William Billings

Life

Born: 7 October 1746

Died: 26 September 1800

Biography

View the Wikipedia article on William Billings.

List of choral works

L E G E N D

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• New Boston

LISTING BY TITLE

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

1. Psalm-tunes published in The New-England Psalm-Singer, 1770

Albany Ashford Brattle Street (1770) Bridgwater Chesterfield Concord

Cumberland Fairfield Haverhill Lexington Lynn Malden

Middletown Milton Nantucket New Boston Newport No. 45

North River Old South Pembrook New Pomfret Providence Roxbury (1770)

Scituate Smithfield St Elisha's Taunton Union Uxbridge

Water Town Wheelers Point Williamsburgh

2. Psalm-tunes first published in 1770, revised later

Africa America   Amherst   Boston Brookfield

Brookline   Cambridge   Chester   Dorchester   Duxborough

Europe Hebron   Hollis Street   Lebanon   Marblehead

Marshfield   Medfield   New-Hingham   New North   New South

Princetown   Pumpily   Sappho   Suffolk   Waltham

3. Psalm-tunes first published in The Singing-Master's Assistant, 1778

Ashham   Aurora   Benevolence   Bethlehem Bolton Brunswick

Chocksett   Connection Consolation   Dunstable Emmaus Exeter

Halifax   Heath   Jargon   Judea Majesty Maryland

Medway   North Providence   Philadelphia   Phoebus   Richmond Roxbury (1778)

Savannah   Sharon   Spain   Stockbridge   Sullivan   Sunday

Vermont Warren   Washington Worcester   Wrentham

4. Psalm-tunes first published in Music In Miniature, 1779

Asia Calvary Crucifixion

Danbury Dublin Fitchburg

Framingham Georgia (1779) Hampshire (1779)

Madrid Manchester Mansfield

Oxford Paris Purchase Street (1779)

Revelation Saybrook Wareham

5. Psalm-tunes first published in The Psalm-Singer's Amusement, 1781

Adoration   Andover

Assurance Berlin

Emanuel Golgotha

Hartford   Mendom

Redemption Resignation

Rutland Thomas-Town

6. Psalm-tune first published in Select Harmony, 1783

• Kittery  

7. Psalm-tunes first published in Massachusetts Harmony, 1784

• Effingham  
• Paria  

8. Psalm-tunes first published in The Suffolk Harmony, 1786

Baptism   Beneficence   Brattle Square

Brattle Street   (1786) Burlington   Camden

Conquest Gloucester   Jordan

Northborough   Moravia   Moriah

Petersburgh Philanthropy   Restoration

Shiloh

9. Psalm-tunes first published in The Continental Harmony, 1794

Bellingham   Broad Cove Clarimont   Cobham

Cohasset Cross-Street Dedham East Sudbury

Egypt Gilead Great-Plain Hopkinton

Invocation Morning Hymn Norfolk   Rochester

Rocky-Nook   St Andrew's   St. Enoch   St. John's

St. Thomas Washington-Street West-Sudbury Weymouth

10. Anthems

And I saw a mighty angel An Anthem for Christmas As the hart panteth Blessed is he that considereth the poor Charlston Creation   David's Lamentation Deliverance   Easter Anthem   Euroclydon   Except the Lord build the house

Gratitude   Hear my prayer, O Lord   Hear my prayer, O Lord, my God   Hear, hear, O heavens   I am come into my garden I am the Rose of Sharon Independence   Is any afflicted? Lamentation over Boston   Let every mortal ear attend Lift up your eyes

Modern musick   Mourn, mourn   O Lord, our fathers oft have told O praise the Lord of heaven   Sanctify a fast   Samuel the priest gave up the ghost Sing ye merrily   Sublimity   The beauty of Israel is slain   The dying Christian to his soul The dying Christian's last farewell

The Lord is king, and is clothed with majesty Thou, O God, art praised in Zion   Union (1786)   Universal Praise Variety, without method   Wake every breath   When Jesus wept   Who is this that cometh from Edom

LISTING BY FIRST LINE

A virgin unspotted Ah! Lovely appearance of death All over lovely is my Lord and God Almighty God, whose boundless sway And I saw a mighty angel And must this body die Anthem for charity meetings Arise and hail the sacred day As pants the hart for cooling streams As shepherds in darkness were guarding their sheep As the hart panteth Awake my soul, awake my eyes Awake, my heart; arise, my tongue Awake, my soul, awake Awake, our souls; away, our fears Begin, my tongue, some heavenly theme Behold, how good and joyful a thing Behold, the glories of the Lamb Behold, the glories of the Lamb Behold, the lofty sky Behold, the lofty sky Behold the splendor, hear the shout Bright King of glory, dreadful God By the rivers of Watertown Canaan promised is before Children of the heavenly King Come see the wonders, see the wonders Come, let us join our cheerful songs Come, let us join our cheerful songs Come, let us sing unto the Lord David, the king, was grieved and moved Death, O the awful sound Death, with his warrant in his hand Dear Lord! Behold our sore distress Death may dissolve my body now Deep in our hearts let us record Except the Lord build the house From all that dwell below the skies From lowest depths of woe Glorious Jesus, Thy dear name to praise: Great God, how frail a thing is man Greatly beloved, of God approved Hail! Sacred Music hail Happy the man whose tender care Hark! From the tombs, a doleful sound Hark! Hark! Hear you not He dies, the heavenly lover dies Hear my prayer, O Lord Hear my prayer, O Lord, my God Hear, hear, O heavens Here is a song, which doth belong He's come, let every knee be bent High in the heavens, eternal God How beauteous are their feet How charmingly sounds the word of the Lord

