William Billings: Difference between revisions

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==Life==
==Life==
'''Born:''' 7 October 1746
'''Born:''' 7 October 1746
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'''Died:''' 26 September 1800
'''Died:''' 26 September 1800


'''Biography'''<br>
'''Biography'''
William Billings was the best known American composer and musician of the eighteenth century, sometimes called the father of American choral music. He was born in Boston in 1746, and died there in 1800, aged 53. He wrote more than three hundred compositions, almost all of them settings of sacred texts, and almost all of them in four parts for ''a cappella'' singing. He was active as a singing-school master for over thirty years in Boston, and the first American composer to publish a book entirely of his own compositions.<br>
 
Although influenced by British psalmodists (notably [[William Tans'ur]] and [[Aaron Williams]]), Billings developed his own styles, which ranged from simple settings of standard hymns to long and complex anthems. Many of his compositions are sung today; examples include [[David's Lamentation (William Billings)|''David's Lamentation]], [[Jordan (William Billings)|''Jordan'']], [[Africa (William Billings)|''Africa'']], [[Easter Anthem (William Billings)|''Easter Anthem'']], [[Kittery (William Billings)|''Kittery'']], and [[Rutland (William Billings)|''Rutland'']], to name a few. He wrote several patriotic songs and anthems, including [[Chester (William Billings)|''Chester'']], [[Independence (William Billings)|''Independence'']], and [[Lamentation over Boston (William Billings)|''Lamentation over Boston'']].<br>
William Billings was the best known American composer and musician of the eighteenth century, sometimes called the father of American choral music. He was born in Boston in 1746, and died there in 1800, aged 53. He wrote more than three hundred compositions, almost all of them settings of sacred texts, and almost all of them in four parts for ''a cappella'' singing. He was active as a singing-school master for over thirty years in Boston, and the first American composer to publish a book entirely of his own compositions.<br>
In Sacred Harp singings alone, for the 22 years 1995-2016, ''David's Lamentation'' was sung 1,993 times, ''Africa'' 2,417, ''Jordan'' 1,573, and ''Easter Anthem'' 1,395 [http://fasola.org/minutes/stats/?s=c].
Although influenced by British psalmodists (notably [[William Tans'ur]] and [[Aaron Williams]]), Billings developed his own styles, which ranged from simple settings of standard hymns to long and complex anthems. Many of his compositions are sung today; examples include [[David's Lamentation (William Billings)|''David's Lamentation]], [[Jordan (William Billings)|''Jordan'']], [[Africa (William Billings)|''Africa'']], [[Easter Anthem (William Billings)|''Easter Anthem'']], [[Kittery (William Billings)|''Kittery'']], and [[Rutland (William Billings)|''Rutland'']], to name a few. He wrote several patriotic songs and anthems, including [[Chester (William Billings)|''Chester'']], [[Independence (William Billings)|''Independence'']], and [[Lamentation over Boston (William Billings)|''Lamentation over Boston'']].<br>
In Sacred Harp singings alone, for the 28 years 1995-2022, ''David's Lamentation'' was sung 2,410 times, ''Africa'' 3,014, ''Jordan'' 1,816 and ''Easter Anthem'' 1,716 [http://fasola.org/minutes/stats/?s=c].
{{WikipediaLink}}
{{WikipediaLink}}
==List of choral works==
==List of choral works==
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{{DisplayBox|bgcolor=#ddffdd|text=<small>'''NOTE'''. New works added to this page should be automatically placed in the correct position below. Please add ''Listing by first line'' manually. </small>}}
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===LISTING BY TITLE===
===LISTING BY TITLE===
Many of these have two or more editions. See ''Listing by First Line'' below
Many of these have two or more editions. See ''Listing by First Line'' below
===1. Psalm-Tunes===
===1. Psalm-Tunes===
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{{#dpl:category=William Billings compositions|mode=userformat|notcategory=Anthems|notcategory=Canons|category=Sacred music|notcategory=motets|namespace=|order=ascending|include={Pub}:2,{PubRev}:1 |secseparators=,&nbsp;|format=,\n*[[%PAGE%|%TITLE%]] |replaceintitle=/\([^\)]+\)$/; |noresultsheader=:''No results.''|columns=5|ordermethod=sortkey|rowcolformat=width=100%}}


