1. Music in Early North America
America’s Musical Landscape th edition
Part 1:
Music in Early North America
Chapter 3: Religious Music in the Colonial, Revolutionary, and Federal Periods
© 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved 1

2. Religious Music in the Colonial, Revolutionary, and Federal Periods
As early as the sixteenth century, inhabitants of the New World experienced a variety of native and imported musics
Including Roman Catholic Music
French and Spanish visitors accompanied their own worship with music
The missionaries taught the music to the Indians in Florida and in the Southwest as part of the conversion process to Roman Catholicism
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3. Music at the Spanish Missions
Taught by missionaries, American Indians learned
To sing and perform Christian songs and prayers, including choral singing
To play instruments in church orchestras
To create simple European-style instruments
To sing traditional Spanish music, praise songs or hymns, and Gregorian Chant
To perform at Christmas in musical nativity plays called Las Posadas (The Lodgings), about the struggles of Mary in finding a place to deliver the baby Jesus
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4. Spanish missions Remained active in California
Catholic church music was regularly performed there
By missionaries
By Native Americans
But the Mexican government ordered missions closed in 1833
Musical instruments and music manuscripts of mass settings and church music have been found at mission sites
Catholic music remained important in regions inhabited by Spanish, French, or Mexican people
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5. The Protestant Influence
The Protestant custom of singing psalms and hymns dominated the religious music experience in this country
Religious songs inspired and comforted people in the North and South
New England’s practices exerted the strongest and longest-lasting influence on American music
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6. Psalm Tunes: Martin Luther and the Protestent Reformation
1517 in Europe: German Catholic cleric Martin Luther ( ) instigated the Protestant Reformation, protesting practices of the Roman Catholic church
Other people in northern European countries then formed their own Protestant sects
Protestants sang hymns in their vernacular (common) language
Hymns: Had simple folklike tunes, easy to sing
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7. Psalm Tunes: The Pilgrams and Puritans
Pilgrims and Puritans in New England in the early seventeenth century were Protestants
The protestations against Roman Catholicism included religious music
Pilgrams Going to Church
Painted by George H. Boughton
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8. Psalm Tunes: The Pilgrims and Puritans
Followers of Swiss reformer John Calvin ( ) believed the only texts suitable for singing in a worship service were the psalms,150 inspirational verses from the Old Testament of the Bible
Hymns, forbidden in a worship service, had freely written texts not necessarily based on Biblical passages or from church liturgy
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9. Psalm tunes and the Calvinists
Calvinists retranslated the psalms into verses
having a regular number of lines
with patterns of weak and accented beats
suitable for setting to music
Calvinists believed the only purpose for music in a church service was to enhance expression of a religious text, not to stir emotions and not for the music itself
In worship, sang a cappella (unaccompanied), in unison
Outside of worship Calvinists enjoyed harmony and instrumental accompaniment with their psalm tunes
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10. Psalm tunes became a folk tradition
Psalm tunes were
Folklike in nature
Learned from oral experience
Strophic in form
4-line stanzas
Ornamentation and variation in the singing was typical of folk song singing
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11. Psalm tunes and psalters
Psalter: A book containing the metered and rhymed psalm verses, for use in congregational singing
Some psalters contained notated melodies
Others had no music but only the words, which could be sung to familiar tunes
1539: The first collection of psalm tunes was printed in Switzerland
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12. Psalm tunes and Psalters
Protestants sang hymns in their vernacular, or common, language
Most settlers didn’t bring musical instruments from England, but carried psalters
In 1640, the Bay Psalm Book was the first book printed in the New World
Originally titled The Whole Book of Psalms Faithfully Translated into English Metre
No tunes were included in the first edition; subsequent editions included music
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13. Listening Example 11 Old Hundred (excerpt) By Louis Bourgeois
Also known as the
Doxology, “Praise God,
from Whom All Blessings
Flow,” this setting of
Psalm 100 is the most
famous psalm tune of all
A four-part choir sings
a cappella in this example
with soprano melody
Old Hundred (excerpt)
By Louis Bourgeois
(c c. 1560)
Performers: Gregg Smith Singers
Listening guide page 46
Form: Strophic (only 1 stanza is heard)
Meter: Quadruple, as well as long meter, entailing four line stanzas with eight syllables; any psalm in long meter could be sung to any long meter tune
Rhythm: Altered from the original rhythm sung long ago
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14. Other Protestant Music
John Calvin proscribed all music but the singing of unaccompanied psalm tunes in church
Martin Luther encouraged joyful singing of simple tunes and lighthearted texts in worship, some of which he composed
Lutherans sang hymns, many of which are still sung today
The famous “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” was by Martin Luther
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15. Listening Example 12 ‘Tis the Gift to be Simple
This well-known tune has
both sacred and secular
associations. Sung at two
Presidential inaugurations,
it has been the inspiration
for numerous composers
of film scores and concert
music.
