EZRA GOFF

Ezra Goff (b. Rehoboth, Mass., 26 May 1760; d. after ca. 1807), a composer, was a fifer in the Continental Army, in which he served from 1776 to 1780. The 1790 census lists Ezra Goff as living in Jamaica, Windham County, Vermont. His only publication says on the title-page: 'Respectfully presented to the Musical Society in Dorchester [Massachusetts], by the author.'

Birth date in Arnold 1897, p. 620. Also Massachusetts Soldiers 6, p. 535-36; Census 1790, Vermont, p. 51, col. 2; Crawford 1985, p. 618.

DEDICATION ANTHEM, CA. 1807

ASMI 221

Dedication Anthem. By Ezra Goff. Respectfully presented to the Musical Society in Dorchester, by the Author. Printed and sold by Manning & Loring, No. 2, Cornhill, Boston.

8 p. 115 x 24.5 cm.

[ca. 1807.] Dated from content. CONDESCENSION, printed as LUNENBURGH by Goff, was identified as a 1st pr. in Belknap's The Village Compilation (Boston, 1806); DOXOLOGY appeared in Sanger's The Meridian Harmony (Dedham, 1808) without a 1st pr. designation. Therefore, Goff's Dedication Anthem, which contains both tunes, must have been published after Belknap's and before Sanger's work. p. [1], caption title; p. [1]-8, music.

3 compositions, I set-piece, I doxology, I hymn-tune, for 4 voices; full text. All attrib. or traced to Goff. 2 1st pr. identified (Anthem; DOXOLOGY). All are American.

No Core Repertory.

Not in Shaw-Shoemaker (no copy on Readex). Copies in MB, MSaE (b.w. Belknap, The Village Compilation, 1806), MWA*.

ASMI p. 289.