NEW-YORK MUSICAL SOCIETY
THE CONSTITUTION AND BYE-LAWS OF THE NEW-YORK MUSICAL SOCIETY, THE NEW-YORK MUSICAL SOCIETY COLLECTION, & MESSIAH, 1803-CA. 5?
This volume contains three separate items: The Constitution and Bye-Laws of the New-York Musical Society, an untitled work here dubbed The New-York Musical Society Collection of Sacred Music, and Handel's Messiah, apparently in its earliest American printing. Their size, their combination here this is the only located copy of any of the three-and the New York imprints of the first and third items suggest that they were designed to be bound together. However, the first item is dated 1803, the second was completed after July 1804, and the third, which is described separately above under its title (No. 386), is undated. Thus they might also be considered three unrelated items.
ASMI 396
The Constitution and Bye-Laws of the New-York Musical Society: for the improvement of vocal and instrumental music. Instituted August 2, A.D. 1803.
Assembled men, to the deep organ join / The long resounding voice, oft breaking clear, / At solemn pauses, through the swelling bass; / And, as each mingling flame increases each, / In one united ardour rise to heaven. / Thomson. [Cut with inscription:] Sacred to Harmony
New-York: printed by Sage and Clough, 149 Pearl-Street. 1803.
2 p.l., 94, 125 p. 34 x 24 cm. p. 1-94, 1-125 engraved; second group signed on p. 125 by William Pirsson as engraver.
[1803-ca. 5?] The second part, p. 86, contains an 'Anthem sung at the Funeral of General Hamilton. Since Alexander Hamilton died on 12 July 1804, it could not have appeared before that date. See also note above. 1st p.l. recto, t-p.; verso blank; 2d 1. recto, 'Constitu-tion'; verso, 'Bye-Laws'; p. 1-94, music; p. 1, caption title, 'Messiah Composed by Mr. Handel.'; p. 1-41, music; p. [42] blank; p. 43, caption title, 'Part II'; p. 43-100, music; p. 101, caption title, 'Part III'; p. 101-25, music; p. 125, colophon: 'New York Engrav'd by W. Pirsson.' 'Impressed... with an idea, that to convert the strain of melody to the purposes of vice and immorality is a most absurd misapplication of its powers, the express motive of this society is, to cultivate the science of music, in all its several branches, on those sublime and divine principles which the exalted nature of it so manifestly demands. And, that decency and order, harmony and decorum may be most strictly observed in all their meetings, they agree to make the following Articles the invariable rule of their conduct.
[Constitution and bylaws follow.]' (Extract from 'Proem' before Constitution.)
Music on p. 1-94 contains: 20 compositions, incl. 9 anthems & 8 set-pieces, for 4 voices w. figured bass accompaniment; full text. Attribs. to Dr. Arne, Arnold, Dr. Arnold (5), Dr. Boyce, Callcott, Handel, Mr. Kent, Mr. Key (3), Madan, Mann, Steffani, Stephen-son, A. Williams. 1 poss. 1st pr. (Anthem: And they buried Abner), 8 1st Am. pr. (Anthem: Now is Christ risen; Nos. 4, 5, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16), and 1 poss. 1st Am. pr. (Anthem: Blessed be thou). American composition, 1 poss. American composition (Anthem: And they buried Abner), 18 non-American compositions (1 attrib. American; 18 attrib. non-Americans).
1 Core Repertory.
Music on p. 1-125 contains: 57 numbers, incl. recitatives, arias, duets, and choruses, for 4 voices w. figured bass accompaniment; full text. All numbers attrib. to Handel. 1st Am. pr. of Messiah as a whole.
No Core Repertory.
Not in Evans or Shaw-Shoemaker (no copy on Readex). DLC.
ASMI pp. 472-473.