===2. Anthems===
===2. Anthems===
{{#dpl:category=William Billings compositions|mode=userformat|category=Anthems{{!}}Motets|namespace=|order=ascending
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===3. Canons===
===3. Canons===
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===4. Secular Music===
===4. Secular Music===
{{#dpl:category=William Billings compositions|mode=userformat|category=Secular music|namespace=|order=ascending
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===LISTING BY FIRST LINE===
===LISTING BY FIRST LINE===
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*[[Cumberland (William Billings)|Behold, the glories of the Lamb]]
*[[Cumberland (William Billings)|Behold, the glories of the Lamb]]
*[[St Andrew's (William Billings)|Behold, the glories of the Lamb]]
*[[St Andrew's (William Billings)|Behold, the glories of the Lamb]]
*[[Effingham (William Billings)|Behold, the lofty sky]]
*[[Effingham (William Billings)|Behold, the lofty sky]]
*[[Asia (William Billings)|Behold, the lofty sky]]
*[[Asia (William Billings)|Behold, the lofty sky]]
*[[Northborough (William Billings)|Behold the splendor, hear the shout]]
*[[Northborough (William Billings)|Behold the splendor, hear the shout]]
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*[[Chesterfield (William Billings)|Death may dissolve my body now]]
*[[Chesterfield (William Billings)|Death may dissolve my body now]]
*[[Fitchburg (William Billings)|Deep in our hearts let us record]]
*[[Fitchburg (William Billings)|Deep in our hearts let us record]]
*[[Plymouth New (William Billings)|Erect your heads, eternal gates]]
*[[Except the Lord build the house (William Billings)|Except the Lord build the house]]
*[[Except the Lord build the house (William Billings)|Except the Lord build the house]]
*[[Baltimore (William Billings)|Father of mercies, thou]]
*[[Baltimore (William Billings)|Father of mercies, thou]]
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*[[Here is a song, which doth belong (William Billings)|Here is a song, which doth belong]]
*[[Here is a song, which doth belong (William Billings)|Here is a song, which doth belong]]
*[[Consolation (William Billings)|He's come, let every knee be bent]]
*[[Consolation (William Billings)|He's come, let every knee be bent]]
*[[Water Town (William Billings)|High in the heavens, eternal God]]
*[[Water Town (William Billings)|High in the heavens, eternal God]]
*[[Nantucket (William Billings)|How beauteous are their feet]]
*[[Nantucket (William Billings)|How beauteous are their feet]]
*[[Madrid (William Billings)|How charmingly sounds the word of the Lord]]
*[[Madrid (William Billings)|How charmingly sounds the word of the Lord]]
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*[[Roxbury (William Billings)|How long, O Lord, shall I complain]]
*[[Roxbury (William Billings)|How long, O Lord, shall I complain]]
*[[Concord (William Billings)|How long wilt Thou conceal Thy face]]
*[[Concord (William Billings)|How long wilt Thou conceal Thy face]]
*[[Albany (William Billings)|How long wilt Thou forget me, Lord]]
*[[Albany (William Billings)|How long wilt Thou forget me, Lord]]
*[[Sherburne (William Billings)|How pleasant 'tis to see]]
*[[Sherburne (William Billings)|How pleasant 'tis to see]]
*[[Spain (William Billings)|How pleased and blest was I]]
*[[Spain (William Billings)|How pleased and blest was I]]
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*[[Philadelphia (William Billings)|Let diff'ring nations join to celebrate]]
*[[Philadelphia (William Billings)|Let diff'ring nations join to celebrate]]
*[[Europe (William Billings)|Let every mortal ear attend]]
*[[Europe (William Billings)|Let every mortal ear attend]]
*[[Dartmouth (William Billings)|Let every mortal ear attend]]
*[[Let every mortal ear attend (William Billings)|Let every mortal ear attend]]