How glorious is our heavenly King How good and pleasant must it be How long, O Lord, shall I complain How long wilt Thou conceal Thy face How long wilt Thou forget me, Lord How pleased and blest was I How short and hasty are our lives How vast must their advantage be! I am come into my garden I am the Rose of Sharon I lift my soul to God I love the Lord because He hath heard the voice of my prayer In anger, Lord, rebuke me not In vain the wealthy mortals toil In vain we lavish out our lives Is any afflicted, let him pray I will love Thee, I will love Thee Jesus, the Savior from above Jesus, Thy name we praise Just are Thy ways, and true Thy word Let all the heathen Writers join Let angels above, and saints here below Let diff'ring nations join to celebrate Let every mortal ear attend Let every mortal ear attend Let horrid jargon fill the air Let mortal tongues attempt to sing Let sinners take their course Let the old heathen tune their song Let the shrill trumpet’s warlike voice Let tyrants shake their iron rod Life is the time to serve the Lord Lift up your eyes, ye sons of light Like sheep we went astray Lo, he cometh; countless trumpets Lord, hear the voice of my complaint Lord, in the morning Thou shalt hear Lord of the worlds above Lord, what a feeble piece Lord, when thou didst ascend on high Lord, who's the happy man that may Majestic God, our muse inspire Majestic God, when I descry Majestic God, when I descry Man has a soul of vast desires Methinks I see an heav'nly host Methinks I see an heav'nly host Methinks I see my Saviour dear Mourn, mourn, mourn, mourn Mourn, mourn, ye saints My beloved haste away My flesh shall slumber in the ground My friends, I am going a long journey My God, how many are my fears My God, my life, my love My God, my life, my love My God, what inward grief I feel My Redeemer, let me be

My righteous judge, my gracious God My Savior and my King My soul the great Creator Praise Not to our names, Thou only just and true Now shall my head be lifted high Now shall my inward joy arise Now shall my inward joys arise O God, Thou hast been displeased O happy nation, where the Lord O how doth God our souls surprise O Lord, our fathers oft have told O love! What a secret to mortals thou art O praise God, praise him in his holiness O praise the Lord of heaven O praise the Lord with one consent O praise ye the Lord, prepare your glad voice Once more, my soul, the rising day Our Father who in heaven art Our Father who in heaven art Praise ye the Lord, 'tis good to raise Rejoice, the Lord is king Rejoice, ye shining worlds on high Return, O God of love, return Salvation! O, the joyful sound Samuel the priest gave up the ghost Sanctify a fast Shall we go on to sin Shall wisdom cry aloud Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive Sing the triumphs of your conquering Sing to the Lord a new-made song Sing to the Lord Jehovah's name Sing ye merrily Sweet is the memory of Thy grace Sweet is the work, my God, my King Teach me the measure of my days That man is blest who stands in awe The beauty of Israel is slain The God of glory sends His summons forth The heavens declare the glory of God The heavens declare Thy glory, Lord The Lord descended from above The Lord Himself, the mighty Lord The Lord is king, and is clothed with majesty The Lord is ris'n indeed The Lord my pasture shall prepare Thee will I laud, my God and King The Eternal speaks, all heaven attends There is a land of pure delight The states, O Lord, with songs of praise They that go down to the sea in ships Think, mighty God, on feeble man Those glorious minds, how bright they shine

Thou, O God, art praised in Zion Thou whom my soul admires above Through all the changing scenes of life Thus far the Lord has led me on Thus saith the first, the great command Thus saith the high, the lofty one Thus saith the Ruler of the skies Time, what an empty vapor ’tis Time, what an empty vapor 'tis To bless Thy chosen race To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit To God the mighty Lord, your joyful thanks repeat To God, the great, the ever-blessed To Him who chose us first To Thee I made my cry To Thee the tuneful anthem soars Twas on that dark, that doleful night Vain are the hopes the sons of men Vital spark of heav’nly flame Wake ev'ry breath and every string We are met for a concert of modern invention When I my inward guilt suppressed When I my various blessings see When I with pleasing wonder stand When Jesus wept, a falling tear When Jesus wept, a falling tear When the fierce north wind with his airy forces When we, our wearied limbs to rest Where are the mourners While shepherds watched their flocks by night While shepherds watched their flocks by night Who is this that cometh from Edom Who shall the Lord's elect condemn Who shall the Lord's elect condemn Why did the nations join to slay With earnest longings of the mind Ye boundless realms of joy Ye boundless realms of joy Ye boundless realms of joy Ye holy souls, in God rejoice Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim Ye slumb'ring saints, a heav'nly host Ye that delight to serve the Lord Ye tribes of Adam, join

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Publications

• The New-England Psalm-Singer (1770)
• The Singing Master's Assistant (1778)
• Music in Miniature (1779)
• The Psalm-Singer's Amusement (1781)
• The Suffolk Harmony (1786)
• The Continental Harmony (1794)

External links

Facsimile: Original publications from IMSLP

References

• 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.
• 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, Editor. 1981. The complete works of William Billings, Volume I. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 383 pp. [1]
• Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1986. The complete works of William Billings, Volume III. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 399 pp. [2]
• Kroeger, Karl, Editor. 1990. The complete works of William Billings, Volume IV. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 332 pp. [3]
• Kroeger, Karl. 1996. Two Unknown Billings Compositions in John Norman's "The Massachusetts Harmony" (1784). The Hymn 47(3):44-49.
• Nathan, Hans, Editor. 1977. The complete works of William Billings, Volume II. Brunswick, Maine: American Musicological Society, 362 pp. [4]
• Norman, John, Editor. 1784. The Massachusetts Harmony, Being a New Collection of Psalm Tunes, Fuges and Anthems. Boston, 101 pp.