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American Music Recordings Collection
[AMRC]Roger Hall, Director
One of the earliest American Christmas carols,
music by Edward French.
Recorded on AMRC Nos. 4 and 12.
Early edition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
Recorded on AMRC Nos. 3 - 4 and 11.
This is a diverse collection of music from the 17th to 20th centuries.
AMRC contains over 1,000 recordings of rare and out-of-print recordings, live concerts, interviews with composers and musicians, and extensive holdings of music collections and books.
The music is contained on rare LPs, CDs, audio tapes,
and video tapes.AMRC is especially strong in these areas:
- American composers and classical works
- American film music of the past
- American Shaker music
- Earlier popular songs
- Music from New England
Also in the AMRC archive are radio specials including these titles:
"Film Music of Bernard Herrmann"
"Great American Songwriters Series " --
Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, others"Music in Old Boston"
"Music of Charles Tomlinson Griffes"
"Music of the Shakers"
In addition these titles are available on DVD-R for educational use only:
Hymns by Stephen Foster - featuring rare sacred music by this most popular American songwriter, with hymns composed during the last years of his life in the 1860s.
The Musical Telephone - one act play based on a section of Edward Bellamy's 1888 utopian novel, Looking Backward, with music from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Now and Then - three programs with music from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
The Shakers On Television - conversations with the Shakers, including some singing.
A Stoughton Musicfest - in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the first singing contest held in America in 1790, this program features music from that era including a re-creation of the singing school taught by William Billings in 1774.
The items listed below are representative of the AMRC holdings and are available for study or listening.
Please Read Carefully:
These CD-R's and DVD-Rs feature rare American music and
are specially prepared for this collection.Most items are for personal or educational use.
Some of the music is available
for commercial use, upon prior request and payment of a fee.This music was recorded in different locations
so the sound levels will vary.
The music is mostly performed in original editions
but there are also modern day arrangements.Because of the cost involed in their preparation, refunds are only given under special conditions. In the unlikely case there are any defects in a disc, they will be replaced at no charge
after the defective disc has been returned.It is recommended that you write before ordering if you have any questions.
Write to: American Music Recordings Collection
Prices include preparation and shipping costs :
CD-R = $15.00
DVD-R = $25.00
To listen to audio samples click on the box in the right column
using Real Player.
AMR = American Music Recordings archive.
FMR = Film Music Review archive.
SEAM = Society for Earlier American Music archive.
Click on the headings to go directly to that section...
1. Best of William Billings [AMR]
2. Music by Four New England Composers:
Dudley Buck, Edwin A. Jones, Charles E. Ives, George W. Chadwick [AMR]
3. American Choral Sampler [SEAM]
4. New England Song Treasury: From the Pilgrims to World War I [SEAM]
5. Memorial Music for Three American Composers:
Charles T. Griffes, Samuel Barber, Randall Thompson [SEAM]
6. Aaron Copland [AMR]
7. Virgil Thomson [AMR]
8. "Celestial Praises" - Music by the Shakers [AMR]
9. E. A. Jones: His Life and Music [SEAM]
III. Music from Earlier America
10. Music by Edwin Arthur Jones [AMR]
11. "Lincoln and Liberty" - Music from Abraham Lincoln's Era [SEAM]
12. "A Toast" - Music of George Washington's Time [SEAM]
13. Film Music and the Sammy Awards [FMR]
14. John Williams on Radio [FMR]15. Listener's Guide to Film Music [FMR]
16. Remembering Radio: Great Songwriters and Singers
17. A Guide to Film Music: Songs and Scores
18. A Guide to George Gershwin
19. A Guide to Shaker Music - With Music Supplement
20. New England Songster
To order Nos 1 - 20, go to the Store
Additional recordings available
American Music Preservation Sampler
Blended Together: Shaker Hymns and Songs
Christmas Music From New England
The Humble Heart - Twenty Four Shaker Spirituals
Singing New Englanders: From the Pilgrims to the Shakers
[ poet Sidney Lanier]
who wrote the poem for
"The Centennial Meditation
of Columbia"
commissioned for the United Staes Centennial in 1876.
The complete cantata is recorded on AMRC No. 2.
AMRC No. 1: Best of William Billings, 1746-1800
21 Tracks (Playing Time = 70:45)
Music by America's first significant American composer of choral music.
This CD-R includes 15 original Billings pieces from his collections published between 1770 and 1794. The pieces include: CHESTER, DAVID'S LAMENTATION, MAJESTY, MODERN MUSIC, and THANKSGIVING ANTHEM. Performances are by the Old Stoughton Musical Society Chorus.
Also two new compositions by Roger Hall based on texts by William Billings: THE PLEASURES OF VARIETY and DEDICATION.
