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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, student, historian, or listener
interested in preserving music from America's past?Then consider joining the Society For Earlier American Music (or SEAM).
The word "earlier" doesn't mean exclusively from the distant past.
Though the emphasis is on the earlier music from the 17th to 19th centuries,
there are also works from the 20th century.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 performed again.It's a sad fact that a great deal of America's past classical and popular music is seldom performed 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, conferences, publications, and recordings.
There are now six SEAM recordings of rare Americana available in these categories:
Collections:
American Choral Sampler
New England Song TreasuryU.S. Presidents:
Music of George Washington's Time
Music from Abraham Lincoln's EraComposer Tributes:
Anniversary Tribute To Edwin Arthur Jones
Memorial Tributes to Three American Composers
SEAM Needs You!
Here are four ways you can participate:
1. A Research Affiliate [RA] working on your own related music project.
2. A Performer Associate [PA] to schedule concerts or programs focusing on music from earlier America.
3. An Educational Assistant [EA] to help plan a project or conference at a college, music school or other educational institution.
3. A Publicity Manager [PM] to work on press releases and seeking financial support.
If you would like to participate in any of these needed tasks, or would like to participate in some other way, then sign up now.
Membership is currently Free until the end of January 2010.
Why not send in your membership request now?
Let's make this music from America's past come alive again!
Roger Lee Hall
Director, Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
To join SEAM or if you have any questions, write to:
These six CDs contain rare American music, many performed from original editions,
and some also from modern day arrangements.The majority of the recordings were recorded in live concerts, so sound levels vary.
American Choral Sampler
(AMRC No. 3)
Dudley Buck, composer and organist
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) and Battle Hymn of the Republic (1862) -- tune: GLORY, HALLELUJAH!
4. Father and I Went Down to Camp (ca. 1776) -- tune: YANKEE DOODLEII. 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 -- composer unknownIII. 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) -- Official U.S. Centennial Cantata --
music by Dudley Buck/ poem by Sidney LanierIV. Choruses from the 1880s to early 1900s:
20. The Lord is King (1883) -- Edwin Arthur Jones
21. Easter Carol (1892) -- Charles IvesV. Early 20th Century:
22. Chorale: How Lovely Shines the Morning Star (1909) -- George Whitefield ChadwickVI. Stoughton Songs:
23. Anti-War Song: Come, Gentle Peace -- words: Esther Talbot, 1814/ music: Roger Hall, 1981
24. Fuging Tune: Dedication -- words: William Billings, 1794/ music: Roger Hall, 1986To order this CD, go to the
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New England Song Treasury:
From The Landing Of The Pilgrims To World War I
(AMRC No. 4)
Julia Ward Howe, abolitionist, reformer, writer
(wrote words to "Battle Hymn of the Republic")
