EDWARD STAMMERS
Edward Stammers (fl. Philadelphia, ca. 1794-1802; d. Philadelphia, [1802]) was a composer, director of the Philadelphia Uranian Society (1801), and baker. He is mentioned in Philadelphia city directories as early as 1794 ('Edward Stanimers, baker'). His wife is listed in the 1803 directory as the 'widow of Edward, baker.' An influential figure in Philadelphia's sacred musical life around the turn of the century, Stammers was, with William Little, co-holder of the original copyright of Little and Smith's The Easy Instructor granted on 15 June 1798 (see p. 438). His only collection appeared posthumously.
Crawford 1968, p. 155; Lowens 1964, p. 119-20; Philadelphia Dir., 1794-1803.
THE PHILADELPHIA CHORISTER, 1803
ASMI 474
The Philadelphia Chorister: or, An Excellent Collection of Anthems, Odes, and Tunes; a great number of which were never before published. By the late Edward Stammers. - Philadelphia:-printed and sold by John M'Culloch, No. 1, North Third-Street. November, 1803.
6 p.l., 48 p. 13 x 22 cm.
The lessons which serve as the introduction are dated 1794. They must have appeared in 1794 as a separate issue, with leftover copies bound in at the head of Stammers's work in 1803. (See Lessons, No. 362, above.) 1st p.l. recto, t-p.; verso blank; 2d 1. recto, 'Index'; verso blank; 3d 1. recto, 'Lessons explaining the Characters in Music. Philadelphia-printed by John M'Culloch, No. 1, North Third-Street. - 1794'; lessons occupy 1. 3-6 recto & verso; p. 1-48, music.
42 compositions, incl. 5 anthems & 2 set-pieces, for 2, 3 & 4 voices; most w. full text, some textless. No attribs. 17 1st Am. pr. identified (Anthems: I will greatly rejoice, Praise ye the Lord; BERY, COLES, GALLAWAY, HAPTON, HARMONY, HEPZIBAH, HIGH STREET, LEWES, NASHCOCK, ODE, PROSPERITY, SAFETY, ST. MARGARET'S, SCARBOROUGH, SUMMER EVENING). 16 compositions traced to Americans [Anthems: I will sing, Praise waiteth, Praise ye the Lord; DAUPHIN, ESSEX, LISBON], 22 to non-Americans, 14 unidentified [Anthem: Praise ye the Lord; BERY, CHESTERFIELD, COLES, GALLAWAY, HAPTON, HARMONY, HIGH STREET, NASHCOCK, ODE, PROSPERITY, SAFETY, ST. MARGARET'S, SUMMER EVENING].
9 Core Repertory.
S5093 (PMA). NHi, PMA* (music inc.), PPLTS.
NOTE: No. 448, Sacred Harmony (Philadelphia, 1806), also printed by John M'Culloch, advertises The Philadelphia Chorister as 'Lately Published.
ASMI pp. 563-564.