THE NORFOLK COLLECTION, 1805

(ASMI 19)

The Norfolk Collection of Sacred Harmony. By Amos Albee.

"Religious harmony must be moving, but noble withal; grave, solemn and seraphic; fit for a martyr to play, and an angel to hear.' Collyer.

Printed typographically, at the music-press of H. Mann, Dedham, and for sale at his bookstore, and at the bookstores in Boston. 1805.

160 р., 4 1. 12 x 22 cm.

Preface dated Medfield, 21 Oct. 1805; copyright granted 22 Oct. 1805, District of Massa-chusetts, to Amos Albee as author. p. [1], t-p.; p. [ii], copyright notice; p. [iii], 'Preface'; p. [iv], 'Advertisement'; p. [v]-vii, 'A Plain, and Concise Introduction to the Grounds of Music'; p. [viii], 'Lessons for Tuning the Voice'; p. [9]-160, music; 3 1. blank staves; 4th 1. recto, acknowledgement & Errata'; verso, 'Index'. 'Music is generally esteemed, both as a sublime and polite employment: its lighter airs tend to refine the soul of sensibility, while its more sublime strains are calculated to inspire devotion. [New par.] It may be thought that the rules, here given, are too short and indefinite; but with the assistance of a judicious instructor, it is hoped they may be found to contain all that is necessary. Those who wish to become acquainted with the abstruse principles of the science, can, with more propriety, consult treatises designed expressly for that purpose, than be at the expense of paying for a long, and to many, useless dissertation on the subject, upon the purchase of every new Singing Book, designed merely for congregational use. The compiler has not hesitated to insert a considerable number of old tunes, which have been universally approved, though they may have been published often; believing "that good music, like old wine, gathers goodness by age, and the more it is tried, the more it is approved." The Allegro time is generally substituted for the Adagio, in which time many of the pieces were originally set, on the authority, and comfortably to the practice of eminent musicians. [New par.] Hoping that the work may contribute in some measure to improve the taste for music, and be found to contain a suitable variety of tunes for religious worship, the compiler offers it to the public for their inspection." (Preface in full.) "European authors are designated by Roman capitals: Columbian, by Italian." (Extract from Adv12:00nt.) "The compiler offers his grateful acknowledgements to those gentlemen, who have so liberally contributed to the foregoing collection; and, also, to his numerous subscribing friends, to whose generous patronage he is so much indebted: he regrets that the paper on which this work is published, is not such as he intended; he hopes, however, is not such blank staves, which were not proposed in the conditions, will be considered, as in some measure compensating this defect.' (Acknowledgement in full.)

        109 compositions, incl. 1 anthem & 15 set-pieces, for 3 & 4 voices; all w. full text. Attribs. to Adams (2), Albee (10), Dr. Arne (2; 1 in Mass. Compiler), Dr. Arnold (5; 2 in Bridgewater Coll.), Billings (2), Bridgewater Coll., Brown (in Bridgewater Coll.), Brownson, Bull, Dr. Burney, Cary, Chandler, Darwell (in Mass. Compiler), Edson, Gay, Giardini (2; 1 F. G. Lock Hos[pital]'), T.H. ('T. H. Lock Hospital'), Handel (6; 1 'Adapted from Handel'), Har[monia] Sacra (8), Holden 2 (1 in Mass. Compiler), Holdrayd, Holyoke (8), King James, Kimball, Kirby, C. Lockhart, Dr. Madan (13), Mann (2), Pleyel (2; 1 in Bridgewater Coll.), Read (2), Smith, Stephenson, Tansur's Coll. (5), Wainwright (in Mass. Compiler), A. Williams's Coll. (5), T. Williams's Coll. (2). 19 1st pr. claimed; 19 identified; also 15 1st Am. pr. (CARDIFF, CHORUS, CONSTANTIA, CRESWICK, DEDICATION, FAIRFIELD, HARTFORD, HOPE, MORTALITY, ORITORIO, ROEHAMPTON, UXBRIDGE, WAL-POLE, WESTERN, WINTER). 39 American compositions, 63 non-American, 7 unidentified [CONSTANTIA, FAIRFIELD, GANGES, HOPE, MORTALITY, WALPOLE, WEST-ERN) (35 attrib. Americans, 4 traced; 61 attrib. non-Americans, 2 traced [OLD 100, WINTER)). 24 Core Repertory.

S7845 (MWA). CtY, DLC (lacks all after p. 48), ICN (2; 1 lacks t-p., front matter, and 3 1. at end), MSaE, MWA", MdHi, MiU-C, NeWsM (front matter inc.), NjPT.

NOTE: Most of the texts are taken from Jeremy Belknap, Sacred Poetry (Boston, 1795, and later eds.), according to a note on p. [iv].

The copy in CtY is part of the Lowell Mason Collection, and it has the following note penciled on the first flyleaf-apparently in Mason's hand: "This is the Book used at the first singing school I ever attended which was taught by Amos Albee, the compiler. I must have been 13 years old then. Sixty years have since passed away & I am now 73.

ASMI pp. 92-93