"A Dedication Concert"
In honor of the 100th Anniversary
of Stoughton Town Hall (1881)
The First United Methodist Church
Stoughton, Massachusetts
The Old Stoughton Musical Society (OSMS), organized in 1786, is the oldest choral society in the United States of America.
The centennial of Stoughton Town Hall was celebrated in 1981, with a full day of events, beginning with a Town Hall ceremony including speeches from invited state and local officials, a new Town Hall banner designed by Mildred Wilson, and a special afternoon concert at 4:00 p.m. The guest soloist was Stoughton High School musician, Anthony DiLorenzo, who played the Haydn Trumpet Concerto in Eb.
"A Dedication Concert"
November 22, 1981
Soloists:
Karen Pritchard, soprano
Jan Guillemette, soprano
Meredith Lays, mezzo-soprano
Peter Bradstreet, tenor
David Benjamin, bass
Guest soloist: Anthony DiLorenzo, trumpet
Old Stoughton Musical Chorus
Kenneth Yates, organist
Roger Hall, conductor
CD highlights:
1. Concert announcement on "Music America" with Ron Della Chiesa on WGBH-FM in Boston.
2. National Anthem: The Star Spangled Banner (ca. 1860) – first and last verses - Old Stoughton Musical Society (OSMS) Chorus
18th Century Tunesmiths:
3. Anthem of Praise - Supply Belcher from Stoughton - OSMS Chorus
4. Anthem For Thanksgiving - William Billings from Boston -
OSMS Soloists/Chorus
5. Anthem: Behold, He Is My Salvation - William Selby from Boston
Soloists/Chorus
19th Century Music by Stoughton composer, Edwin Arthur Jones
6. Air: Savior, Like m Shepherd Lead Us -
Meredith Lays, mezzo-soprano
7. Recitative: And When All Things/
Air: Immortal Honor -
Peter Bradstreet, tenor
8. Quartet: In Heavenly Love Abiding - Karen Pritchard,
Meredith Lays, Peter Bradstreet, David Benjamin
9. Chorus: The Lord is King - OSMS Soloists and Chorus
Nos. 6-9 from the oratorio, EASTER CONCERT by E.A. Jones (Boston, 1890)
20th Century American Composers:
10. In Memorian: Let Down The Bars, O Death - Samuel Barber, 1942
(In memory of Samuel Barber, 1910-1981) - OSMS Chorus
11. Peace (aka: Come, Gentle Peace) - words: Esther Talbot, 1814/
music: Roger Hall, 1981 - FIRST PERFORMANCE
Karen Pritchard, soprano and OSMS Chorus
Audience Sing-Along with the OSMS Chorus:
12. My Country 'Tis Of Thee (1831)
12. Battle Hymn of the Republic (1862)
14. Prayer of Thanksgiving: We Gather Together
15.
Auld Lang Syne (New England version, 1855)
Listen to No. 11 from this CD by clicking the link in this box...
This Dedication Concert CD is available
from this website
by making a donation
to help support its mission
of music preservation.
Pay by credit card through safe and secure PayPal,
for $16 or more, payable to PineTree Productions,
and it includes Free shipping.
Just click on this button to:
After you made your donation,
please send your
mailing address to:
Dedication Concert CD
"Musick in Old Boston"
(Music by Billings, Buck, Chadwick and others -
celebrating the 350th Anniversary of the City of Boston)
Stoughton Music Publications and CDs
MAJESTY: A discussion of FACTS and FICTION about William Billings and The STOUGHTON MUSICAL SOCIETY
(PINETREE PRESS, 2000)
Contents:
PART ONE: William Billings - His Life and Music
1. Family Tree
2. Parents
3. Wife and Children
4. Occupations
5. Revolutionary Patriot
6. Singing Master and Composer
PART TWO: William Billings and Old Stoughton
7. The Singing School
8. The Stoughton Musical Society
9. First Tunebook
10. Second Tunebook
11. Chicago World's Exposition Concerts
12. Billings Tunes in Stoughton Concerts (1876-1986)
Notes
Bibliography
Discography
MUSIC SUPPLEMENT:
THE PLEASURES OF VARIETY (Text: William Billings/
Music: Roger Hall)
COME LET US SING (Text: William Billings/ Music: Roger Hall)
MAJESTY (music by William Billings, 1778)
STOUGHTON (music by William Billings, 1770, Edited by Roger Hall)
Music Activities in Stoughton (1980-1999)
Special Offer!
Learn about one of the oldest singing traditions
in the United States.
Order this pamphlet and receive
The Stoughton Songster
at no extra price!
Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey
This pamphlet covers the years from the first recorded singing meetings in 1762 to the Bicentennial of the Old Stoughton Musical Society's Constitution in 1987. It also includes other major music events such as: Oldest choral society in America organized (1786); First oratorio by a local composer (1887); Only musical group representing early American music at World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893); George Washington Bicentennial Concert (1932), Old Stoughton Musical Society Bicentennial (1986).
At the back of the pamphlet are lists of Most Performed American Tunes (1879-1979) and Most Performed American Composers (1976-1986).
Also included is a new song, "Peace," composed by Roger Hall in 1981 for the Centennial of Stoughton Town Hall. This song is based on an anti-war poem written by a Stoughton teenage girl in 1814 during the War of 1812.
