117

Index of Compositions 193

Miscellaneous Items 280

ANNALS OF MUSIC IN AMERICA

_Annals of Music in America_

CHAPTER I

1640-1750

The Annals of Music in America during the first hundred years contain
very little that would seem to be of any importance to the musicians of
today. Nevertheless it is as interesting to note the beginnings of music
in this newly settled country as to watch the appearance of the baby's
first tooth.

The first settlement at Plymouth took place in 1620, and we find that in
1640 the colonists were already busy with the printing press in
Cambridge, Mass., and the second book which came from the press was a
reprint of an English Psalm book, printed under the title of the Bay
Psalm Book. This was not an original work, but its production shows that
music was already a living problem, and was even then part of the life
of the colonists.

Practically nothing more of note happened until the importation of the
first pipe organ, in 1700. This was quickly followed by other similar
instruments in different parts of the country, and even by the building
of organs by Americans, the first being by John Clemm in New York, which
contained three manuals and twenty-six stops, and the next by Edward
Bromfield in Boston. Bromfield's organ had two manuals and 1200 pipes,
but was not completed when he died in 1746.

The early history of music in New England, as handed down to us by
writers on the subject, seems to have consisted chiefly of church
singing, concerning which there were many controversies. The early
composers of New England were mainly occupied in composing psalm tunes,
and in teaching singing schools.

The accounts of secular music come chiefly from Charleston, S. C., at
which place many musicians entered this continent after visiting the
West Indies. In fact, the first song recital on record in America took
place at Charleston in 1733, while Boston had a concert in 1731 and
Charleston had one in 1732. Charleston also claims the first performance
of ballad opera on record in America (1735).

It must not, however, be supposed that New England had no secular music.
The concert above mentioned goes to show the contrary. Also there is a
record of small wind instruments, such as oboes and flageolets, being
brought to Boston for the purposes of trade--possibly with the idea that
New England shepherds might play to