‘Tis the Gift to be Simple
Composed by Joseph Brackett, Jr.
Performed by string ensemble and choir
Listening Guide page 48
Form: Through composed
Meter: Duple
Melody: In a major key, moves mostly stepwise with few leaps
Composed originally as a dance tune, the last two lines instruct the dancers as part of their worship expression
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16. Other Protestant Music: German-Speaking Protestant Sects
Included
Mennonites
Moravians
Responding to William Penn’s policy of religious toleration, German-speaking Protestants fled persecution in Europe and settled in Pennsylvania, then in other regions as well
In America, they kept much of their culture intact
Their language and religious practices isolated them from the Protestant Anglo-American mainstream in the colonies
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17. Other Protestant Music: Mennonites
1683: Mennonites arrived in the US, mostly from Germany
Background
1520s: Mennonites were founded in Europe
Refused on religious grounds to perform military service
Rejected a state church, resulting in European persecution
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18. Mennonite Music
Mennonites had their own hymnals and psalters, some with notated music for hymns and psalms
But the old hymn tunes were preserved by oral tradition
Mennonite schoolmasters compiled tune books with traditional texts and tunes:
Example of Fraktur
Title pages were decorated with Fraktur, a Pennsylvania-German
Mennonite folk art with highly ornamental combination of calligraphy
and script, including flowers, figures, and geometric designs
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19. Other Protestant Music: Moravians and others
The late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century
Waves of emigrant Protestants came to America including
Members of the English Society of Friends, called the Quakers
The Shakers, a later offshoot from the Quakers
Shakers were so called because of the trembling induced by religious emotion during worship
Methodists
Moravians had a significant effect upon music in America
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20. Moravians: Background
Moravians arrived in 1735 together with Methodist missionaries and hymn writers John and Charles Wesley
Moravians
Were persecuted in their homelands of Moravia and Bohemia
Desired to serve as Christian missionaries to African and Native Americans
Settled first in Georgia, then moved north to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as well as Salem (Winston-Salem), North Carolina and other areas in the East
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21. Moravian Music Music had been important to the Moravians in Europe
Composed and performed beautiful music in America
Integrated hymns and other religious music into daily life
Wrote both sacred and secular music
Songs and instrumental music
The music was sophisticated and complex beyond the music of other early Americans
Moravian music revealed their strong German and Czech heritage
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22. Other Protestant Music: The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening, beginning in 1735, was a series of religious revival movements along the eastern seaboard
Started in New England cities
Many Puritans perceived a lessening of moral rectitude and an increase in intellectual interests
People on farms had a hard life on difficult land; abandoned religious customs of parish life
The Great Awakening spread from North to South, stirring religious fervor
Religious enthusiasm stimulated the rise of psalm singing and hymn singing
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23. Early Efforts at Musical Reform
Most colonials had no opportunity to hear or practice good music
Few people could read the notated tunes in editions of the Bay Psalm Book printed after 1698
Old tunes were remembered differently in New England towns and villages
There was disagreement as to how to sing the tunes
Lining Out came to be used for congregational singing: A leader sang one line of a psalm, the congregation repeated, each line performed successively in this manner
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24. The Singing School Movement: Background
Lining out caused problems
Leaders often lacked musical training
Many had unattractive voices
Often sang songs in uncomfortable voice ranges
Embellished and distorted tunes
Better educated ministers printed collections of tunes with instructions in reading music notation
Amateur teachers often attempted simpler methods to teach music notation
These amateurs replaced the teaching ministers and became known as singing school masters
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25. The Singing School Movement and the Singing School Masters
Singing school masters were former shopkeepers, merchants, farmers or tradesmen
Became itinerant teachers
Traveled from town to town
Held singing schools in the local meetinghouse, church or school until the congregation learned to read music
Singing schools were popular social events in addition to their educational purposes
People attended singing school several times per week
A final performance demonstrated students’ accomplishments
The singing school master then traveled to teach elsewhere
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26. The Spread of the Singing School Movement
1720: The Singing School Movement began in Boston
: The movement spread into Canada, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the Carolinas
Into the 1800s: Singing school masters offered instruction and inspiration especially in rural and remote areas
Pedagogy:
Singing school masters devised their own teaching materials
Compiled collections of familiar psalm tunes and other religious songs, often with written instruction about syllables to sing and elements of music
Composed their own tunes
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27. The First New England School of Composers
A “school” of artists generally includes people
Living at the same time
Living in the same geographic region
Sharing certain artistic goals and similarities of style
The singing school masters were the First New England School of Composers, who were
The first Americans to write music with an American sound
Their simple folklike songs had religious texts
The tunes were suitable for congregational and home singing
Shared the goals of teaching people to read music and sing
Music they composed did not conform to anyone’s rules
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28. The First New England School of Composers: William Billings
Billings ( ) became famous as a singing school master and composer
The first American to produce a book of tunes all of his own, the New England Psalm Singer (1770)
Ineffective copyright laws back then; he made meager profits
Billings considered “nature” as the best music teacher
Judged musical quality according to personal taste
Ignored conventional rules of music composition
He and others of the First New England School made unorthodox musical decisions to please their own ears
In his era he was eccentric but extremely talented
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29. Listening Example 13 Chester By William Billings
Let tyrants shake their iron rod,
And Slav’ry clank her galling chains.
