Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/A/Ancient prefaces
Ancient prefaces. Many of these old musical works, collections, treatises, &c., are curious and instructive. Here are some specimens : - "The whole Booke of Psalmes : with The Hymnes Evangelicall, and Songs Spirituall. - Composed into 4 parts, by several Authors, with such seuerall Tunes as haue beene, and are vsually sung in England, Scotland, \Vales, Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. Neuer as yet before in one Volume published. Also : A brief Abstract of the Prayse, Efficacie, and Vertue of the Psalmes. Newly corrected and enlarged by Tho. Rauenscroft, Bachelor of Musicke. Gloria in excelsis Deo. London, Printed by Thomas Harper for the company of Stationers, 1633."
Extracts from the Preface.
"To all that have Skill or Will unto Sacred Musicke, I will CONCORD among themselves, with God, and with their own consciences.
"Harmonicall Brethren, I have here under-taken, with no small labour and charge, to bring the Tunes of the Psalmes, Hymnes Evangelical, and Songs Spiritual, (as they are usually sung throughout Great Britaine,) into one entire volume ; which are so composed, for the most part, that the musickfull may, with little practice, be enabled to sing them in parts, after a plausible manner.
"But whatsoever the tunes were in David's time, there is no question but they were concord-ant and harmonious, which could not be, had they not been divided into parts. For if ye look into 1 Chron. chap. 15, 16 verse, ye shall see how the Prophet David, at the dedication of the Arke, as likewise Solomon his Sonne, at the dedication of the temple, 2 Chron. chap. 6, :11 verse, distinguished all their musicke in parts, and appointed such to he Masters and Overseers of it, as were most eminent for their knowledge in that kind, as Chenaniah the chiefe Levite, to have the chiefe place, which was to be master of the song. An office which consisted not only in the direction of the Quire, but likewise in the trayning up of others to sing, that there might still 1)e a supply of able persons for that service : Asaph the next, and so Heman his Brother, likewise Jeduthun and Ethan, all of them the most renowned chanters of those times, and such as successively in one another's absence, were to direct the due performance of that charge, so that not only the voyce of the Singers, but likewise the sound of the Instruments, agreed so well together, that they seemed to be but one sound and one voyce.
"Neither was this method confined only to the Old Testament, but sanctified to the Church of Christ by the prescription of the holy Apostle S. Paul, Cor. 3, verse 16. Let the word of God, &c. Singing, &c. With grace, &c.
"I have therefore endeavoured for the fitting of every heart to that Psalme, which it shall most affect, to place special Tunes, proper to the nature of each Psalme, (not imitating art, so much, as the natural inclination, but joining one with another,) and am bold to admonish the gingers that they observe three rules :
" 1. That Psalmes of Tribulation be sung with a low voyce and long measure,
2. That Psalmes of Thanksgiving be sung with a voyce indifferent, neither too loud nor too soft, and with a measure neither too swift nor too slow.
"3. That Psalmes of Rejoicing be sung with a loude voyce, a swift and jocund measure. "In all which the observing of Time, Tune, and Eare, will produce a perfect Harmony. " Accept kindly, what I have labored earnestly, and use it to thy comfort. Thus I end, humbly wishing to all true Christian Hearts, that sweet consolation, in singing prayses unto God, here upon earth, as may bring us hereafter to bear a part with the Quire of Angels in the Heavens.
"Your well according and
" Best wishing Brother,
"THO. RAUENSCROFT."
The following is the "Recommendatory Preface" to a work, the title of which is as follows: "The Grounds and Rules of Music Explained : Or, An Introduction to the Art of Singing by Note. Fitted to the meanest Capacities. By Thomas Walter. M. D. Recommended by several Ministers. Boston : Printed for Samuel Gerrish. 1746."
" An ingenious Hand having prepared Instructions to direct them that would learn to sing PSALMS after a regular Manner ; and it being thought proper that we should signify unto the Public some of our Sentiments on this Occasion; We do declare, that we rejoice in good Helps for a beautiful and laudable Performance of that holy Service, wherein we are to glorify GOD, and edify one another with the spiritual Songs, where-with he has enriched us.
"And we would encourage all, more particularly our Young People, to accomplish themselves with Skill to sing the Songs of the LORD, according to the good Rules of Psalmody: Hoping that the Consequence of it will be, that not only the Assemblies of Zion will decently and in Order carry on this Exercise of PIETY, but also it will be the more introduced into private Families, and become a Part of our Family Sacrifice.
At the same Time we would above all exhort, That the main Concern of all may be to make it not a meer Bodily Exercise, but sing with Grace in their Hearts, and with Minds attentive to the Truths in the PSALMS which they sing, and affected with them, so that in their Hearts they make a Melody to the LORD.
"PETER THACHER, INCREASE MATHER.
JOSEPH SEWELL, COTTON MATHER,
THOMAS PRINCE, NEHEMIAH WALTER,
JOHN WEBB, JOSEPH BELCHER,
WILLIAM COOPER, BENJ. WADSWORTH, THOMAS FOXCROFT, BENJ. COLMAN, SAMUEL CHECKLEY, NATHANIEL WILLIAMS,
NATHANIEL HUNTING.
" Boston, April 18, 1721."