TIMOTHY SWAN
Timothy Swan (b. Worcester, Mass., 23 July 1758; d. Northfield, Mass., 23 July 1842) was a composer, singing master, poet, and a hatter by trade. He was a fifer in the military during the Revolution, settled in Suffield, Connecticut (1783-1807), then moved to Northfield. Oliver Brownson's Select Harmony ([1785]; No. 131B) was the first collection to print sacred music attributed to Swan. Later, Swan brought out a collection devoted exclusively to his own sacred music; he also published The Songster's Assistant (n.p., n.d.), a collection of his secular songs. BRISTOL, MONTAGUE, and RAINBOW, three fuging-tunes by Swan, all circulated widely. The American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, owns a small collection of Timothy Swan Papers, including some letters.
Amerigrove, Baker's, Bio-bib, Metcalf, Sonneck-Upton, Wolfe. Also Crawford 1985, p. 623-24; Lowens 1976, p. 69; Murray 1975; Osterhout 1978, p. 254-58; Webb 1972.
See also No. 183 (introduction).
NEW ENGLAND HARMONY, 1801
ASMI 481
New England Harmony. Containing, a variety of psalm tunes, in three and four parts, adapted to all metres: also, a number of set pieces, of several verses each, together with a number of anthems. By Timothy Swan. Published according to act of Congress. Printed at Northampton, Massachusetts, by Andrew Wright: and sold at his office:-sold also at Suffield, in Connecticut, by the author. 1801.
103, [1] p. 1 13.5 x 22.5 cm.
The Swan Papers contain an account book recording sales of the New England Harmony; it shows that Swan received 5 dozen copies on 18 Dec. 1801, the earliest date in the account book. p. [i], t-p.; p. [ii]-viii, 'The Rudiments of Vocal Music'; p. viii, 'Errata'; p. [9]-103, music; p. [104], 'Index to the Music.'
63 compositions, incl. 1 anthem & 6 set-pieces, for 4 voices, a few for 3; full text. No attribs.; all by Swan. 149 1st pr. identified (all except BALLOON, BRISTOL, CANAAN, CANTON, DIGBY, DOVER, EGYPT, FLANDERS, LISBON, MAJESTY, MONTAGUE, ORANGE, POLAND, RAINBOW). All are American.
3 Core Repertory.
S1378 (MWA). CLU, CSmH, CtHC, CtY (2), DLC, MB, MHi, MWA (Swan's personal copy), MiU-C*, NBuG (music inc.), NN, NNUT, NcWsM, NjPT, RPB (front matter inc.)
NOTE: The MWA copy has 'From the Author' written on the outside front cover, and pasted to the inside front cover is the following poem, signed by Swan:
Aa' records agree / That july twanty three / Was my birth day a long time ago / An I will ingage / Ye'll ken my auld age / Gif ye'll read the four lines just below. / Twice twanty yars an' haf' a skore / An' ye maun ad just ten yars more / Noo join oight yars twa times, an' then / Cast a' the gither my age ye'll ken. / Northfield july 23d 1834.
Inside the volume, comments presumably written by Swan himself appear next to some of the pieces. P. 31, QUINCY: 'Composed between 90 & 1800. P. 33, CHINA: 'Composed in 90, first sung in public in 94. P. 54, MONTAGUE: 'oldest tune, 1777. P. 57, POLAND: 'composed after China.
ASMI pp. 574-575.