In addition, there are several radio interviews with Roger Hall and David McKay about the music of William Billings on WGBH-FM in Boston on 7 November 1986.
For background on Billings, see Father of American Choral Music
To read the complete play list for "Best of William Billings," see Item No. 103 at:
Music Titles from PineTree Press
AMRC No. 2:
Music by Four New England Composers: D. Buck, E.A. Jones,C.E. Ives, G.W. Chadwick12 tracks (Total Time = 62:37)
Music by four composers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including special commemorative works such as: a Peace Jubilee hymn and Centennial cantata by Dudley Buck; two glee club choruses composed for the Dartmouth College Glee Club by Edwin Jones; an Easter Carol by Charles Ives; and a World War I era choral cantata by George Chadwick.
I. Dudley Buck (1839-1909)
1. Festival Hymn (composed for the World's Peace Jubilee in Boston in 1872)
2. Centennial Meditation of Columbia (cantata for US Centennial in 1876/ poem by Sidney Lanier)II. Edwin A. Jones (1854-1911 )
3. Organ: Prelude and Fugue in G minor (1878)
4. Glee Club Chorus: "Praise Ye The Lord" (1874)
5. Glee Club Chorus: "Blessing and Glory" (1874)
6. Chorus: "Hail! All Triumphant Lord" from Easter Concert (1890)
III. Charles E. Ives (1874-1954)
7. Chorus: "Turn Ye, Turn Ye" (1890)
8. Chorus & Solo Quartet: "Easter Carol" (1892)
9. Soloist & Chorus: "The Collection" (1920)
IV. George W. Chadwick (1854-1931)
10. Organ Prelude: "The Star" from Noel (1909)
11. Chorale: "How Lovely Shines The Morning Star" from Noel (1909)
12. Choral Cantata: Land of Our Hearts (1918)
AMRC No. 3: American Choral Sampler
24 tracks (Total Time = 66:28)
A survey of American choral music from the 1770s to the 1980s.
For track titles, see
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
AMRC No. 4: New England Song Treasury -- From the Pilgrims to World War I
30 tracks (Total Time = 70:32)
Music from the singing of the Pilgrims to choral music of World War I Era, with music by William Billings, Edward French, Daniel Read, Jeremiah Ingalls, Stephen Foster, Henry Hadley, George Chadwick, and other composers.
For track titles, see
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
AMRC No. 5: Memorial Music for Three American Composers: Griffes, Barber, Thompson
13 tracks (Total Time = 51:48)
Music by Charles T. Griffes (1884-1920), Samuel Barber (1910-1981), and
Randall Thompson (1899-1984).For track titles, see
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
Aaron Copland
AMRC No. 6: A Conversation with Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
The conversation with composer Aaron Copland took place at his home in Cortlandt, New York on 21 July 1980.
The interviewer was composer and musicologist, Roger Hall.
In this conversation Aaron Copland speaks about many topics, including his ballet music, his film scores for OF MICE AND MEN and OUR TOWN, Leonard Bernstein, and Charles Ives.
A portion of this Copland interview is included in the limited edition book:
A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores
For other information see:
AMRC No. 7: Virgil Thomson (1896-1989)
This interview with composer Virgil Thomson took place at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland on 18 April 1979.
The interviewer was composer and musicologist, Roger Hall.
Virgil Thomson speaks about film music in general and in particular his scores for two Depression Era documentary films for Pare Lorenz:
THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS (1936) and THE RIVER (1937).Thomson mentions his folk hymn arrangements,
especially RESIGNATION ("My Shepherd will supply my need").He also discusses his music for the Robert Flaherty's documentary film LOUISIANA STORY (1948), for which he received the first Pulitzer Prize for a film score.
In addition, Thomson also talks about his score for his only feature film, THE GODDESS (1957).
A portion of this Thomson audio interview is included as a Special Feature on the Naxos DVD with two documentary films:
THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS and THE RIVER
A transcript of the Thomson interview is included in this reference book:
A Guide to Film Music - Songs and Scores
AMRC No. 8: "Celestial Praises" - Music by the Shakers
The interviews were recorded between 1972 and 1987 and some include singing.
There are 35 tracks with the following Shakers and music:
Eldress Bertha Lindsay and Sister Lillian Phelps, Canterbury, New Hampshire,
29-30 March 1972 (interviews and singing ).
Eldress Bertha Lindsay and Eldress Gertrude Soule, Cleveland, Ohio, Oct 1974 (TV interview).
Sister R. Mildred Barker, Shaker Heights, Ohio, November 1974 (singing).
Sister R. Mildred Barker, Sabbathday Lake, Maine, 13 December 1980 (interview).