*[[Let every mortal ear attend (William Billings)|Let every mortal ear attend]]
*[[Jargon (William Billings)|Let horrid jargon fill the air]]
*[[Jargon (William Billings)|Let horrid jargon fill the air]]
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*[[Norfolk (William Billings)|Let the old heathen tune their song]]
*[[Norfolk (William Billings)|Let the old heathen tune their song]]
*[[Manchester (William Billings)|Let the shrill trumpet’s warlike voice]]
*[[Manchester (William Billings)|Let the shrill trumpet’s warlike voice]]
*[[Chester (William Billings)|Let tyrants shake their iron rod]]
*[[Chester (William Billings)|Let tyrants shake their iron rod]]
*[[Cohasset (William Billings)|Life is the time to serve the Lord]]
*[[Cohasset (William Billings)|Life is the time to serve the Lord]]
*[[Lift up your eyes (William Billings)|Lift up your eyes, ye sons of light]]
*[[Lift up your eyes (William Billings)|Lift up your eyes, ye sons of light]]
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*[[Bridgwater (William Billings)|Majestic God, when I descry]]
*[[Bridgwater (William Billings)|Majestic God, when I descry]]
*[[Sunday (William Billings)|Majestic God, when I descry]]
*[[Sunday (William Billings)|Majestic God, when I descry]]
*[[Scituate (William Billings)|Man has a soul of vast desires]]
*[[Scituate (William Billings)|Man has a soul of vast desires]]
*[[Boston (William Billings)|Methinks I see an heav'nly host]]
*[[Boston (William Billings)|Methinks I see an heav'nly host]]
*[[Shiloh (William Billings)|Methinks I see an heav'nly host]]
*[[Shiloh (William Billings)|Methinks I see an heav'nly host]]
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*[[Rutland (William Billings)|My flesh shall slumber in the ground]]
*[[Rutland (William Billings)|My flesh shall slumber in the ground]]
*[[The dying Christian's last farewell (William Billings)|My friends, I am going a long journey]]
*[[The dying Christian's last farewell (William Billings)|My friends, I am going a long journey]]
*[[Albany (William Billings)|My God, how many are my fears]]
*[[Albany (William Billings)|My God, how many are my fears]]
*[[Nazareth (William Billings)|My God, how many are my fears]]
*[[Nazareth (William Billings)|My God, how many are my fears]]
*[[Hebron (William Billings)|My God, my life, my love]]
*[[Hebron (William Billings)|My God, my life, my love]]
*[[My God, my life, my love (William Billings)|My God, my life, my love]]
*[[My God, my life, my love (William Billings)|My God, my life, my love]]
{{middle|4}}
*[[Saybrook (William Billings)|My God, what inward grief I feel]]
*[[Saybrook (William Billings)|My God, what inward grief I feel]]
*[[Mendom (William Billings)|My Redeemer, let me be]]
*[[Mendom (William Billings)|My Redeemer, let me be]]
{{middle|4}}
*[[Lexington (William Billings)|My righteous judge, my gracious God]]
*[[Lexington (William Billings)|My righteous judge, my gracious God]]
*[[Waltham (William Billings)|My Savior and my King]]
*[[Waltham (William Billings)|My Savior and my King]]
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*[[Moravia (William Billings)|O love! What a secret to mortals thou art]]
*[[Moravia (William Billings)|O love! What a secret to mortals thou art]]
*[[Universal Praise (O Praise God) (William Billings)|O praise God, praise him in his holiness]]
*[[Universal Praise (O Praise God) (William Billings)|O praise God, praise him in his holiness]]
*[[O praise the Lord of heaven (William Billings)|O praise the Lord of heaven ]]
*[[O praise the Lord of heaven (William Billings)|O praise the Lord of heaven ]]
*[[New North (William Billings)|O praise the Lord with one consent]]
*[[New North (William Billings)|O praise the Lord with one consent]]
*[[Roxbury (1778) (William Billings)|O praise ye the Lord, prepare your glad voice]]
