TIMOTHY OLMSTED
Timothy Olmsted (b. East Hartford, Conn., 12 Nov. 1759; d. Phoenix, Oswego County, N.Y., 15 Aug. 1848), a composer and singing master, was a fifer in the Revolutionary War, and he served also in the War of 1812, both times with Connecticut regiments. His Martial Music (Albany, 1807) preserves marches for field bands, including some of his own. As a psalmodist, he composed in both the indigenous New England idiom and the more florid style inspired by the English composer, Martin Madan. From 1785 he lived in Hartland, Connecticut, apparently working as a singing master; later he moved to Whitestown, New York. N. H. Allen, a knowledgeable historian of Connecticut music writing early in this century, expressed particular regret at the meager musical opportunities open to Olmsted, calling him 'the only original genius that America had ever produced' in music.
Amerigrove, Bio-bib, Metcalf, Wolfe. Also Crawford 1968, p. 65-66, 71, 178 & n., 228; Johnson 1931, p. 40-41; Olmsted 1912, p. 40; Osterhout 1978, p. 275-79; Wilson 1979, p. 71, 76, 84-86.
THE MUSICAL OLIO, 1805
ASMI 400
The Musical Olio. Containing, I. A concise introduction to the art of singing by note. II. A variety of psalm tunes, hymns and set-pieces, selected principally from European authors, siz. Dr. Croft, Dr. Green, Handel, Purcel, Dr. Wainwright, Dr. Randal, Dr. Burney, Dr. Alcock, Is. Smith, Milgrove, Dr. Madan, Holdroyd, Williams, Baildon, Oswald, Jennings, Harrison, Grigg, Coombs, Tucker, Walker, Breillat, Husband, Dr. Worgan, Cuzens, Marsh, Boxwel, Dr. Arne, Lockhart, and Hepstinstall;-together with a number of original pieces, never before published. Compiled and composed by T. Olmsted. Published according to act of Congress. Printed, typographically, at Northampton, by Andrew Wright. 1805.
10, [2], [9]-112 p. 14 x 23.5 cm.
Copyright granted, 26 March 1805, District of Connecticut, to Olmsted as author. (Notice pasted on inside front cover of MWA copy.) Northampton Republican Spy, 30 April 1805. advertises work as just published. p. [1], t-p.; p. [2], 'Advertisement'; p. [3]-9. 'Concise Rules for Singing by Note'; p. 9-to, 'Explanation of a few Musical Terms, necessary to be understood'; p. 10, 'Errata'; p. [11] blank; p. [12], 'Index to the Music'; p. [9]-112, music.
In compiling this book of Sacred Music, great care has been taken, to select such tunes as must be useful to all Christian societies, that make singing, a part of public worship-The style and measure is suited to psalms and hymns generaly made use of by worshiping assemblies; and may with facility be changed from one to another of the same metre-By the sources from whence they are derived, and by the sanction of those great authorities, 1 am authorized to be sanguine in the opinion, that what I have compiled, hath real merit, and will be highly approved, by all who possess good taste and judgment. The pieces given out in my name, if noticed, must speak for themselves. I have been importuned by many of my acquaintance, to insert more of them than I intended; but to the public I now submit their trial and fate. [New par.] To render this book convenient for schools, I have laid down the rules plain and concise, and arranged the lessons in such order as will make it easy for the teacher to give his pupils a just idea of the use of the musical characters. As the modern European authors have furnished us with many excellent pieces of music in three parts; the air placed for the female voice; and as that custom is prevailing, I have adhered to it in part. Some publishers of Psalmody have exploded the Alto, or counter-tenor, and in their stead substituted second trebles; others have published in three parts only; objections have been made to each of those methods singly. To obviate which I have inserted some tunes in three parts, and some in four; some with counters, and some with second trebles. Part of the airs are placed for the tenor voice, and part for the female voice-all of which I have thought best to print in characters universally made use of; having not as yet been made to percieve the utility of the simplifications, and new inventions; which are so frequently presented us for our improvement, by many of our modern masters;-These characters are not only our old acquaintance, but that of the whole musical world; in which all nations can read, and probably never will discard. The instrumental performer may now join with the vocal, and find music in familiar key and good style. [New par.] That this small volume may prove to be useful in the Church, and entertaining in the Chamber, is the ardent wish of The Compiler.' (Advertisement in full.)
101 compositions, incl. 9 set-pieces, for 3 & 4 voices; most w. full text, some textless or w. partial text. Attribs. to Dr. Addington's Coll. (3), Dr. Alcock (2), Dr. Arne, Dr. Arnold, J. Baildon, R. Boxwel, G. Breillat, Bristol Coll., Coombs (2), Dr. Croft, B. Cuzens, Dr. Green, Grigg, Handel (7), W. Heptinstall (2), Holdroyd, J. Husband, Jennings, Isaac Lane, C. Lockhart, Martin Luther, Dr. Madan (4), Milgrove (5), Dr. Nares, Olmstead (2), T. Olmsted (23), J. Oswald, Dr. Randall, Rippon's Coll. (7), I. Smith (4), J. Tucker, Dr. Wainwright (2), T. Walker, T. Williams's Coll. (9). 120 1st pr. identified (HUDSON; also all attrib. T. Olmsted except PSALMS 50, 63, 84, WEATHERSFIELD), also 24 1st Am. pr. (ABINGTON, ASYLUM, BROADMEAD, BUXTON, CIMBELINE, CLARKSON, DEVIZES, EFFINGHAM, ELIM, ELY, FARNDON, FINSBURY, FOUNTAIN, FROOME, GROVE, HARLAEM, HENLEY, HYMN, JERSEY, LEICESTER, RUTLAND, SAXONY, STAMFORD, STRATFORD). 26 American compositions, 74 non-American, I unidentified [CLARKSON] (26 attrib. Americans; 67 attrib. non-Americans, 7 traced).
12 Core Repertory.
S9062 (MWA). CtHC (lacks all before p. 13), CtHi, CtY (2), DLC, ICN, MH, MWA, NBUG, NHI, NN, NNUT, NcWsM (2), NjR (music inc.), RPB.
NOTE: Timothy Olmsted, The Musical Olio, 2d ed. (Hartford: Gleason) appeared in 1811.
ASMI pp. 480-482.