Eldress Bertha Lindsay, Canterbury, New Hampshire (90th birthday party),
28 July 1987 (singing).Interview with composer Aaron Copland on 21 July 1980 about his arrangements of the
Shaker dance song, "Simple Gifts."Performance of "Celestial Praises" (Shaker hymn arranged by Roger Hall) at the Shaker Bibcentennial Conference in Cleveland, Ohio in November of 1974.
For additional information, including The Shakers On Television, go to
AMRC No. 9: E. A. Jones: His Life and Music
16 tracks
Music and interviews concerning Edwin Arthur Jones (1853-1911) -- Massachusetts composer and violinist with his own orchestra, and also a music teacher. The interviews are with two women who knew or were related to E.A. Jones.
For track titles, see
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
E. A. Jones
AMRC No. 10: Music by Edwin Arthur Jones (1853-1911)
Compiled for the 150th anniversary of his birth,
this CD-R consists of a sampling of music by E. A. Jones:1. Organ: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, Op. 10 (1878)
2. Glee Club Chorus: Praise Ye The Lord, Op. 4 (1874)
3. Glee Club Chorus: Blessing and Glory, Op. 6 (1874)
4. Trio for Strings, Op. 12a (1878)
5. #Introduction: Orchestra
6. #Air: How Beautiful Upon the Mountains
7. #Chorale: Behold what matchless, tender love
8. #Recitative and Air: O Lord/ If ye love me
9. #Trio: Look Unto Me -- Linda Brookfield, Donna Ames, Michael Duarte
10. #Finale (Orchestra/ Bass Recitative/ Chorus/ Solo Quartet)
11. String Quartet No. 2, Op. 22 (1887) -- first performed at Isabella Stewart Gardner's home in Boston by The Kneissel Quartet.
12. Piano: The Farewell Waltzes, Op. 8b (1874)# = excerpts from the cantata: Song of Our Saviour, Op. 14 (1881) -- world premiere performance (1992), Old Stoughton Musical Society Soloists (Linda Brookfield, sprano; Donna Ames, alto; Michael Duarte, tenor; Mark Anderson, bass), Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Raymond E. Fahrner.
To order the CD-R, go the
DVD-R of the 150th birthday party for E.A. Jones is also available.
To order the DVD-R, write to:
AMRC No. 11: "Lincoln and Liberty" - Music from Abraham Lincoln's Era
Music performed by the Old Stoughton Musical Society [OSMS] Soloists and Chorus; Plymouth Church Choir, Shaker Heights, Ohio; and other musicians.
+ = conducted by Earl Eyrich
++ = conducted by Roger Hall
+++ = conducted by John Herr
Track titles:
1. Stoughton Waltz -- Oliver Shaw, 1839
2. ++Peace -- words: Esther Talbot, 1814
3. ++My Country 'Tis of Thee -- words: Samuel F. Smith, 1831
4. +++Simple Gifts -- Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848
5. ++Song of the Old Folks -- tune: Auld Lang Syne/words: A. Laighton, 1855
6. +Sunday School hymns by Stephen Foster from 1860s
7. +The Pure, The Bright, The Beautiful -- Stephen Foster
8. +Over the River -- Stephen Foster
9. +He Leadeth Me -- Stephen Foster
10. +What Shall The Harvest Be? -- Stephen Foster
11. +Choral Harp -- Stephen Foster
12. +Don't Be Idle -- Stephen Foster
13. +Give Us This Day -- Stephen Foster
14. Dixie -- Daniel D. Emmett, 1859 - 61 (arrangement)
15. Battle Hymn of the Republic & John Brown -- 1861- 62
16. +++A Prayer for the Captive -- Shaker pacifist hymn by Cecilia DeVere, 1862
17. Go Down, Moses -- Afro-American spiritual
18. Lincoln and Liberty -- words: Jess Hutchinson, 1860/ music: Rosin the Beau (arr.)
19. Lorena -- words: Rev. H.D.L. Webster/ music: J.P. Webster, 1857 (arr.)
20. Bonnie Blue Flag -- words: Harry McCarthym, 1861/ music: The Irish Jaunting Car (arr.)
21. All Quiet Along the Potomac -- words: Mrs. Ethel L. Beers/ music: W.H. Goodwin, 1861 (arr.)
22. When Johnny Comes Marching Home -- Patrick S. Gilmore, 1863 (arr.)
23. When This Cruel War is Over -- words: Charles C. Sawyer/ music: Henry Tucker(arr.)
24. ++Angel of Peace -- poem: Oliver Wendell Holmes/ music: Matthias Keller
(written for the National Peace Jubilee commemorating the end of the Civil War)
Oliver Wendell Holmes
To order the CD-R, go the
A DVD-R is available of a cable television program with some of the Stephen Foster hymns.