*[[Roxbury (1778) (William Billings)|O praise ye the Lord, prepare your glad voice]]
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*[[Ashford (William Billings)|The Lord Himself, the mighty Lord]]
*[[Ashford (William Billings)|The Lord Himself, the mighty Lord]]
*[[The Lord is king, and is clothed with majesty (William Billings)|The Lord is king, and is clothed with majesty]]
*[[The Lord is king, and is clothed with majesty (William Billings)|The Lord is king, and is clothed with majesty]]
*[[Easter Anthem (William Billings)|The Lord is ris'n indeed]]
*[[Easter Anthem (William Billings)|The Lord is ris'n indeed]]
*[[Cross-Street (William Billings)|The Lord my pasture shall prepare]]
*[[Cross-Street (William Billings)|The Lord my pasture shall prepare]]
*[[Milton (William Billings)|Thee will I laud, my God and King]]
*[[Milton (William Billings)|Thee will I laud, my God and King]]
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*[[Jordan (William Billings)|There is a land of pure delight]]
*[[Jordan (William Billings)|There is a land of pure delight]]
*[[Independence (William Billings)|The states, O Lord, with songs of praise]]
*[[Independence (William Billings)|The states, O Lord, with songs of praise]]
*[[Euroclydon (William Billings)|They that go down to the sea in ships]]
*[[Euroclydon (William Billings)|They that go down to the sea in ships]]
*[[Mansfield (William Billings)|Think, mighty God, on feeble man]]
*[[Mansfield (William Billings)|Think, mighty God, on feeble man]]
{{middle|4}}
*[[Rocky-Nook (William Billings)|Those glorious minds, how bright they shine]]
*[[Rocky-Nook (William Billings)|Those glorious minds, how bright they shine]]
*[[Eden (William Billings)|Those glorious minds, how bright they shine]]
*[[Eden (William Billings)|Those glorious minds, how bright they shine]]
{{middle|4}}
*[[Election (William Billings)|Thou art my blest portion, Thou dear Nazarene]]
*[[Election (William Billings)|Thou art my blest portion, Thou dear Nazarene]]
*[[Thou, O God, art praised in Zion (William Billings)|Thou, O God, art praised in Zion]]
*[[Thou, O God, art praised in Zion (William Billings)|Thou, O God, art praised in Zion]]
*[[Ashham (William Billings)|Thou whom my soul admires above]]
*[[Ashham (William Billings)|Thou whom my soul admires above]]
*[[Hatfield (William Billings)|Though beauty grace the comely face]]
*[[Haverhill (William Billings)|Through all the changing scenes of life]]
*[[Haverhill (William Billings)|Through all the changing scenes of life]]
*[[Purchase Street (1779) (William Billings)|Thus far the Lord has led me on]]
*[[Purchase Street (1779) (William Billings)|Thus far the Lord has led me on]]
*[[Scituate (William Billings)|Thus saith the first, the great command]]
*[[Scituate (William Billings)|Thus saith the first, the great command]]
*[[Petersburgh (William Billings)|Thus saith the high, the lofty one]]
*[[Petersburgh (William Billings)|Thus saith the high, the lofty one]]
*[[Resignation (William Billings)|Thus saith the Ruler of the skies]]
*[[Resignation (William Billings)|Thus saith the Ruler of the skies]]
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*[[Chelsea (William Billings)|What beauties divine]]
*[[Chelsea (William Billings)|What beauties divine]]
*[[Sudbury (1794) (William Billings)|What if the saint must die]]
*[[Sudbury (1794) (William Billings)|What if the saint must die]]
*[[Exeter (William Billings)|When I my inward guilt suppressed]]
*[[Exeter (William Billings)|When I my inward guilt suppressed]]
*[[Medfield (William Billings)|When I my various blessings see]]
*[[Medfield (William Billings)|When I my various blessings see]]
*[[Creation (William Billings)|When I with pleasing wonder stand]]
*[[Creation (William Billings)|When I with pleasing wonder stand]]
