Society For Earlier American Music

Bulletin Board

A Few Notes of Introduction

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

Then consider joining this new support group known as 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 seeks to preserve music from America's past by stitching together musical threads of all kinds, waiting to be discovered and performed again.  

It's a sad fact that a great deal of America's earlier classical and popular music is seldom performed and recorded.

It is hoped that SEAM can help resolve that neglect.

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

SEAM Needs You!

Here are four ways you can participate:

1. Research Affiliate working on your own American music project and
submitting a report or updates for the SEAM Bulletin Board.

2. Performer Associate to schedule concerts or programs focusing on
vocal or instrumental music from earlier America.

3. Educational Assistant to help plan a conference or workshop at a college,
music school or other educational institution.

4. Promotional Advisor to seek financial support and publicity.

Become A SEAM Member Today

Membership is by $25 donation and for your donation you will receive
a CD at no extra charge
from the American Vocal Music Series.

To join, go to the home page of the

Society for Earlier American Music

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Items of Interest

If you would like to join this Bulletin Board, please write to:

SEAM membership

Any SEAM member may send in their announcements or questions to:

Bulletin Board

 

 

January 2012

There are now 20 CDs and DVDs in these categories:

Multimedia Heritage Music Series (10 titles)

Multimedia Pop Song Series (6 titles)

Multimedia Film Music Series (3 titles)

Preserving Our Musical Past (1 title)

Read about these titles at this link:

Multimedia American Music Series [MAMS]

See also

Announcements

 

June 2011

Now available for only a limited time is a DVD-R with 8 books and musical collections and over 200 music tracks.

Read more at:

Preserving Our Musical Past

 

January 2011

A new commemorative DVD with documents, two audio albums and a video about the life and music of E. A. Jones (1853-1911) is now available at this link:

New England Composer Series: Edwin Arthur Jones

November 2010

Kevin Lynch:

My site is set up to stimulate interest and discussion in early American popular music (18th and 19th centuries) and specifically it's publication in the form of sheet music folios.

Please let me know if you have any particular questions or areas you'd like to explore and remember this site is focused on the epoch or period that pre-dates rags, blues and jazz. 1768-1887 are the years I've attached to the site to bridge the revolution with the centennial.

I'm very interested in encouraging scholarship and conservation in this field and hoping to open it up to archivists, librarians, music historians, book sellers, and old paper collectors of all stripes and sizes.

Write him at: kevinlynch1@earthlink.net

See his site at:

www.FirstEpoch.com

 

 

September 2010

Roger Lee Hall, SEAM President:

I would like to welcome all SEAM members to this new Bulletin Board and I hope that it will grow as the membership increases.

This first listing will highlight news about a few SEAM members.

I'll begin with a few new multi-media titles I have recently completed:

"Angels of Peace" - The Boston Peace Jubilees

The Story of 'Simple Gifts': Joseph Brackett's Shaker Dance Song

David Harris:

He is a choral conductor and composer with a special interest in American music from the past. He is Music Director of the Columbia University Glee Club and other ensembles and is looking for ideas about possible Victorian era choral music by American composers.

Steven Young:

Dr. Young is Director of Choral Activities at Bridgewater State University and an organist who has a new CD available of organ music recorded at the famous Methuen Memorial Music Hall. The CD is titled, Henry Morton Dunham: A Boston Classic.

Read more about it at:

CD Universe

 

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Essential American Recordings

2009 marked 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:

Essential American Recordings Survey

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Recordings and Surveys

100 Essential Film Scores of the 20th Century

100 Essential American Songs of the 20th Century

American Music on CDs

American Music Recordings Collection

American Music Timeline, 1640-1890

New England Choral Sampler (CD)

National Carry A Tune Week

Shaker Music Archive (sheet music and CDs)

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

A Survey of American Song (1759-1961)

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