We Fear them not, we trust in God.
New England’s God forever reigns.
The foe comes on with haughty stride,
Our troops advance with martial noise,
Their vet’runs flee before our youth,
And Generals yield to beardless boys.
What grateful off’ring shall we bring,
What shall we render to the Lord?
Loud Hallelujahs let us Sing
And praise his name on ev’ry Chord.
Chester
By William Billings
Listening guide page 53
Form: Strophic
Meter: Quadruple; march tempo
Melody: Lies within a one octave range
Texture: Homophonic; melody in tenor voice
Timbre: A cappella four-part singing
“Chester” (1770): The principal marching song of New England troops during the Revolutionary War; the first American popular song
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30. The First New England School of Composers: Performance Practices
The listening example “Chester” is a cappella on our CD
But instruments might have doubled the voice parts
Belief that church music must enhance—never detract from—worship caused prejudice against instrumental accompaniment of church music
Instruments were sensuous and could not express text
Prejudice lessened at the time of the First New England School
Organ, string, or wind accompaniments began to be used
Violin, the “devil’s fiddle” associated with dancing, slowly gained acceptance; bass viol, flute, clarinet, bassoon were used
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31. The First New England School of Composers: Canons
Canon: A melody that forms meaningful harmonies when performed with “staggered entrances”
Successive voices begin the same melody at later times
Each voice continues to the end of the tune, dropping out at the end while remaining voices continue until they drop out in turn
“Voice”—A line of music, whether sung or played by musical instruments
Each line is actually the same melody; a canon is polyphonic
Circular Canon: A round, which continues to make harmonic sense when repeated any number of times
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32. Listening Example 14 When Jesus Wept By William Billings
When Jesus wept, the falling tear
In mercy flow’d beyond all bound;
When Jesus groan’d, a trembling fear
Seiz’d all the guilty world around.
This is one of Billings’ best-known
and best-loved songs
When Jesus Wept
By William Billings
Listening guide page 55
Form: four-part circular canon or round
Texture: Monophonic when the melody is performed in unison; polyphonic when performed in canon
Meter: Triple
Timbre: May be performed by four women’s voices, four men’s voices, or by a mixed chorus of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass
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33. The First New England School of Composers: Fuging Tunes
Fuging tune: A new popular kind of song, late eighteenth century
Form: Two sections, A and B:
A is homophonic : Melody in one voice (usually tenor); other voices (soprano, alto and bass) supply chordal harmony
B is polyphonic, begins with staggered entrances, gives each voice melodic interest
B is repeated
Four similar but independent lines of music, which end together on a chord
By 1800 about 1,000 fuging tunes had been written
Fuging tunes offered interest, variety, challenge, and fun!
A B B
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34. Listening Example 15 Sherburne By Daniel Read Listening guide page 56
While shepherds watched their flocks
by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.
The words are from a famous hymn
Written in 1700 by Nahum Tate
Daniel Read was the most popular
composer of fuging tunes
Sherburne
By Daniel Read
Listening guide page 56
Texture: The first section (A) is homophonic, consisting of the first two lines of text; the second section (B) is repeated and has staggered entrances, each melodic line imitative of, but not identical to, the others
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35. Impact of Singing School Masters upon American Culture
Besides Billings and Read, many singing school masters composed for their pupils
Psalm tunes
Hymns
Canons
Fuging tunes
They considered their music as teaching material
Today we value it as strong, beautiful, and genuinely American
Recent American composers have used the tunes of the First New England School of Composers and their contemporaries as inspiration and source material for current music
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36. Chapter 3 Image Credit:
Slide 7: Pilgrams Going to Church, painted by George H. Boughton. © COREL
Slide 18: An example of Fraktur © Philadelphia Museum of Art/ Corbis
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