To order the DVD-R, write to:
AMRC No. 12: "A Toast" - Music of George Washington's Time (with commentary)
From several concerts, including a 250th anniversary tribute in 1982 to George Washington and Franz Joseph Haydn, both born in 1732.
1. +The Liberty Song -- words: John Dickinson, 1768
2. +Father and I Went Down to Camp -- tune: Yankee Doodle/ words: Edward Bangs, 1776
3. +Chester -- words & music by William Billings, 1778
4. +Welcome, Mighty Chief, Once More -- 1789
5. A Toast -- Francis Hopkinson, 1778
6. Beneath a Weeping Willow's Shade -- Francis Hopkinson, 1788
7. +My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free -- Francis Hopkinson, 1759
8. +Norah, Dear Norah -- William Shields, 1783 (Washington's favorite opera)
9. +The Way-Worn Traveler -- Samuel Arnold, 1793
10. 1982 Concert Address by Roger Hall
11. Tenor Recit. & Chorus from THE CREATION (Franz Joseph Haydn, 1798)
12. ++Thanksgiving Hymn -- music: William Billings, 1778
13. ++Ode to the President of the United States -- words: Samuel Low, 1789
14. 1982 Concert Address concluded
15. New Jerusalem -- Jeremiah Ingalls, 1796
16. The Dove -- Samuel Capen, 1805
17. New Bethlehem -- Edward French, 1799
18. Mount Vernon -- Oliver Holden, 1803
19. Dedication -- words: William Billings, 1794/music: Roger Hall, 1977
20. ++The Grand Constitution (from play about the years 1787 and 1788)
21. The Federal March (excerpt) -- Alexander Reinagle, 1788
22. ++Yankee Song -- tune: Yankee Doodle, 1788
23. The Grand Constitution (dialogue from the one act play)
24. ++Ode for the President of the United States -- tune: God Save the King
+ = edited and/or arranged by William Arms Fisher, The Music That Washington Knew (1931)
++ = edited and arranged by Roger Hall (1982, 1987)To order the CD-R, go the
A DVD-R (Now and Then: Music from Stoughton) is available with music from Washington's era. For more details, see the videotape section at Singing Stoughton
Are you interested in supporting music from the early United States? Then go to
Society for Earlier American Music
John Williams
AMRC No. 13: Film Music and the Sammy Awards
Featuring excerpts on WGBH radio in Boston with guest, Roger Hall.
The CD-R includes interviews with Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson about their film music, and audio excerpts from a video production, THE MUSICAL RELEPHONE.
There are also announcements of the annual Sammy Awards, named after songwriter Sammy Cahn, as selected by Roger Hall on the "Music America"program on WGBH radio.
AMRC No. 14: John Williams on Radio
Music by film composer John Williams featured on radio, including a birthday tribute by Roger Hall in 1983, and several Sammy Awards.
Also included are selections from "A Night at the Movies" with music by Alfred Newman, Max Steiner, Franz Waxman and John Williams. This concert was presented at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. During intermission of this concert there is a lengthy interview with John Williams.
AMRC No. 15: Listener's Guide to Film Music
This CD-R includes film music from DON JUAN (1926) to
THE MUSICAL TELEPHONE (1988).It includes film music by composers such as: Bernard Herrmann (CITIZEN KANE), David Raksin (LAURA), Max Steiner (KING KONG), and Dimitri Tiomkin (HIGH NOON).
Also well known movie songs like: "As Time Goes By"; "Hooray for Hollywood"; "Do Not Forsake Me" from HIGH NOON; and "Call Me Irresponsible."
There are interviews with songwriter Sammy Cahn, birthday tributes to Bernard Herrmann and John Williams, and music from a video production performed at a scholarly conference.
For more details about the CD-R, go to:
Film Composers and Soundtracks
George Gershwin
These publications also include accompanying music on CD-Rs:
16. Remembering Radio: Great Songwriters and Singers (2nd edition)
17. A Guide to Film Music -- Songs and Scores (3rd edition)
18. A Guide to George Gershwin (2nd edition)
19. A Guide to Shaker Music -- with Music Supplement (6th edition)
20. New England Songster
If you have any questions, write to:
To order the CD-R's or Publications go to the
American Music Preservation Resources
New England Music Archive [NEMA]
Composer Tributes
Favorite American Composers (Web Poll)
New England Composer Series No. 1: Edwin A. Jones
New England Composer Series No. 2: George W. Chadwick
Hall of Fame
This annual event is sponsored by The Tune Lovers Society.
Each year there are ten American composers and songwriters
added to this Hall of Fame.To read the names listed for each year, click on this link:
Help support the mission of
American Music Preservation.com
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