Stoughton's Three Town Tunes
First Town Tune: STOUGHTON - by William Billings (1770)
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STOUGHTON is a tune by the best known early New England composer, William Billings of Boston (1746-1800). The tune without any text was printed in his first tune collection, "The New-England Psalm Singer," published in Boston in 1770 -- the first music collection by a native-born composer in America. The reason he titled it STOUGHTON was due to him having relatives living in the Stoughton area. He also had tunes named for other Massachusetts towns such as: "Amherst"; "Boston"; "Brookline," "Dedham"; and more. Four years after publishing his 1770 tune collection Billings came to Stoughton to teach a singing school and he later married one of his young pupils, Lucy Swan, and they went to live in Boston.
In 1980, for a Music in Massachusetts concert in Sharon, MA, musicologist, Roger Hall, added a text by Dr. Isaac Watts which was popular during the time of Billings in the 18th century. His added text was sung again in the 200th Anniversary Concert of the Old Stoughton Musical Society (the oldest surviving choral society in America( on November 7, 1986 at Stoughton High School. This edition of the
Billings tune with the Watts text is included in Roger Hall's music collection, TEN TOWN TUNES (listed below).
For more about the life of William Billings -- click here
Here are the six verses of text by Dr. Isaac Watts added to the Billings tune, "Stoughton"
1.
Lo, what a glorious site appears
To our believing eyes!
The earth and seas are pass'd away
And the old rolling skies.
2.
From the third heaven where God resides,
That holy, happy place,
The New Jerusalem comes down,
Adorned with shining grace.
3.
Attending angels shout for joy,
And the bright armies sing,
Mortals, behold the sacred seat
Of your descending King!
4.
The God of glory down to men
Removes his bless'd abode;
Men, the dear objects of his grace,
And he the loving God.
5.
His own soft hand shall wipe away the tears
From every weeping eye;
And pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears,
And death itself shall die.
6.
How long, dear Savior, O how long
Shall this bright hour delay?
Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time,
And bring the welcome day.
More about William Billings and his connection to Stoughton
is included in this publication -- click here
Second Town Tune: OLD STOUGHTON - by Edwin A. Jones (1886)
Edwin Arthur Jones composed a special commemorative song for the Musical Society in Stoughton in 1886 and he titled it, OLD STOUGHTON, after his hometown. This tune was composed in the 18th century New England fugal style. A copy the sheet music is included in the pamphlet, E.A. Jones: His Life and Music.
OLD STOUGHTON was performed in the concert, "Musick in Old Boston," by
the Old Stoughton Musical Society Chorus conducted by Roger Hall.
For more about this special concert -- click here
Here are the two verses presumably based on scripture texts by E.A. Jones for his tune:
1.
Now to the Lord a noble song,
Awake my soul, awake my tongue.
Hosanna to the eternal name.
And all His boundless love proclaim.
2.
Recount His works in strains divine;
His wondrous works how bright they shine.
Praise Him for all His mighty deeds,
Whose greatness all your praise exceeds.
Third Town Tune: PEACE - by Roger L. Hall (1981/1990)
For the concert celebrating the Centennial of Stoughton Town Hall in 1981,
Roger Hall composed a new tune based on an 1814 anti-war poem by
a
10-year-old Stoughton girl, Esther Talbot. The song was revised for
vocal quartet, flute and piano and premiered in 1990
in
a special town event titled: "A Stoughton Musicfest."
Here is Esther Talbot's short poem dated April 4, 1814:
PEACE
1.
Come, gentle Peace, with smiling ray,
Beam on our land a cloudless day;
Beneath thy influence serene,
The olive wears immortal green.
2.
Come, gentle Peace, resume thy reign,
With all thy virtues in thy train;
And then Columbia's soil shall grow,
As verdant Paradise below.
Read the article from The Boston Globe and more about this song -- click here
All three Stoughton songs are on one CD in this
special music series:
AMRC CD 0047: "New Jerusalem" - The Stoughton Harmony, 1770-1990
