THE UNITED STATES' SACRED HARMONY, 1799

ASMI 406 

The United States' Sacred Harmony. Containing the rudiments of vocal music, in a concise and comprehensive manner; and a large and valuable collection of psalm tunes and anthems. Selected from the most celebrated authors in the United States and Great-Britain. For the use of schools, singing societies, and churches. Also, a large number of tunes never before published. By Amos Pilsbury.

Oh may I breathe no longer, than I breathe / My soul in praise to Him, who gave my soul, / And all her infinite of prospect fair, / Cut thro' the shades of death, great love by thee. Young.

Published according to act of Congress. Printed, typographically, at Boston, by Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. Sold by them; by the booksellers in various parts of the Un[i]ted States; and by the compiler, in Charleston, (South-Carolina.) Nov. 1799.

224 p. 13.5 x 23 cm.

 Preface dated Charleston, S.C., July 1799. p. [1], t-p.; p. [2], 'Preface'; p. [3]-14, 'Introduction' in 9 'Lessons'; p. 14, 'Musical Terms, Explained'; p. 15-220, music; p. 221, Explanation of the Particular Metres'; p. 222-24, 'Index. "The pleasure and improvement to be derived from that sublime part of Music which takes for its object the great Author of Nature, require no comment from the Compiler of this work. He need only observe, that all American publications have hitherto been deficient in variety of Music and Metres. [New par.] To obviate, therefore, the great inconvenience of either carrying about a number of books at a time, or being continually enslaved to the fatigue of transcribing, the Compiler has endeavoured to accommodate Tunes to all the different sorts of Metres, for sacred worship, extant. [fn. Such as Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns-Tate and Brady's Version - Dr. Rippon's Selection-Relly's Hymns-Psalms and Hymns used in the Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S.C.-The Olney Hymns-The Pocket Hymn Book, compiled by Mr. Asbury and Dr. Coke-and all the different Metres published by the Rev. John Wesley, Charles Wesley, George Whitfield, etc. etc.] . . . [New par.] Such tunes as before wanted Trebles or Counters, the Compiler has taken great pains to complete; knowing that without them the Music must be imperfect. [New par.] For commencing Author, no other apology seems necessary, than the great want of variety of Metre in the Tunes before published.' (Extract from Preface.)

          240 compositions, incl. 2 anthems, 7 set-pieces, & I canon, for 4 voices, some for 3; full text. Attribs. to Babcock, Ball [Bull] (2), Billings (17), Breillat, Brownson (3), Car-penter, Cary, Chandler, Danby, Deaolph, Edson (4), Gillet (4), Hall, Handell, Highington, Holyoke (2), Jennings, Jesser, Jocelin (3), Keene (2), Kimball, King (2), Knibb, Leach (8), M. Luther, Madan (12), Milgrove (4), Morgan, Pilsbury (25), Ravenscroft, Read (13), Shrubsole, Smith, Spicer (2), Stevenson (3), Strong, Swan (3), Tansur (4), Thorley, Tuckey, Vincent (3), Wainwright, Walker (6), Wells, Wheall, Williams (11), Wood. 25 1st pr. claimed; 25 identified, also 53 1st Am. pr. (ALEXANDRIA, ANTIGUA, BETHEL, BREMEN, BROUGHTON, CANON, CARLISLE NEW, CHARLESTON, CHESTERFIELD, CORNWALL, CUMBERLAND ST., DEVONSHIRE, DOVER, E. GRINSTEAD, EDMUND ST., FAIRFAX, GERMAN HYMN, GUILFORD, HAMPSTEAD, HAMPTON, HARMONY, HATFIELD, HUNTINGDON, KEDRON, KINGSTON, LANGDON, LIMEFIELD, MANCHESTER, MELODY, MORNING FLOWER, MUSICIANS, NEW CHESTER, NEW HAVEN, NEW JERUSALEM, NEW SABBATH, NEW YEAR, PASSION, PETITION, PORTLAND, PRIESTLY, RHODE ISLAND, SACRAMENT, ST. JOHN'S, ST. MARK'S, TRIUMPH, VERMONT, WAKEFIELD, WALES, WALSINGHAM, WARSAW, WELLS ROW, WILTSHIRE, YORKSHIRE). 102 American compositions, 110 non-American, 28 unidentified [BETHEL, CANON, CHARLESTON, CHESTERFIELD, DOVER, GUILFORD, HAMPSTEAD, HARMONY, KEDRON, KINGSTON, MANCHESTER, MORNING HYMN, MUSICIANS, NEW CHESTER, NEW HAVEN, NEW YEAR, NEWBERN, PASSION, PETITION, PORTLAND, RHODE-ISLAND, ST. MARK'S, TRIUMPH, VERMONT, WAKEFIELD, WALES, WATERTOWN, WILTSHIRE] (90 compositions attrib. Americans, 12 traced [BABYLON, COMPLAINT, CONCORD, DEANFIELD, GEORGIA, HEBRON, JORDAN, MOUNT CAR-MEL, NORWICH, PSALM 119, SPRING, STRATFIELD]; 64 attrib. non-Americans, 46 traced). 

64 Core Repertory.

          E36119 (MWA). CtY, DLC, ICN (lacks t-p.; front matter & music inc.), MWA*, NjPT.

ASMI pp. 488-490.