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American Music Recordings Archive (AMRA)
To preserve historical music recordings for the future
The American Music Recordings Archive (AMRA) was established to help preserve and distribute music from America's past through audio recordings and related documents.
The material has been collected from an extensive private collection consisting of LP albums, audio tapes, CDs, DVDs and related music research information.
Lately there has been a looking back to older recordings.
Ted Gioia wrote the following statement in his article titled -- "Is Old Music Killing New Music?" -- The Atlantic Magazine online
Some people—especially Baby Boomers—tell me that this decline in the popularity of new music is simply the result of lousy new songs. Music used to be better, or so they say. The old songs had better melodies, more interesting harmonies, and demonstrated genuine musicianship, not just software loops, uto-Tuned vocals, and regurgitated samples.
Yes, indeed "music used to be better" and not just from the 1950s onward.
It is true with older music too from America's past.
It is not commonly known that the first American original song was written way back in 1759
by Francis Hopkinson and the first popular patriotic song was written during the American Revolution by William Billings. So songs have been around for a long time in America.
Many of the recordings in the AMRA library are made available on the
American Music Recordings Collection with over 50 CDs available and also individual tracksThese recordings are available for musicians, teachers, historians, researchers, students, and any interested listeners for a small preparation fee and shipping charge. No commercial recordings by popular recording artists which are still copyrighted are available from AMRA.
The recordings from AMRA consist of hard-to-find recordings.To contact AMRA -- click here
Roger Hall is the Director of both AMRA and Center for American Music Prweservation (CAMP). He is a respected musicologist and composer with over 100 music publications and compositions.
To read about his many accomplishments -- click here
Coming in 2024!
There will be special 250th anniversary tributes for two of the oldest singing traditions in America:
First, a special 250th anniversary tribute to the music of the American Shakers, who arrived in America in 1774, and for over two centuries composed thousands of anthems, hymns and songs, more than any communal sect in America.
Their earliest existing songs in America are from the 1780s and their last song was composed in 1959.
Some of the earliest religious music composed by women in America was by the Shakers,
including their most revered spiritual leader, Mother Ann Lee (1736-1784).
One of her early songs is on this AMRC CD which has received high praise from listeners:
© CD cover picture on American Music Recordings Collection (AMRC 0048)
© Photograph by Gail M. Hall, 1974
2024 also marks the 50th anniversary of American composer, Aaron Copland,
meeting several Shakers for the first and only time in Shaker Heights, Ohio,
introduced by musicologist, Roger Hall.Watch for the special publication about music of the Shakers including their best-known song, "Simple Gifts," and Aaron Copland's meeting the Shakers in 1974.
The other singing tradition is in Stoughton, Massachusetts. 2024 is the 250th anniversary of the First Singing School in America where all the pupils were listed.
It was taught in 1774 by Boston composer, William Billings (1746-1800). The photo from the early 1900s shows the Robert Capen's house where this singing school was held. The house was later moved and remodeled but it still stands near Stoughton Center.
Billings was the best known New England composer in 18th century America. His Stoughton singing school had 49 pupils, consisting of young males and females, One of his singing school pupils later became a composer himself, Jacob French (1754-1817).
In that singing school, Billings also met his future wife, Lucy Swan, and they lived in Boston where they had many children.
For more about William Billings and the singing society in Stoughton, see this publication
from PineTree Press :MAJESTY: William Billing and The Stoughton Musical Society
Are you interested in an online webinar for your college or other institution?
Here are several topics available --
"Lincoln and Liberty" - Music from Abraham Lincoln's Era
"Goin' Home" - Remebering Songs From Your Past
"Simple Gifts":
The Story of a Popular Shaker Song
To see the complete list of lectures presented by Roger Hall -- click here
AMRA is affiliated with
Center for American Music Preservation
American Composers Resource Collection (ACRC)
Audio discs highlighting
three American composers from differenrt centuries with example of their music,
each one edited by AMRA Director, Roger L. Hall:
ACRC-1: Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Includes a lengthy in-person conversation with Copland at his home in July 1980,
with discussion of his Variations on the Shaker dance song, "Simple Gifts,"
in "Appalachian Spring" and his film scores, like OUR TOWN (1940).
ACRC-2: Edwin Arthur Jones (1853-1911)
Includes a conversation with two women (one a relative and another a former singer)
who talk about Jones. Also audio of his cantata in its World Premiere performance in 1992,
plus some of his chamber music.
