ALEXANDER ELY
Alexander Ely (b. West Springfield, Mass., ca. 1762; d. Rochester, N.Y., 16 June 1848) was a composer, music engraver, and farmer who served in the American Revolution as a fifer. Ely engraved Timothy Swan's secular collection, The Songster's Assistant (n.d.). He changed residence several times, living in Baltimore in 1792, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1799, and West Springfield for most of the period 1786-95, and again in 1814.
Bio-bib. Also NEHGR 1848, 2, 326; Massachusetts Soldiers, 5, 335-36.
THE BALTIMORE COLLECTION, 1792
ASMI 175
The Baltimore Collection of Church Music; containing besides the necessary rules of singing; a variety of the most approved psalm and hymn tunes, both ancient and modern; some of which are entirely new, and never before published.
Sing with the spirit, and with the understanding.-St. Paul.
Compiled and engraved by Alexander Ely. - Printed and sold by John Hagerty, stationer, Baltimore. M.DCC, XCII.
1 p.l., 48+ p. 11.5 x 21 cm. p. [3]-48 engraved by Alexander Ely. P. [2] bound upside down in only known copy.
Baltimore Maryland Journal, 20 Nov. 1792, advertises the work as just published, the notice dated 19 Nov. 1 p.l. recto, t-p.; verso blank; p. [1] blank; p. [2], 'Index'; p. [3], 'Advertise-ment'; p. 4-9, rudiments; p. 10-48, music. 'The Design of this Work is to furnish the Public with a cheaper Collection of Divine Music, than has ever been published in America. [New par.] Great Pains have been taken to collect the best Tunes from different Authors, so that the most critical may find something in it new, pleasing and entertaining. [New par.] I have given Credit over the Tunes to all Authors known, & return my hearty Thanks to all Gentlemen, who have favoured me with their Compositions.' (Advertisement in full.)
52 compositions (54 listed in index), incl. 1 anthem, for 4 voices (1 for 5); most w. full text, some textless. Attribs. to Mr. Benham (2), Mr. Billings (4), Mr. Brownson (5), Mr. Bull (2), Mr. Deaolph (2), Mr. Edson (3), A. Ely (4), Mr. King, Mr. Mann, Mr. Reed (2), Mr. Stephenson (2), Mr. Swan (4), Mr. Tansur, Mr. Williams, Mr. Wood. 15 1st pr. identified (DOVER, HAMSHIRE, MALWOOD, PSALM 11, WILMOT), also 1 Ist Am. pr. (CHIPMAN). 138 American compositions, 13 non-American, 1 unidentified [CHIPMAN] (31 attrib. Americans, 7 traced [CHELSEA, CHOCKSETT, KINGSTON, STAFFORD, SUF-FIELD, WILLIAMS TOWN, WORTHINGTON]; 4 attrib. non-Americans, 9 traced).
139 Core Repertory.
E24066 (no copy on Readex). DLC* (lacks all after p. 48, though the index lists music on p. 50; the tabulation of music is made on the basis of the compositions on p. 10-48).
ASMI p. 257