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*[[Providence (William Billings)|Who shall the Lord's elect condemn]]
*[[Providence (William Billings)|Who shall the Lord's elect condemn]]
*[[St Elisha's (William Billings)|Who shall the Lord's elect condemn]]
*[[St Elisha's (William Billings)|Who shall the Lord's elect condemn]]
*[[Brunswick (William Billings)|Why did the nations join to slay]]
*[[Brunswick (William Billings)|Why did the nations join to slay]]
*[[Germantown (William Billings)|Why do we mourn departing friends]]
*[[Dunstable (William Billings)|With earnest longings of the mind]]
*[[Dunstable (William Billings)|With earnest longings of the mind]]
*[[Paria (William Billings)|Ye boundless realms of joy]]
*[[Paria (William Billings)|Ye boundless realms of joy]]
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*[[East Sudbury (William Billings)|Ye tribes of Adam, join]]
*[[East Sudbury (William Billings)|Ye tribes of Adam, join]]
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==Publications==
==Publications==
*Billings, William. 1770. [[The New-England Psalm-Singer (William Billings)|''The New-England Psalm-Singer: Or, American Chorister'']]. Boston: Edes and Gill. Preface, 10 pp.; Introduction, 22 pp.; Music and Index, 111 pp.
*Billings, William. 1770. [[The New-England Psalm-Singer (William Billings)|''The New-England Psalm-Singer: Or, American Chorister'']]. Boston: Edes and Gill. Preface, 10 pp.; Introduction, 22 pp.; Music and Index, 111 pp.
*Billings, William. 1778. [[The Singing Master's Assistant (William Billings)|''The Singing Master's Assistant, Or Key to Practical Music'']]. Boston: Drafer and Folsom. Introduction and Index, 22 pp.; Music, 104 pp.
*Billings, William. 1778. [[The Singing Master's Assistant (William Billings)|''The Singing Master's Assistant, Or Key to Practical Music'']]. Boston: Drafer and Folsom. Introduction and Index, 22 pp.; Music, 104 pp.
*Billings, William. 1779. [[Music in Miniature (William Billings)|''Music in Miniature, Containing a Collection of Psalm-Tunes of Various Metres'']]. Boston: Author. 32 pp.  
*Billings, William. 1779. [[Music in Miniature (William Billings)|''Music in Miniature, Containing a Collection of Psalm-Tunes of Various Metres'']]. Boston: Author. 32 pp.
*Billings, William. 1781. [[The Psalm-Singer's Amusement (William Billings)|''The Psalm-Singer's Amusement'']]. Boston: Author. 104 pp.  
*Heath, Susanna. 1780-1781. (''[[The Waterhouse Manuscript]]'').
*Billings, William. 1781. [[The Psalm-Singer's Amusement (William Billings)|''The Psalm-Singer's Amusement'']]. Boston: Author. 104 pp.
*Billings, William. 1786. [[The Suffolk Harmony (William Billings)|''The Suffolk Harmony'']]. Boston: J. Norman. 56 pp. (Two eight-page separates bound in back).
*Billings, William. 1786. [[The Suffolk Harmony (William Billings)|''The Suffolk Harmony'']]. Boston: J. Norman. 56 pp. (Two eight-page separates bound in back).
*Billings, William. 1787. ''An Anthem for Easter''. Boston, 8 pp.
*Billings, William. 1787. ''An Anthem for Easter''. Boston, 8 pp.
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*Billings, William. 1794. [[The Continental Harmony (William Billings)|''The Continental Harmony'']]. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. 199 pp.
*Billings, William. 1794. [[The Continental Harmony (William Billings)|''The Continental Harmony'']]. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. 199 pp.
*Howe, Solomon. ca. 1804. ''[[The Psalm-Singer's Amusement (1804)|The Psalm-Singer's Amusement]]''. Boston, Solomon Howe. This posthumous publication contains some new arrangements, apparently by Billings.
*Howe, Solomon. ca. 1804. ''[[The Psalm-Singer's Amusement (1804)|The Psalm-Singer's Amusement]]''. Boston, Solomon Howe. This posthumous publication contains some new arrangements, apparently by Billings.
 
