3 the Colonial, Revolutionary, and Federal Periods

3 THE COLONIAL, REVOLUTIONARY, AND FEDERAL PERIODS

Chapter Overview Music was an important part of the religious training of American Indians by zealous French and Spanish missionaries. Of more far-reaching and long-lasting influence on the early American experience, however, was the music of Protestant settlers, especially the Pilgrims and Puritans. The singing school movement produced the first American composers, who wrote much of their own teaching materials. The Mennonites and Moravians also profoundly affected the music of America. Music to accompany work, entertainment, or dancing became important early in the eighteenth century, and music publishing became an important business. Concert music and musical theater performances drew enthusiastic audiences in several American cities.

Listening Examples 5. Louis Bourgeois: “Old Hundred” 6. William Billings: “Chester” 7. William Billings: “When Jesus Wept” 8. Daniel Read: “Sherburne” 9. John Antes: “Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs” 10. Alexander Reinagle: Sonata in E for the Piano Forte, third movement

Optional Listening Examples Daniel Read, “Windsor” (Psalm 15) Francis Hopkinson, “My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free”

Suggestions for Further Listening Psalm tunes: “Old 124th” (Psalm 8) “Old 112th” (Psalm 34) Fuging tunes and other songs by Timothy Swan Andrew Law Jeremiah Ingalls Jacob Kimball Supply Belcher Rondo: Mozart, Adagio and Rondo, K. 617, for glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola, and cello American instrumental music in Classical style: Benjamin Carr, Sonata I, for piano or harpsichord Carr, Federal Overture Battle piece: James Hewitt, “Battle of Trenton,” for organ Music by the following Moravian composers: Johann Friedrich Peter Johannes Herbst John Antes Jeremiah Denckem Edward W. Leinbach Modern compositions based on the music of the First New England School, including William Schuman, “New England Triptych” Henry Cowell, “Hymns and fuging Tunes” Otto Luening, “Fuging Tune for Wind Instruments” Ross Lee Finney, “Hymn, Fuging and Holiday”

Terms to Review hymn alabado psalms psalm tune a cappella psalter Bay Psalm Book lining out singing school masters First New England School canon round fuging tune anthem through composed rubato armonica, glass harmonica art song rondo Alberti bass cadenza ballad opera Key Figures American Composers: William Billings Daniel Read John Antes Musical Amateurs: Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin Francis Hopkinson Immigrant Composers: Benjamin Carr James Hewitt Alexander Reinagle

Visuals Pages from the Ainsworth Psalter Pages from the Bay Psalm Book Circular notation of a canon by William Billings A canon (diagram) A fuging tune (diagram) The Sargent Family (folk art) Double spinet, or virginal An eighteenth-century chamber music concert Benjamin Franklin playing his glass harmonica

Topics for Essay or Discussion 1. Discuss some similarities and differences between hymns and psalm tunes. 2. Describe the manner in which psalm tunes were performed in sixteenth-century Calvinist church services, and the manner in which they might have been performed at home. 3. Discuss the concepts of consonance and dissonance. How may they be differentiated in objective terms? In what ways are they entirely subjective? 4. Discuss the form of fuging tunes. How do fuging tunes differ from canons in form and texture? 5. Why is the term neoclassical appropriate for the visual arts but not for music of the eighteenth century? (Consider the available ancient Greek and Roman models on which new art could be based.) 6. What position did eighteenth-century American intellectuals believe music and art rightfully held in American life? Do you agree with them or disagree? Why? 7. How did their attitude affect the composition and appreciation of music in America?