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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, 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 displayed 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, publications, and recordings.There are now six SEAM recordings of rare Americana 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 = Interviews with the Shakers, Memorial Tributes to Three American Composers
Do you have ideas how to obtain funding for an educational SEAM project
for schools or other educational use?Would you like to volunteer to assist in publicity or as a research associate?
Then sign up now and help preserve America's rich and rewarding musical past.
Why not send in your membership request 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:
To hear sample files, click on these links using Real Player...
These six CDRs
contain rare American music,
many performed from original editions,
and some from modern day arrangements.The majority of the recordings were recorded in live concerts
so sound levels will 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) -- words: Julia Ward Howe
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. "How Lovely Shines the Morning Star" (1909) -- George Whitefield ChadwickVI. 20th Century 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, 1986To order this CD-R, go to the
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New England Song Treasury:
From The Pilgrims to World War I
(AMRC No. 4)Music from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries
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 (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?
II. Indians and Pirates:
6. Narragansett Indian Hymn
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/arr. W.A. Fisher
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
12. Chester -- 2 versions (1778, 1786) -- music by William Billings
13. Thanksgiving Hymn -- tune: KITTERY by William Billings/ edited by Roger Hall
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. Federal Era and Patriotic Songs:
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: Samuel Francis Smith, 1831
VI. The Civil War Era:
23. Shaker Pacifist Hymn: A Prayer for the Captive -- words & music by Cecilia DeVere, 1862
24. Battle Hymn of the Republic -- words by Julia Ward Howe, 1861
25. Afro-American Spiritual: Go Down, Moses (ca. 1862)
26. Hymn: Give Us This Day -- words and music by Stephen Foster, 1863
27. National Peace Jubilee: Hymn of Peace -- words by Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1869
VII. Late Romantic Music:
28. Aria: How Beautiful Upon The Mountains -- music by Edwin Arthur Jones, 1881
VIII. 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-R, go to the
Store
"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 KingNos. 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-R, go to the
Store
(NEW RELEASE)
"Lincoln and Liberty"
Music From Abraham Lincoln's Era
(AMRC No. 12)
A specially prepared CD for the Lincoln Bicentennial (1809-2009)
with 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-R (AMRC No. 12),
go to the
Store
Blended Together: Interviews with The Shakers
(AMRC No. 9)
Track Titles:
1. Song: Blended together as one we stand - Sister Mildred Barker
& Sister Frances Carr,1974
2. Song: Mother says O rise be glad - Eldress Bertha Lindsay
3. Interview with Eldress Bertha Lindsay at Canterbury, New Hampshire -- March 1972
4. Interview continued: about the reed organ
5. Interview continued: about the Shaker orchestra
6. Interview continued: about Canterbury singers
7. Interview continued: about Canterbury hymnal
8. Interview continued: about Elder Henry Blinn
9. Interview continued: about Shaker school
10. Song: I will go on my way
11. Song: May I softly walk and wisely speak and O tarry not 'mid worldly strife
12. Interview with Sister Lillian Phelps, March 1972: about her hymn, O tarry not
13. Interview with Eldress Bertha: Shaker dances and marches
14. Interview continued: about Shaker notation
15. Interview with Sister Lillian: about her musical training
16. Interview continued: about Shaker gift songs
17. Interview with Eldress Bertha: about a skipping song
18. Interview with Eldress Bertha: about Shaker dances
19. Song: In the days when I shall comfort thee
20. Song: I want to be clean and holy all over
21. Just enough cross by the way and 'Tis the gift to be simple
22. Interview with Eldress Bertha Lindsay -- Cleveland, Ohio television show, 1974
23. Song: O my sweet Shaker home
24. Song: O we're a band of sisters and happy are we
25. Song: Simple Gifts - Eldress Bertha's 90th birthday party
26. Song: Who will bow and bend like the willow - Sabbathday Lake Shakers,1974
27. Song: I must live must have my being - Sister Mildred Barker
28. Interview with Sister Mildred at Sabbathday Lake, Maine, December 1980
29. Hymn: When the Lord in ancient days - Sister Mildred and Sister Frances,1980
30. Song: We will all go home with you - Sabbathday Lake Shakers, 1974
To order this CDR,
go to the
Store
An attractive broadisde on cover stock is available
for display or gift-giving.
To order one or more copies,
go to theA Guide to Shaker Music - With Music Supplement
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-R, 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:
If you know of a possible publisher
for an expanded book version of this survey,
write to:Essential American Recordings Survey
More CDs 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 New Englanders: From The Pilgrims To The Shakers
Singing Stoughton -- about the 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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