THE RESPONSARY, 1795

ASMI 132 

The Responsary; containing a collection of church musick, set with second trebles, instead of counters, and peculiarly adapted to the use of the Newengland churches. Together with a few useful rules of psalmody. By Amos Bull. Published according to act of Congress. Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts, by Isaiah Thomas; and sold by the editor in Hartford, Connecticut. 1795.

100 p. 14 x 22.5 cm.

Advertised as 'now in the press, and will soon be published in Hartford Connecticut Courant, 12 Jan. 1795. p. [1], t-p.; p. [2], 'Index'; p. [3]-7, rudiments and instructions; p. 8, 'Lessons, for Tuning the Voice'; p. 9-100, music. The editor has taken pains to have the compositions as correct as the nature of them would well ell admit; admit; yet yet g good judges will doubtless find many imperfections; these are confided to their candour. [New par.] Second Trebles are preferred to Counters, which are not adapted to women's voices; and which we can very seldom find men's voices sufficient for-and it has not been regarded which Treble run highest, as it makes little or no difference in the musick. [New par.] The alterations in Denmark and Habakkuk, and some other tunes, are made with a view of adapting them to the use of the Newengland Choirs; and not from a supposition that they were faulty as printed in other Books.' (Excerpt from introduction, p. 7.)

          65 compositions, incl. 12 anthems, for 4 voices; most w. full text, a few w. partial or no text. No attribs., but ist prs. assumed to be by Bull. 49 1st pr. claimed; 49 identified. 150 American compositions, 15 non-American (49 1st pr. assumed to be American, 1 traced [NEW 100TH]; 15 traced to non-Americans [ASCENSION, AYLESBURY, BATH, BETHESDA, DENMARK, HABAKKUK, LITTLE MARLBOROUGH, MEAR, OLD 100, PORTSMOUTH, PUTNEY, ST. MARTIN'S, UTOXETER, WELLS, WINDSOR]). 

14 Core Repertory.

          E28370 (MWA). Ct, CtHi, CtY, DLC, MB, MH, MHi, MWA" (b.w. Huntington, The Albany Collection, 1800, and Jenks & Griswold, The American Compiler, 1803), NHi, NN (2; Drexel 4402 lacks some front matter), NRU-Mus, NhD, NjPT, PPIPT, RPB.

NOTE: The New Haven Connecticut Gazette, 15 Nov. 1766, carries the following notice: 'Proposals for Printing by Subscription a Book entitled The New Universal Psalmodist, or Beautiful Harmony of Zion, containing, First, A new and correct Introduction to the Rules of Music, rudimental, practical and technical. Second, a Number of the most celebrated Psalm Tunes, collected from Arnold, Tansur, Lyon, Williams, etc. with some entirely new. Third, a Number of Services, Chants, Hymns, Anthems, and Canons, suited to several occasions, never before printed. The whole are composed in two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight musical Parts, according to the nicest Rules, correctly set in Score for Voice or Organ; and peculiarly adapted to publick and private Use. By A. Bull, Philo Musicae. [New par.] The Piece is ready and will be put to the Press upon suitable Encouragement.' Britton 1953, from which this quotation is taken, speculates: 'This is apparently a projected American edition of William Tans'ur's The Royal Melody Complete, or New Harmony of Zion and Aaron Williams' Universal Psalmodisť (p. 37). It is unlikely that Bull's work was ever published.

ASMI pp. 209-211