no ear for music.' (Extract from Appendix.)

         72 compositions (73 printed, incl. JARGON in appendix; AYLESBURY printed twice, once as WORKSWORTH), incl. I set-piece, for 4 voices (1 for 2, 1 for 3); full text. No attribs. No 1st pr. identified. 140 compositions traced to Americans, 30 to non-Americans [ANGELS HYMN, AYLESBURY, BANGOR, BATH, BEDFORD, BRUNSWICK, CHESHUNT, DALSTON, DERBY, FUNERAL THOUGHT, ISLE OF WIGHT, LANDAFF, LEEDS, LITTLE MARLBOROUGH, MEAR, NEWCASTLE, OLD 100, ORANGE, PLYMOUTH, PSALMS 5, 34, 98, 149, ROCHESTER, ST. HUMPHREY'S, ST. MARTIN'S, ST. THOMAS'S, STANDISH, WELLS, WESTON FAVEL], 2 unidentified [MORNING HYMN, WILLING-ΤΟΝ]. 

48 Core Repertory.

          E22884 (MWA). CtHC, DLC, MWA*, MiU-C, NJPT, OCIWR, PPPrHi.