COLUMBIAN HARMONY, 1793

ASMI 452 

Columbian Harmony, containing, together with the necessary rules of music, a collection of psalm and hymn tunes, adapted to a great variety of metres: selected, from the most celebrated authors, by E. Sandford and J. Rhea. Baltimore: printed by Samuel & John Adams in Gay-Street.

7, [1], 52 p. 13 x 20.5 cm. p. 1-52 engraved.

[1793.] Preface dated Alexandria, 1 June 1793; advertised as just published, Alexandria Columbian Mirror, 17 July 1793. p. [1], t-p.; p. 2-3, 'Preface'; p. 4, 'Index'; p. 5-6, 'Explanatory Observations'; p. 7, 'Directions for Learners'; p. [8] blank; p. 1-4, 'The Gamut'; p. 5-52, music. 'Were it not established by custom, the views of editors are so generally understood, that a preface seems quite unnecessary: a desire of serving the public, appears to be the prevailing motive: we would not wish our readers to conclude it had no influence over us; yet, can assure them, that we found another equally weighty, which seems to have wholly escaped the notice of many; namely, serving ourselves . . .  [New par.]

From Williams, from Tansur, from Stevenson too, / And Madan, soft strains which for ever are new: / From Milgrove, and Handell, deservedly fam'd, / And some formed by authors we never saw named. / These, Europe may boast, nor boast they in vain; / We boast, we admire them, this side the main: / But Europe, for music, can't claim all the praise; / America rings with harmonical lays. / From Billings are drawn movements lovely indeed, / And soft plaintiff strains are collected from Read: / From Brownson great grandieur and majesty shine; / From Babcock fine melody, charmingly fine! / In Hibbard you'll find an agreeable strain, / It will bear repetition, again, and again. / The author of Ocean, we are sorry to tell, / Is unknown; tho' its beauties are known very well. /From Hall we have chosen a favorite air, / Which, for softness, and sweetness, there's few to compare. / From Edson we've some, which are known to be good, / And a few to crown all, from the great Mr. Wood.

[New par.] Great care has been taken to follow the original copies; sensible that it is not the business of editors to add beauties, much less deformities, to an author: if, therefore, any gentlemen should find their works abused, we hope they will esteem it accidental. For their liberal grant to publish their works, we feel ourselves greatly indebted to a number of them; those, of whom we have taken unasked, we are sensible would pardon the freedom, did they know the high esteem we have for their music, and the difficulties which would have attended our asking the favour.' (Extract from Preface.)

          54 compositions, incl. 2 anthems & 2 set-pieces, for 4 voices, a few for 3; some w. full text, some w. partial text, some textless. Attribs. to Babcock, Billings (12), Brownson, Edson (2), Firth, Handell (2), Hall, Hibbard, Madan (3), Milgrove (2), Read (3), Stephen-son (2), Tans'ur (2), Williams (3), Wood (4).14 1st Am. pr. (BATH ABBEY, HAUGHTON, NEW JERUSALEM, SPRING). 28 American compositions, 26 non-American (25 attrib. Americans, 3 traced [BRIDGEWATER, OCEAN, VIRGINIA]; 15 attrib. non-Americans, 11 traced). 

29 Core Repertory.

          E26131 (no copy on Readex). Bodleian Library*, Oxford, England (all after p. 34 mutilated).

NOTE: The torn pages have probably obliterated some attributions; those reported here are the only ones legible in the copy. On 27 Jan. 1794 John Rhea wrote to Timothy Swan that he planned to 'add a few pages' to Columbian Harmony; he also requested Swan's permission to publish two of his tunes. Whether the addition was published is not known. See Murray 1969, p. 24 (quoted from a letter in the Swan Papers).

ASMI pp. 541-543.