SACRED HARMONY, 1786-88

ASMI 444 

Sacred Harmony or A Collection of Psalm Tunes, Ancient and Modern. Containing a great variety of the most approved plain & simple airs, taken from the Massachusetts Harmony, Worcester Collection, Laws, &c. To which is added, several new tunes, never before published, together with an introduction to the art of singing, by R. Harrison London[.] Boston printed & sold by C. Cambridge near the Boston stone [Title information enclosed in decorative border.]

pl., 4, 7-12, [2], 6-99 p. 12 x 24.5 cm. 1 p.1., p. 6-99 engraved [by John and William Norman). See note above, under Norman. 1 p. no. on p. 38 inverted; p 5-6 omitted from pagination.

[1786-88.] The work mentions The Worcester Collection (Worcester, 1786) on its t-p., so it could not have appeared before that year. A copy in RPB has a handwritten note, 'hought in the year 1788. And a correspondent in a letter to Allen P. Britton reported seeing 'a copy in private hands [with] an ink inscription across the binder edge of the top. "Joseph Perkins . . .  February 24 1788. Thus the book appeared between early 1786 and early 1788.

p.l. recto. t-p.; verso blank; p. 1-4, 7-12, 'Introduction To The Art Of Singing'; p. [13]. 'Index'; p. [14] blank; p. 6-99, music. In the choice of Tunes, let a particular regard be paid to the subject of the psalm or hymn. Different airs in music are suited to different sentiments and passions. A good taste will indeed enable us to make a nicer discrimination than words can readily suggest. But the following general rule is of principal importance, That tunes in the Sharp Key or Series are naturally expressive of cheerfulness and joy, and should therefore he adapted to psalms of Praise and Thanksgiving, and that tunes in the Flat Key are naturally expressive of humility, sorrow, and the tender affections, and should be sung to psalms of Prayer and of Penitence, or to subjects Mournful and Pathetic. This rule is too commonly violated, and with the most unhappy effect: for hereby the sentiments. and the tune, are at variance with each other, and aim at contrary passions... [New par.] The Forte and Piano, or the alternately singing loud and soft, when judiciously applied; has a pleasing and wonderful effect. How far it may be practicable in congregations to observe this distinction, particular circumstances must determine. It has been sometimes. recommended that the treble voices (with a bass cacompaniment [sic]) take the principal air when the music is marked piano and that the rest of the congregation be silent. It would perhaps be still better in a choir of singers, that all the parts be sung, but with sufficient softness to mark the contrast strongly with the forte. N.B. In the following collection of tunes we have seldom made use of the words forte and piano, because they may be variously applied. But in general the single tunes call for the piano on the third line, and the Double Tunes on the two lines which precede the two last. (Extract from p. 11-12 of Introduction, an extended essay from Ralph Harrison, Sacred Harmony [London, 17841) 1. 6-2, 12, 15, 18-47.49-51, 53, 78, 81, 8% printed from same plates as The Massachusetts Harmony [1785] No. 377); p. 10 & 11, respectively, are printed from the same plates as p. 11 & 10 of The Massachusetts Harmony. See Table 6, p. 266

          132 compositions for 4 voices (2 for 3); most w. full text, some textless. No attribs. 14 1st pr. claimed; 4 identified. 179 traced to American sources, 49 to non-American [AFFINGTON, ALL. SAINTS, AYLESBURY, BATH, BUCKINGHAM, BURNHAN, CAN-TERBURY, CHRIST CHURCH, COLCHESTER, DALSTON, FALMOUTH, FUNERAL THOUGHT, GRANTHAN, INFANT SAVIOUR, IRISH, ISLE OF WHITE, KINGSBRIDGE, LANDAFY, LEBANON, LITTLE MARLBOROUGH, MILFORD, MORETON, NEWBURY, OLD 100, PARINDON, PLYMOUTH, POOL, PSALMS 3, 15, 34, PUTNEY, RICKMANSWORTH, ROCHESTER, ROTHWELL, ST. ANNE'S, ST. HELLEN'S, ST. MARTIN'S, ST. MICHAEL'S, ST. THOMAS'S, SALEM, SAVOY, SOUTH OCKENDON, SUTTON, TRINITY, WANTAGE, WELLS, WICKHAM, WINCHESTER, WINDSOR], 4 unidentified [LEXINGTON, MORNING HYMN, NORTH STREET, WASHINGTON NEW]. 

54 Core Repertory.

           E22613 (MWA). MB, MH, MSAE, MWA, MiU-C (music inc.; index b. at end), RPB.

ASMI pp. 530-531.