ACRC-3: William Billings, 1746-1800
The disc includes a book with detailed Billings family genealogy and Facts and Fiction about Billings and The Stoughton Musical Society, now the oldest choral society in America, organized in 1786. For more information about this disc -- click here
For your copy of any of the three ACRC multimedia discs the price is only $19.95,
including shipping (USA only).To receive one of these ACRC discs in another country other than the USA,
just lick the "Add to Cart" button TWO TIMES.
Your order will be shipped by Overseas Air Mail.
To place your order, click the "Add to Cart" below --
After you have ordered, to insure proper delivery,
send your mailing address with the ACRC title you wish to receive by
AAttention Researchers!ttention
Would you like to submit an American composer to add to this list?
Your topic must be about one genre of a composer's career, vocal or instrumental,
and include an audio example of one major work.
If your topic is approved you will receive a preparation fee and full credit on this website.
To send in your requested topic -- click here
One of the most popular AMRC CDs...
The choice of melodies and the use of instrumental accompaniment seemed balanced and helped to weave everything together smoothly as parts of a whole. I found it deeply moving. In short, it is music that speaks to the heart
-- Phyllis, concert singer
A Centennial Salute to a Popular Lyricist:
This CD was recorded live at a Centennial Birthday Concert by the
American Classics vocal ensemble with jazz combo honoring
4-time Oscar-winning lyricist, Sammy Cahn (1913-1993),
with funding provided by the American Music Recordings Archive:
Read about this special limited edition CD
(not available from Amazon or other outlets) -- click here
The following articles and publications have been announced
in the Bulletin of the --
Volume XLV, No. 2 (Spring 2019) --
Article in SAM Bulletin: Aaron Copland's "Simple Gifts" in Appalachian Spring
Volume XLIV, No. 3 (Fall 2018) --
The 7th revised edition of a popular film music guide is now available from PineTree Press. Titled “As Time Goes By”: A Guide to Film Music: Songs and Scores, it was written and edited by film music historian and critic Roger L. Hall, who has been Managing Editor of Film Music Review, a web e-zine, for 20 years. This latest edition includes over 350 files including the complete book, CD and book reviews from Film Music Review, and a list of the Sammy Film Music Awards, which have been selected each year since 1988 by Hall. The book discusses how music was incorporated in classic films from the past, and how music can be used in a short film, based on Hall’s video production “The Musical Telephone.” Also on the computer disc are bonus audio selections of film songs and film score themes from several radio programs, plus two video programs from cable television featuring Hall as guest. This DVD-R contains information ideal for classroom study or for individual research.
Volume XLIII, No. 2 (Spring 2017) --
"For over four decades, Roger Lee Hall, currently Director of the Center for American Music Preservation, has been researching, performing, and recording the music from two of the oldest choral traditions in the United States. The Stoughton Musical Society was organized in 1786, and is now the oldest choral society. This society has a long history of performing American choral music. The United Society of Shakers is the oldest religious communal society, organized in 1787. During their history, the Shakers composed over 10,000 tunes, mainly during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Both traditions are featured on a new multimedia DVD-ROM.
“Give Us This Day”–Two Historic American Choral Traditions (PineTree Multimedia, 2017) contains over 500 files and 100 audio examples including interviews with Shaker sisters and many music examples.
Information about this DVD-ROM is available here.
Volume XLIII, No. 1 (Winter 2017) --
The Bill Randle Chronicles DVD
Volume XLII, No. 2 (Spring 2016)--
Volume XXXIX, No. 3 (Fall 2013) --
Preserving Our Musical Past - Deluxe multimedia collection
Vol. XXXIX, No. 2 (Spring 2013) --
"The Star Spangled Banner" - Early Songs of Protest and Patriotism
Vol. XXXIX, No. 1 (Winter 2013) --
Multimedia DVD: "Glory, Hallelujah" - Songs and Hymns of the Civil War Era
See the list of 200 recordings from 200 years compiled from the American Music Recordings Archive at the --
Essential American Recordings Survey (E.A.R.S.)
Computer discs about historical American music are available at--
Multimedia American Music Series (MAMS)
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Please help support the educational mission of the
Center for American Music Preservation
Purchase this limited edition CD:
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