{{#ExtWeb:
==External links==
*Facsimile: [http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Billings,_William Original publications from IMSLP]
*Facsimile: [http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Billings,_William Original publications from IMSLP]
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6686735 FindAGrave.com]
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6686735 FindAGrave.com]
*[https://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44498069.pdf Scan of Crawford and McKay 1974, includes scans of subject manuscript]}}
==References==
==References==
*Anderson, Gillian B. 1975. ''"Samuel the Priest Gave Up the Ghost" and the Temple of Minerva: Two Broadsides''. Notes 31(3):493-516.
*Barbour, J. Murray. 1960. ''The Church Music of William Billings''. 167 pp. East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Press.
*Barbour, J. Murray. 1960. ''The Church Music of William Billings''. 167 pp. East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Press.
*Brownson, Oliver, Editor. 1783. ''Select Harmony, Containing the Necessary Rules of Psalmody, Together With a Collection of Approved Psalm Tunes, Hymns and Anthems''. Hartford, Connecticut, 100 pp.  
*Brownson, Oliver, Editor. 1783. ''Select Harmony, Containing the Necessary Rules of Psalmody, Together With a Collection of Approved Psalm Tunes, Hymns and Anthems''. Hartford, Connecticut, 100 pp. Further editions in 1784, 1785, and 1790. The 1784 edition contains the first publication of ''Kittery'' by William Billings.
*Crawford, Richard. 1993. ''William Billings (1746-1800) and American Psalmody: a Study of Musical Dissemination''. Chapter 4, pp. 111-151 in ''The American Musical Landscape'' by Richard Crawford. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
*Crawford, Richard, and David P. McKay. 1974. ''Music in Manuscript: A Massachusetts Tune-Book of 1782''. Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society 84:45-64.
*Crawford, Richard. 1993. ''William Billings (1746-1800) and American Psalmody: a Study of Musical Dissemination''. Chapter 4, pp. 111-151 in ''The American Musical Landscape'' by Richard Crawford. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
*Fawcett-Yeske, Maxine. 1996. ''Stylistic Development in the Fuging Tunes of William Billings''. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 7(1):32-46.
*Fawcett-Yeske, Maxine. 1996. ''Stylistic Development in the Fuging Tunes of William Billings''. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 7(1):32-46.
*Howe, Sondra W. 1996. ''William Billings: A Biographical Overview''. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 7(1): 6-9. http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme/
*Howe, Sondra W. 1996. ''William Billings: A Biographical Overview''. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 7(1): 6-9. http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme/
*Kroeger, Karl. 1978. Letter to the Editor. Journal of the American Musicological Society 31(1):176-177.
*Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1981. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume I. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 383 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1981. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume I. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 383 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Kroeger, Karl. 1982. ''William Billings's Music in Manuscript Copy and Some Notes on Variant Versions of His Pieces''. Notes 39(2):316-345.
*Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1986. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume III. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 399 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1986. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume III. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 399 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Kroeger, Karl. 1987. ''William Billings's 'Anthem for Easter': The Persistence of an Early American 'Hit'''. Journal of the American Antiquarian Society, 105-128.
*Kroeger, Karl. 1987. ''William Billings's 'Anthem for Easter': The Persistence of an Early American 'Hit'''. Journal of the American Antiquarian Society, 105-128.
*Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1990. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume IV. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 332 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1990. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume IV. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 332 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Kroeger, Karl. 1991. ''Catalog of the Musical Works of William Billings''. New York: Greenwood Press. 160 pp.
*Kroeger, Karl. 1996. ''Two Unknown Billings Compositions in John Norman's "The Massachusetts Harmony" (1784)''. The Hymn 47(3):44-49.
*Kroeger, Karl. 1996. ''Two Unknown Billings Compositions in John Norman's "The Massachusetts Harmony" (1784)''. The Hymn 47(3):44-49.
*Nathan, Hans. 1976. ''William Billings: Data and Documents''. Detroit, Michigan: The College Music Society.
*Nathan, Hans, Editor. 1977. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume II. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 362 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Nathan, Hans, Editor. 1977. ''The complete works of William Billings'', Volume II. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 362 pp. [http://www.ams-net.org/billings/]
*Norman, John, Editor. 1784. ''The Massachusetts Harmony, Being a New Collection of Psalm Tunes, Fuges and Anthems''. Boston, 101 pp.
*Norman, John, Editor. 1784. ''The Massachusetts Harmony, Being a New Collection of Psalm Tunes, Fuges and Anthems''. Boston, 101 pp.
*Stickney, John. 1774. ''{{NoComp|The Gentleman and Lady’s Musical Companion|John Stickney}}.'' Newburyport, Massachusetts: Daniel Bayley. Further editions in 1777 and 1783. The 1774 edition contains the first publication of ''Exeter'' by William Billings.
*Temperley, Nicholas. 1983. Review of ''The Complete Works of William Billings, Volume I: "The New-England Psalm-Singer"''. American Music 1(4):100-105.
*Temperley, Nicholas. 1988. Review of ''The Complete Works of William Billings, Volume III''. Journal of the American Musicological Society 41(1):179-186.


