A SCHEME, 1785

ASMI 166

A Scheme, for Reducing the Science of Music to a More Simple State, and to bring all its characters within the compass of a common fount of printing-types; especially calculated for the convenience of learners. By Benjamin Dearborn. Portsmouth New-Hampshire, 1785.

16 p. 18.5 x 12.5 cm. Music printed from letters, numbers, and other characters used by ordinary printers.

P. [1], t-p.; p. [2] blank; p. [3], 'Preface'; p. 4-7, 'Rules,' explaining Dearborn's notation; p. 8-16, music. 'The Author's design in this invention, was to remove the principal difficulties in printing, and in teaching music: having by experiment fully gratified his expectations, he submits it to the public eye.' (Extract from Preface.)

7 compositions for 4 voices; full text. No attribs. No 1st pr. identified. 3 tunes traced to Americans (BRIDGEWATER, NORWICH, 136TH), 4 to non-Americans.

6 Core Repertory.

E44674 (NHi). NHi*.

NOTE: This item is discussed in Lippencott 1941. On 28 Feb. 1797, copyright was obtained on the following item: 'The Vocal Instructor, publish'd in numbers. No. 1. Containing the rules of vocal music, by principle in questions & answers;-remarks on the causes of its decline and hints for recovering its respectability. A morning and an evening hymn composed and set to music for this work; and a sliding music scale, never before publish'd in which a moveable index points out the names and distances of the notes in all their variations; the other numbers of the work will contain sacred, moral or sentimental psalms, hymns, songs, etc. for the improvement and pleasure of youth. By Benjamin Dearborn' (Mass. 1:68; printed in Sonneck-Upton, p. 445.) No copies have been found, and in fact, there is no evidence that the item was ever published.