Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]

 

[ A Shaker dance song, "Come life Shaker life," in alphabet notation]

 

A Few Notes of Introduction...

Are you a musician, musicologist, teacher, historian, or listener
interested in preserving music from America's past?

Then you should consider joining the Society for Earlier American Music (or SEAM).
The word "earlier" doesn't mean exclusively from the distant past.  
It also includes music from not so long ago as well as the early music.
The music is from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Just like the pieces of material in a patchwork quilt (thus the abbreaviation "SEAM"), this Society is stitched together with colorful musical threads of all kinds
waiting to be discovered and displayed again.  

It's a sad fact that a great deal of America's past classical and popular music is neglected or incorrectly identified, especially the vocal music.

It is hoped that SEAM can help resolve that neglect.

The ultimate goal is preservation of the music through
concerts, publications, and recordings.

There are now six SEAM recordings available in these categories:

Collections = American Choral Sampler, New England Song Treasury

U.S. Presidents = Music of George Washington's Time,
Music From Abraham Lincoln's Era

Tributes = E.A. Jones: His Life and Music,
Memorial Tributes to Three American Composers

Do you have ideas how to obtain funding for an educational SEAM project
for schools or a publication?

Would you like to volunteer to assist in publicity, research, or help in fund-raising?

Then sign up now and let's help preserve America's rich and rewarding musical past.

Why not send in your request for membership now?

Let's make this early music come alive again!

Roger Lee Hall
Director, Society for Earlier American Music

For membership in SEAM or any questions, write to:

SEAM

To hear sample files, click on these links using Real Player...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can assist the preservastion effort by purchasing any of these recordings
which include music from the 17th century to the 20th century...

 

SEAM Recordings

These five discs contain rare American music. They are mostly performed
from original versions, but a few of them are arrangements.

These recordings were recorded mostly in live concerts so sound levels will vary.

American Choral Sampler

24 tracks, Total Time = 66:28

I. Four Popular Patriotic Songs:
1. "The Star Spangled Banner" (1814) -- tune: TO ANACREON,19th century arrangement
2. "My Country 'Tis of Thee" (1831) -- tune: GOD SAVE THE KING
3.  "John Brown" (1861)-- C.S. Hall (?)/ "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (1862) -- Julia Ward Howe
4.  "Father and I Went Down to Camp" (ca. 1776) -- tune: YANKEE DOODLE

II. Music by New England Singing Masters:
5.  "Chester" (2 versions: 1778 and 1786) -- tune by William Billings
6.  "Boston" (1778) -- William Billings
7.  "David's Lamentation" (1778) -- William Billings
8.  "Majesty" (1778) -- William Billings
9.  "Confidence" -- Oliver Holden
10. "Coronation" -- Oliver Holden
11. "Northfield" -- Jeremiah Ingalls
12. "New Jerusalem" -- Jeremiah Ingalls
13. "Victory" -- Daniel Read
14. "Ocean" -- Timothy Swan

III. Choral Music from 1840s to 1870s:
15. "Jerusalem, My Glorious Home"(1840s) -- Lowell Mason
16. "Jehovah's Praise" (1850s) -- Edward White
17. "Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims" (1870s) -- Temperance Hymn
18. "Song of the Old Folks" (1855) -- tune: AULD LANG SYNE
19. Centennial Meditation of Columbia (1876) --
United States Centennial Cantata (music by Dudley Buck/ poem by Sidney Lanier)

IV. Choruses from the 1880s to early 1900s:
20. "The Lord is King" (1883) -- Edwin Arthur Jones
21. "Easter Carol" (1892) -- Charles Ives
22. "How Lovely Shines the Morning Star" (1909) -- George Whitefield Chadwick

V. Two Old Stoughton Songs:
23. Anti-War Song: "Peace" -- words: Esther Talbot, 1814/ music: Roger Hall, 1981
24. Fuging Tune: "Dedication" -- words: William Billings, 1794/ music: Roger Hall, 1986

To order this CD-R, go to the

Store

Return to top

"A Toast" - Music of George Washington's Time

24 tracks, Total Time = 52:28

Recorded at several live concerts performed by soloists and chorus of the Old Stoughton Musical Society, including a 1982 concert celebrating the 250th anniversaries of the births of Austrian composer, Franz Joseph Haydn, and the First US President, George Washington:

1. +The Liberty Song -- words: John Dickinson, 1768
2. +Father and I Went Down to Camp -- 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 English opera)
9. +The Way-Worn Traveler -- Samuel Arnold, 1793
10. 1982 Concert Address by Roger Hall
11. Tenor Recit. & Chorus from THE CREATION (F. J. Haydn, 1798)
12. ++Thanksgiving Hymn -- music: William Billings, 1778
13. ++Ode to the President of the U.S. -- 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 one act 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 to President George Washington -- tune: God Save the King

+ = edited and arranged by William Arms Fisher, The Music That Washington Knew (1931)
++ = edited and arranged by Roger Hall, 1982 - 1987

To order this CD-R, go to the

Store

Return to top

"Lincoln and Liberty" - Music From Abraham Lincoln's Era

24 tracks, Total Time = 67:08

Music performed by various choruses and ensembles.