==Statistics==
==Statistics==
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| Anthems
| Anthems
| 5
| 5
|  
|
| 10
| 10
| 1
| 1
| 9
| 9
|  
|
| 5
| 5
| 1
| 1
|  
|
| 19
| 19
| 50
| 50
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| Canons
| Canons
| 3
| 3
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
| 3
| 3
| 3
| 3
|-style="text-align: right;"
|-style="text-align: right;"
| Secular Songs
| Secular Songs
|  
|
|  
|
| 2
| 2
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
|  
|
| 2
| 2
| 2
| 2
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| 49
| 49
| 306
| 306
|  
|
|-style="text-align: right;"
|-style="text-align: right;"
| No. Here
| No. Here
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| 2
| 2
| 46
| 46
|  
|
| 263
| 263
|-}}
|-}}
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[[Category:Psalm-tune composers]]
[[Category:Psalm-tune composers]]
[[Category:Composer pages automated using dpl]]
[[Category:Composer pages automated using dpl]]
[[Category:Lyricists]]

Latest revision as of 17:09, 17 December 2023

Life

Born: 7 October 1746

Died: 26 September 1800

Biography

William Billings was the best known American composer and musician of the eighteenth century, sometimes called the father of American choral music. He was born in Boston in 1746, and died there in 1800, aged 53. He wrote more than three hundred compositions, almost all of them settings of sacred texts, and almost all of them in four parts for a cappella singing. He was active as a singing-school master for over thirty years in Boston, and the first American composer to publish a book entirely of his own compositions.
Although influenced by British psalmodists (notably William Tans'ur and Aaron Williams), Billings developed his own styles, which ranged from simple settings of standard hymns to long and complex anthems. Many of his compositions are sung today; examples include David's Lamentation, Jordan, Africa, Easter Anthem, Kittery, and Rutland, to name a few. He wrote several patriotic songs and anthems, including Chester, Independence, and Lamentation over Boston.
In Sacred Harp singings alone, for the 28 years 1995-2022, David's Lamentation was sung 2,410 times, Africa 3,014, Jordan 1,816 and Easter Anthem 1,716 [1].

View the Wikipedia article on William Billings.

List of choral works

NOTE. New works added to this page should be automatically placed in the correct position below. Please add Listing by first line manually.

