The Columbian harmonist, no. 1-III / by Daniel Read, author of the American singing book.

Format:

Musical score

Author/Creator:

Read, Daniel, 1757-1836, composer, compiler.

Contributor:

Doolittle, Amos, 1754-1832, engraver.

Standardized Title:

Columbian harmonist. no. 1-3

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Hymns, English.

Choruses, Sacred (Mixed voices), Unaccompanied.

Genre:

Manuscripts, American -- 19th century.

Hymns.

Psalms (Music)

Anthems.

Scores.

Manuscripts.

Physical Description:

1 score (various pagings) ; 13 x 19 cm + 30 loose leaves

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Printed for & sold by the editor : Sold also by the principal book-sellers in the United States, [1793-1795]

Language Note:

Most pieces include full or partial text in English. Some manuscript pieces include only the tune.

Staff notation; some manuscripts include shape note notation.

Summary:

A collection of early American music, including both published and manuscript scores. The published scores consist of 3 volumes of the Columbian harmonist (1793-1795) by Daniel Read, an American composer, singing teacher, shopkeeper and tunebook compiler. Bound here in a single volume, the tunebook includes 95 compositions, chiefly hymn tunes in settings for 4 voices. The vast majority are American compositions (see Britton, page 507). Although many works lack attributions, those with attributions include pieces by Atwell, Billings, Caswell, Coan, Canfield, Read and others. The last 8 pages of the volume consist of 10 more pieces in manuscript, presumable added by the owner. The volume includes an ownership signature of Samuel Hopkins with the date of 1804. Accompanying the volume are 30 loose leaves, 28 of which are manuscripts of music for 1-4 voices.

Contents:

Columbian harmonist: no. 1. A choice collection of new psalm tunes of American composition

no. 2. A choice collection of sacred music

no. 3. A collection of anthems and set pieces of music chiefly new.

Titles of manuscript pieces on last 8 pages: Newburgh

The happy matches

America

Jerusalem

Willington

Dauphin

Repentance

Livonia

Sutton

Williamstown.

Notes:

The three volumes of the Columbian harmonist, bound in a contemporary binding and accompanied by 30 leaves of contemporary music manuscripts.

Inscription on verso of front free endpaper: "Samuel Hopkins's Singing Book. 1804."

Three volumes bound in one: number 1 is a first edition, second issue (1793 or 1794), number 2 is a first edition, 1st or 2nd issue (1794 or 1795?), and number 3 is a first edition (1795). Pagination: 39, [1]; 9-39, [1]; 39, [1], [8] pages. The three numbers were issued both separately and as a bound volume (1795). This copy lacks the first 8 pages of number 2, apparently bound without them by the bookseller or original owner. These pages duplicate the first 8 pages of number 1, the "plain and concise introduction to psalmody fitly calculated for the use of singing schools" and so may have been considered redundant. The volume was apparently published with blank staves on the last eight pages, later filled with pieces in manuscript notation with manuscript titles.

Contemporary binding, sheepskin over thin boards; boards are rubbed and somewhat edgeworn, the pages tanned throughout. Front free endpaper torn in upper, outer corner, a few leaves have small tears or marginal chipping.

Accompanying 30 leaves are ink on paper of varying sizes: some oblong and essentially the same size as the volume, some much smaller, some folded or trimmed to fit into the back of the bound volume. Condition of the manuscripts varies, from leaves in good condition to those with substantial tears, chipping and some loss of text. All but two of the leaves are music manuscripts, the two exceptions being blank leaves, one embossed with the imprint "Class of 1859, Amherst College."

Published pieces are for 4 voices, unaccompanied, except for one work for 3 voices in no. 3. Manuscript pieces are for 1-4 voices, unaccompanied.

"Engraved for the editor by A. Doolittle, 1793"--No. 1, page [40].

The accompanying manuscripts include approximately 70 pieces, chiefly hymn tunes.

Cited in:

Evans, C. American bibliography, 29390, 29391

English short title catalog, w8614, w11886

Britton, A.P. American sacred music imprints, 1698-1810, , 417A (no. 1), 418 or 418A (no. 2), 421 (no. 3); 422 (bound vol.)

Trumbull, J.H. List of books printed in Connecticut, 1709-1800. 1285

Sabin, J. Dictionary of books relating to America from its discovery to the present time, 68145

Wolfe, R. Early American music engraving and printing, pages 22-23

Read, D. Collected works (Madison, 1995), page xiii-xxxviii