+ = 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/ music: Roger Hall, 1981
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- 60
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
19. Lorena -- words: Rev. H.D.L. Webster/ music: J.P. Webster, 1857
20. Bonnie Blue Flag -- words: Harry McCarthym, 1861/ music: The Irish Jaunting Car
21. All Quiet Along the Potomac -- words: Mrs. Ethel L. Beers/ music: W.H. Goodwin, 1861
22. When Johnny Comes Marching Home -- Patrick S. Gilmore, 1863
23. When This Cruel War is Over -- words: Charles C. Sawyer/ music: Henry Tucker
24. ++Angel of Peace -- words: Oliver Wendell Holmes/ music: Matthias Keller
(written for the National Peace Jubilee in Boston)

To order this CD-R, go to the

Store

 

 

 

Return to top

New England Song Treasury: From The Pilgrims to World War I

Music from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries

30 tracks, Total Time = 70:32

1. Pilgrims: Arrival in the New World/ Psalm 8 (1612)
2. Pilgrims: Thanksgiving/ Psalm 100 (1612)
3. Puritans: Psalm 23 (1640)
4. Puritans: Psalm 100 (1698)
5. Clerical Reformer: 100 Psalm Tune New (Rev. John Tufts, 1720s) - first American tune?
6. Narragansett Indian Hymn
7. Pirate Ballad: Captain Kidd
8. The Lexington March (tune: YANKEE DOODLE)
9.The Liberty Song (tune: HEART OF OAK)-- words by John Dickinson
10. Free America (tune: BRITISH GRENADIERS) -- words by Dr. Joseph Warren
11. Father and I Went Down to Camp (tune: YANKEE DOODLE)-- words attrib. to Edward Bangs
12. Chester -- 2 versions (1778, 1786) -- music by William Billings
13. Thanksgiving Hymn (tune: KITTERY by W. Billings/ ed. by Roger Hall)
14. The Bird (1790) -- William Billings
15. Victory (1793) -- Daniel Read
16. New Jerusalem (1796) -- Jeremiah Ingalls
17. New Bethlehem (1799) -- Edward French
18. Dormant (1802) -- Jacob French
19. Adams and Liberty (tune: TO ANACREON)-- words by Thomas R.T. Paine, 1798
20. The Star Spangled Banner (tune: TO ANACREON)--words by Francis Scott Key, 1814
21. Peace -- words by Esther Talbot, 1814/ music by Roger Hall, 1981
22. My Country 'Tis of Thee (tune: GOD SAVE THE KING/ words S. F. Smith, 1831)
23. Shaker Pacifist Hymn: A Prayer for the Captive -- Cecilia DeVere, 1862
24. Civil War: The Battle Hymn of the Republic -- words by Julia Ward Howe, 1861
25. Afro-American Spiritual: Go Down, Moses (ca. 1862)
26. Prayer Hymn: Give Us This Day-- music by Stephen Foster, 1863
27. National Peace Jubilee: Angel of Peace -- words by Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1869
28. Cantata Aria: How Beautiful Upon The Mountains -- music by Edwin A. Jones, 1881
29. World War I: Song of the Marching Men -- Henry Hadley, 1919
30. World War I: Land of Our Hearts (finale) -- George W. Chadwick, 1918

Nos. 4, 5, 6 were used as background music in the DVD titled, Emerson: The Ideal in America

To order this CD-R, go to the

Store

E.A. Jones: His Life and Music

Music from a rural New England composer

1. Organ: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, Op. 10 (1878)
2. Interview with Viola Wigmore and Anne Capen Peterson, 20 October 1980
3. #Air: Saviour like a shepherd lead us
4. #Recitative and Air: And when all things/ Immortal Honor
5. #Quartet: In heavenly love abiding
6. #Chorus: The Lord is King
7. Interview continued with V. Wigmore and A.C. Peterson
8. Interview continued
9. #Air and Chorus: Sing we to the Lord
10. #Chorus: Hail! All Triumphant Lord!
11. #Chorale: Behold what matchless, tender love
12. interview continued with Viola Wigmore
13. #Bass Recitative and Air: Rouse Thee! O Zion!
14. #Chorus: Great God of Nations!
15. Trio for Strings, Op. 12a (1878)
16. Organ: The Farewell Waltzes (1874)

# = excerpts from the oratorio, Easter Concert (1890), first complete performance on 26 April 1981 by The Old Stoughton Musical Society Soloists and Chorus; David Hanson, organist; Roger Hall, conductor.

To order this CD-R, go to the

Store

For more information see

New England Composer Series No. 1: E. A. Jones

Memorial Music for Three American Composers

13 tracks, Total Time = 51:48

These performances are from concerts in 1981 and 1984, paying tribute to three distinguished American composers:

I. Charles T. Griffes (1884-1920) -- 100th Anniversary of His Birth, 1984 concert

Two Sketches on American Indian Themes (1918-19) -- for string quartet


II. Samuel Barber (1910-1981) -- A Memorial Tribute, 1981 concert

Let Down The Bars, O Death (1942) -- for STAB chorus

III. Randall Thompson (1899-1984) -- A Memorial Tribute, 1984 concert
Ode to the Virginian Voyage (1957) -- Cantata for SATB chorus and piano (7 movements)-- composed for the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia

Farewell (1973) -- for SATB chorus

 

To order this CD-R, go to the

Store

 

 

 

More CD-Rs are available with pamphlets and music collections at these links:

American Music Recordings Collection [AMRC]

New England Music Archive [NEMA]

Shaker Music Collections and Songbooks

Singing Stoughton -- about the Oldest Choral Society in the U.S.A.

AMP Store

 

 

Help support the mission of

American Music Preservation.com

Order your Books, CDs, DVDs and other products here...

  Enter keywords...

Return to top of this page

 

  

 
       
   
   
Contact
  

© 2007-2008 PineTree Productions. All Rights Reserved.