LISTING BY TITLE

Many of these have two or more editions. See Listing by First Line below

1. Psalm-Tunes


2. Anthems

3. Canons

4. Secular Music

 

LISTING BY FIRST LINE

Settings of text by William Billings


Click here to search for this composer on CPDL

Publications

External websites:

References

  • Anderson, Gillian B. 1975. "Samuel the Priest Gave Up the Ghost" and the Temple of Minerva: Two Broadsides. Notes 31(3):493-516.
  • Barbour, J. Murray. 1960. The Church Music of William Billings. 167 pp. East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Press.
  • Brownson, Oliver, Editor. 1783. Select Harmony, Containing the Necessary Rules of Psalmody, Together With a Collection of Approved Psalm Tunes, Hymns and Anthems. Hartford, Connecticut, 100 pp. Further editions in 1784, 1785, and 1790. The 1784 edition contains the first publication of Kittery by William Billings.
  • Crawford, Richard, and David P. McKay. 1974. Music in Manuscript: A Massachusetts Tune-Book of 1782. Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society 84:45-64.
  • Crawford, Richard. 1993. William Billings (1746-1800) and American Psalmody: a Study of Musical Dissemination. Chapter 4, pp. 111-151 in The American Musical Landscape by Richard Crawford. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
  • Fawcett-Yeske, Maxine. 1996. Stylistic Development in the Fuging Tunes of William Billings. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 7(1):32-46.
  • Howe, Sondra W. 1996. William Billings: A Biographical Overview. The Quarterly Journal of Music Teaching and Learning 7(1): 6-9. http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme/
  • Kroeger, Karl. 1978. Letter to the Editor. Journal of the American Musicological Society 31(1):176-177.
  • Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1981. The complete works of William Billings, Volume I. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 383 pp. [2]
  • Kroeger, Karl. 1982. William Billings's Music in Manuscript Copy and Some Notes on Variant Versions of His Pieces. Notes 39(2):316-345.
  • Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1986. The complete works of William Billings, Volume III. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 399 pp. [3]
  • Kroeger, Karl. 1987. William Billings's 'Anthem for Easter': The Persistence of an Early American 'Hit'. Journal of the American Antiquarian Society, 105-128.
  • Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1990. The complete works of William Billings, Volume IV. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 332 pp. [4]
  • Kroeger, Karl. 1991. Catalog of the Musical Works of William Billings. New York: Greenwood Press. 160 pp.
  • Kroeger, Karl. 1996. Two Unknown Billings Compositions in John Norman's "The Massachusetts Harmony" (1784). The Hymn 47(3):44-49.
  • Nathan, Hans. 1976. William Billings: Data and Documents. Detroit, Michigan: The College Music Society.
  • Nathan, Hans, Editor. 1977. The complete works of William Billings, Volume II. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 362 pp. [5]
  • Norman, John, Editor. 1784. The Massachusetts Harmony, Being a New Collection of Psalm Tunes, Fuges and Anthems. Boston, 101 pp.
  • Stickney, John. 1774. The Gentleman and Lady’s Musical Companion. Newburyport, Massachusetts: Daniel Bayley. Further editions in 1777 and 1783. The 1774 edition contains the first publication of Exeter by William Billings.
  • Temperley, Nicholas. 1983. Review of The Complete Works of William Billings, Volume I: "The New-England Psalm-Singer". American Music 1(4):100-105.
  • Temperley, Nicholas. 1988. Review of The Complete Works of William Billings, Volume III. Journal of the American Musicological Society 41(1):179-186.

Statistics

Works Composed by William Billings
Class 1770 1774 1778 1779 1781 1783 1786 1787 1790 1794 Total No. Here
Psalm-Tunes 116 1 36 30 10 1 24 1 2 30 251 211
Anthems 5 10 1 9 5 1 19 50 47
Canons 3 3 3
Secular Songs 2 2 2
Total 124 1 48 31 19 1 29 2 2 49 306
No. Here 88 1 47 29 19 1 28 2 2 46 263
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