Also included with this pamphlet is an accompanying CD titled,
The Stoughton Harmony
Here are the track titles for this CD:
1. The Star Spangled Banner - words: Francis Scott Key
2. Stoughton (1770) - music by William Billings (ed. by Roger Hall) --
FIRST RECORDING
3. Sharon (1778) - William Billings (ed. by Roger Hall) -- FIRST RECORDING
4. +Boston (1778) - William Billings
5. +Chester (1778/ 1786) - William Billings/
with the ringing of a
Paul Revere bell
6. +Majesty (1778) - William Billings
7.+David's Lamentation (1778) - William Billings
8. Thanksgiving Hymn - tune: Kittery by William Billings
(edited by Roger Hall)-FIRST RECORDING
9. Yankee Song (1788) - tune: Yankee Doodle (arranged by Roger Hall)
10. Ode To President George Washington (1789) - edited by Roger Hall --
FIRST RECORDING
11. +Mount Vernon (1800) - Oliver Holden
12. +Coronation (1792) - Oliver Holden
13. +Victory (1793) - Daniel Read
14. +New Jerusalem (1796) - Jeremiah Ingalls
15. +Northfield (1799) - Jeremiah Ingalls
16. +New Bethlehem (1799) - Edward French from Sharon
17. +The Dove (1805) - Samuel Capen from Canton (edited by Roger Hall) --
FIRST RECORDING
18. John Brown & Battle Hymn of the Republic (1861-62)
19. Give Us This Day (1863) - Stephen Foster
20. +Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims (1870s) - Temperance Hymn
21. Old Stoughton (1886) - Edwin A. Jones from Stoughton
22. The Lord is King (1883) - Edwin A. Jones (ed. by Roger Hall) -
FIRST RECORDING
23. Easter Carol (1892) - Charles Ives
24. O Boston! (1980) - ed. and arr. by Roger Hall - FIRST RECORDING
25. Dedication (1986) - Roger Hall -- FIRST RECORDING
26. Peace (1990) - Roger Hall -- FIRST RECORDING
27. Song of the Old Folks (1855) - tune: Auld Lang Syne/
words: Albert Laighton/arr. R. Kemp
+ = The Stoughton Musical Society's Centennial Collection of Sacred Music (1878/reprint, 1980)
Some of the pieces on the CD are also included in the 19th century tunebook:
Father Kemp's Old Folks Concert Tunes
The Stoughton Songster
A collection compiled and edited by Roger L. Hall and featuring lyrics for 12 songs performed in Stoughton concerts between 1980 and 1990.
Included are songs by Stoughton composers: Edwin A. Jones, Frank W. Reynolds, F.William Kempf, and Roger Hall. Also there are original versions of "Yankee Doodle" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
All the songs are included on the accompanying CD, along with a radio special about the 200th anniversary of the Old Stoughton Musical Society in 1986.
The 12 songs and hymns included in The Stoughton Songster:
I. Pilgrim Poet:
1. "O Boston!" (poem: William Bradford/ tune: OLD HUNDRED) -- commermorative song edited and arranged by Roger Hall for the 350th anniversary of the City of Boston in 1980.
II. Songs of George Washington's Time:
2. "Stoughton" (music by William Billings, 1770/ edited by Roger Hall) -- for the Bicentennial of the Old Stoughton Musical Society in 1986.
3. "Father and I Went Down to Camp" (tune: YANKEE DOODLE, 1776)
4. "The 'Vention did in Boston meet" (tune: YANKEE DOODLE, 1788)
5. "Ode to George Washington" (text: Samuel Low/ tune: GOD SAVE THE KING, edited by Roger Hall,1982) -- sung at the Inauguration of the First U.S. President in 1789.
III. Songs of Abraham Lincoln's Time:
6. "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (text: Samuel Francis Smith, 1831/ tune: GOD SAVE THE KING)
7. "John Brown's body lies a-mould'ring in the grave " (text printed by C.S. Hall, 1861/ tune: GLORY, HALLELUJAH,1861)
8. "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (text: Julia Ward Howe, 1862/ tune: GLORY, HALLELUJAH)
IV. Stoughton Songs:
9. "Old Stoughton" (Edwin Arthur Jones, 1886)
10. "Lullaby" (Frank W. Reynolds, 1922)
11. "Barbara Allen" (folk song arranged by F. William Kempf, 1942)
12. "Peace"(anti-war poem by Esther Talbot, 1814 /
music by Roger Hall, 1981)
For a limited time, when you order
Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey
you will also receive,
The Stoughton Songster,
at no extra price.
To order, go to the
Store
A Stoughton Musicfest:
A Celebration of Local Composers and Musicians
Written and produced by Roger Hall
A program honoring the 200th anniversary of what is believed to be the first singing contest held in America in 1790 between the Stoughton Musical Society and
First Parish Choir in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
This program was videotaped on May 10, 1990 at the Stoughton Public Library and includes local musicians performing music by local composers.
The one hour video is included on this DVD:
"Land of Our Hearts" - New England Music Miscellany
American Music Preservation
American Music Timeline, 1640-1890
American Music Recordings Archive [AMRA]
Multimedia Music Series
New England Music Sampler [NEMS]
Old Stoughton Musical Society Links
Old Stoughton Musical Society (Official Site)
Old Stoughton Musical Society (1929 History)
If you have any questions, write to:
Dedication Concert
