BOSTON: BRATTLE STREET CHURCH

LXXX PSALM AND HYMN TUNES, 1810

Pasted in the front of the DLC copy is the following letter explaining the provenance of the work: 'At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Church in Brattle Square, January 14th. 1810. Voted, that Mr Bryant P. Tilden, Mr Bartholomew Brown and Mr Ebenezer Withington be a Committee with the advice and assistance of the Rev. Mr. Buckminster, to make a small selection of sacred musick, to be used in the publick worship of the society, and to cause the same to be published and distributed in the several pews. [New par.] At a meeting of the Church in Brattle Square, January [paper torn off; then, on another piece in the same hand, pasted in:] Voted, that this Society approves of the above vote, and that Mr Elias Mann be added to the said Committee. Attest, Peter Thacher Clerk.'

ASMI 119

LXXX Psalm and Hymn Tunes, for Public Worship. Adapted to the metres used in churches. [Illustrative cut.] Boston: printed by Manning & Loring ..........1810. 

3 p.l., [3]-51, [1] p. 122.5 x 13.5 cm.

1st p.l. recto, t-p.; verso blank; 2d 1. recto, 'Advertisement'; verso-3d 1. recto & verso, 'Rudiments of Musick'; p. [3]-51, music; p. [52], 'Index' & 'Postscript.' 'The tunes in this book were selected by a Committee of the Church in Brattle Street, with the advice and assistance of gentlemen, whose names, if it were necessary to mention them, would add authority to the work. . . . The four Hymn Tunes at the close of the book, are given as a specimen of a more graceful style of psalmody than that to which we have been accustomed; and these, with a very few others, which the intelligent Chorister will easily discover, are suitable rather to extraordinary occasions, when the Choir have had previous time to prepare themselves, than to the habitual use of the whole congregation. [New par.] It is earnestly desired, and confidently expected, that where this Collection is used, the female voices sing the Air, or Principal Melody, which in this book is uniformly placed next to the Base. In most of the tunes, the upper part is a Counter Tenor, unessential to the composition, and intended only for an accompaniment to the principal melody. It should be sung by a fine, clear, and high Tenor voice, and by no means attempted by females. In a few tunes only . . . the upper part is a second Treble, which may be sung by Treble voices, and in these tunes cannot well be omitted. [New par.] The Committee cannot dismiss this little work, without expressing their respectful wishes, that the principal melodies in it may soon be familiar to the whole congregation; and that religious musick may receive encouragement 'again to enter into the recreation of domestick leisure, and thus contribute to revive the sentiments of primitive religion.' In an age and place where musick is introduced into so many families as a part of education, surely it is not too much to expect that some time will be bestowed upon the practice of these tunes, by those who submit to so many hours of confinement for the sake of accomplishments, which they soon relinquish, or easily forget. [New par.] Dr. Edward Miller, after speaking of the superiority of sacred musick in raising the affections, and of the sublime sensations excited by the anthems and choruses of some of the great masters, says; "The common psalm tunes used in churches may not, by many, be thought capable of producing these grand effects; for as all the congregation join, or ought to join in them, simple and easy melodies can only be used in such places: but their construction, though simple, is elegant and dignified; and when properly performed by a large congregation, and judiciously accompanied on the organ, their effect is perhaps as great in exciting sublime Singing masters," (here as emotions, as we experience from more elaborate musick. well as in England,) "fondly attached to compositions in many parts, and those chiefly composed by unskilful men, abounding in ill-constructed fugues and false harmony, are apt to treat with contempt the simple, but elegant melodies used in parish churches; but would they study the various beauties of expression, the true portamento or conduct of the voice, free from all nasal sounds or screaming exertions, a proper pronunciation, and the energetick expression of emphatical words, they would soon find that these despised melodies, when properly performed, with true pronunciation, just intonation, and feeling expression, are as capable of fixing the attention, and affecting the hearts of the congregation, as more elaborate musick." He quotes a passage also from Dr. Brown, with which we conclude; - "In great towns where a good organ is skilfully and devoutly employed by a sensible organist, the union of this instrument with the voices of a well-instructed congregation, forms one of the grandest scenes of unaffected piety that human nature can afford."" (Advertisement almost in full.)

          80 compositions (81 printed, BEDFORD twice, once as EDMONTON; duplication ac-knowledged as a mistake in 'Postscript' on p. [52]), incl. 1 set-piece, for 3 voices (2 for 2); full text. Attribs. to Dr. Arne (3), Dr. Arnold, J. Arnold, E. Blancks, H. Carey, Jer Clark, Costellow (2), Courteville, Dr. Croft (3), Dalmer, Giardini, Gluck, Dr. Green, G. Green, Handel (6), Dr. Heighington, Dr. Howard, Miss Hudson, Jennings, Kirby, Leach (2), Levesque, Madan (4), Rev. Mr. Mason, Milgrove, Dr. Miller, Pleyel (2), Purcell, Dr. Randal, Ravenscroft, 1. Smith (2), Tansur (3), Tuckey, Wheall, A. Williams (3).15 1st Am. pr. identified (GLUCK'S, HYMN 4, ST. OLAVE'S, ST. PHILIP'S, STRATFORD), also 2 poss. 1st Am. pr. (HYMN 3, THACHER). 1 American composition, 78 non-American, 1 uniden-tified [ST. OLAVE's] (1 attrib. American; 52 attrib. non-Americans, 26 traced). 129 Core Repertory.

          S20039 (MWA). CtHC, CtY, DLC, MBC, MWA, NN.

NOTE: A letter to the Boston Columbian Centinel, 5 January 1811, referred to this work as 'a little pestiferous Pamphlet lately published for the use of the Brattle-Street Society. See Crawford 1984a, p. 11.

ASMI pp. 192-193