I. Pilgrims and Puritans:
1. Pilgrims: Arrival in the New World/ Psalm 8
2. Pilgrims: Thanksgiving/ Psalm 100
3. Puritans: Psalm 23 (1640)
4. Puritans: Psalm 100 (1640)
5. Clerical Reformer: 100 Psalm Tune New (Rev. John Tufts, 1720s) -- first American tune?
II. Indians and Pirates:
6. Narragansettt Indian Hymn -- Thomas Cummock
7. Pirate Ballad: Captain Kidd
III. The American Revolution:
8. The Lexington March (tune: YANKEE DOODLE)
9. The Liberty Song (tune: HEART OF OAK) -- words by John Dickinson, 1768
10. Free America (tune: BRITISH GRENADIERS) -- words by Dr. Joseph Warren
11. Father and I Went Down to Camp ( tune: YANKEE DOODLE/ arr. W.A. Fisher) --words,1776
12. Chester -- 2 versions (1778, 1786) -- music by William Billings
13. Thanksgiving Hymn -- music by William Billings
IV. New England Singing Masters:
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
V. Federalism and War of 1812:
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
VI. Patriotism and Civil War:
22. My Country 'Tis Of Thee (tune: GOD SAVE THE KING) -- words by Samuel F. Smith, 1831
23. A Prayer For The Captive -- Sister Cecilia DeVere, 1861
24. Battle Hymn of the Republic -- words by Julia Ward Howe, 1861
25. Go Down, Moses -- Afro-American Spiritual, 1860s
26. Give Us This Day -- Stephen Foster, 1863
VII. Jubilee Hymn:
27. National Peace Jubilee: Hymn of Peace -- words by Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1869
VII. Victorian Voices:
28. Aria: How Beautiful Upon The Mountains -- music by E.A. Jones, 1881
IXI. World War I:
29. Song of the Marching Men -- music by Henry Hadley, 1919
30. Land of Our Hearts (finale) -- music by George W. Chadwick, 1918Nos. 4, 5, 6 were used as background music in the DVD titled, Emerson: The Ideal in America
To order this CD, go to the
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"A Toast"
Music of George Washington's Time
(AMRC No. 13)
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
First U.S. President, George Washington:Tracks:
1. The Liberty Song -- words: John Dickinson, 1768/ arr. William A. Fisher
2. Father and I Went Down to Camp -- words: Edward Bangs, 1776/ arr. William A. Fisher
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. Excerpt from 1982 Concert Address
11. Tenor Recitative & Chorus from THE CREATION by Franz Joseph Haydn
12. Thanksgiving Hymn -- music: William Billings, 1778
13. Ode to the President of the U.S. -- words: Samuel Low, 1789
14. Victory -- Daniel Read, 1793
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, 1986
20. The Grand Constitution (from one act play about the years 1787 and 1788)
21. The Federal March (excerpt) -- Alexander Reinagle
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 Nos. 1 - 4 = edited and arranged by William Arms Fisher, The Music That Washington Knew (1931)
Nos. 12-13, 22 - 24 = edited and arranged by Roger Hall, 1982 - 1987
To order this CD, go to the
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NEW!
"Lincoln and Liberty"
Music From Abraham Lincoln's Era
(AMRC No. 12)
A specially prepared CD for the Lincoln Bicentennial (1809-2009) Music written and performed during Abraham Lincoln's lifetime and just beyond,
including patriotic songs, sentimental songs, a song of Emancipation,
premiere recordings of hymns by Stephen Foster, a Shaker pacifist hymn,
an Afro-American spiritual, and popular Civil War songs. To see all the track titles, click on this link:"Lincoln and Liberty"
Music from Abraham Lincoln's Era
To order this CD,
go to the
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NEW!
Anniversary Tribute to Edwin Arthur Jones, 1853-1911
(AMRC No. 6)
Track Titles (all World Premiere Performances):
I. Early Years (1870s)
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)
II. Song Of Our Saviour, Op. 14 (1881) - a cantata for
solo quartet, chorus, organ and orchestra [Nos. 5-10]
5. Introduction: Orchestra
6. Air: How Beautiful Upon The Mountains
7. Chorale: Behold what matchless, tender love
8. Recitative & Air: O Lord/ If ye love me
9. S.A.T. Trio: Look unto me
10. Finale: Solo quartet, chorus, organ, orchestra
III. Two Chamber Works
11. String Quartet No. 2, Op. 22 (1887) - performed by The Kneissel Quartet at Mrs. J.L. (Isabella Stewart) Gardner's home in Boston in 1889
12. The Farewell Waltzes, Op. 8b (1874) for solo piano
To order this CDR, go to the
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Memorial Music for Three American Composers
(AMRC No. 5)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, VirginiaFarewell (1973) -- for SATB chorus
To order this CD, go to the
Store
Essential American Recordings Survey
The year 2009 marks the the 250th anniversary of the
FIRST SONG WRITTEN BY AN AMERICAN. To honor this anniversary, a survey of recommended recordings has been compiled listing essential American music.The recordings include a cross section of music, including 18th century psalm tunes, 19th century patriotic songs; 20th century classical, jazz, stage & screen, and popular songs.To read this survey, go to:
Are you interested in a music program for your group or college?For a list of available titles, click on this link for
More CDs are available with pamphlets and music collections at these links:
American Music Recordings Collection [AMRC]
New England Choral Sampler [NECS]
New England Music Archive [NEMA]
Shaker Music Collections and Songbooks
Singing Stoughton -- Oldest Choral Society in the U.S.A.
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![My days have been so wondrous free [manuscript]](http://lcweb2.loc.gov/natlib/ihas/service/songinamerica/200035565/0001t.jpg)
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