Vocal music I’ve typeset, arranged, or written.
William Billings (1746-1800) was by far the best of the early American composers. This composition, titled “Sanctify a Fast” in The Complete Works of William Billings, is one of Billings’s longest works (performance time approx. 8:15). It appeared in The Continental Harmony, 1794.
PDF of Anthem Suitable for Fast
Indian Melodies by Thomas Commuck (1804-1855), the first publication of music by a Native American composer, was originally printed in four-shape note heads. Harmonized by Thomas Hastings. This is a digitally cleaned-up version of a scan of Commuck’s original book. Because it’s a huge graphics file, it’s not hosted here. Instead, you can purchase a print version on Lulu.com.
A selection of three hymn tunes by Abraham Maxim (1773-1829), who was born in Massachusetts but moved to Maine in the 1790s. I have paired Maxim’s tunes with classic texts by Isaac Watts, as well as a text by Universalist minister Abner Kneeland.
PDF of three hymns by Abraham Maxim
Daniel Read (1757-1836) was one of the better early American composers. This was one of his longer compositions.
100 copyright-free hymns and songs for Unitarian Universalists and other religious liberals.
Link to copyright-free hymn page
This is a collection of more than four dozen Yuletide songs, arranged for SATB voices. Songs include familiar classics such as “Joy to the World,” lesser-known favorites like “Sussex Mummers Carol” and “Los Posadas,” familiar songs such as “Go Tell It on the Mountains” that are hard to find arranged for SATB, and a few little-known gems such as William Billings’ “Shiloh.” The texts mostly come from older Unitarian, Universalist, American Ethical Union, and Quaker hymnals and songbooks, and will appeal to religious liberals. Suitable for carolers, choirs, and informal groups that enjoy singing four-part harmony.
If you search my main blog, you can find copyright-free Christmas carols there.
For 2+ sopranos (C4-A5) and 2+ basses (F2-D4) unaccompanied. Duration: approx. 9:50. This suite was written for a quartet I was part of up until 2020 (sadly, COVID shut us down before we could perform any of these songs).
PDF of Six Songs and Dances to Poems by Robert Herrick
A collection of shape note tunes I wrote for Bay Area Sacred Harp singers. Versions of one or two of these tunes appeared in “The Trumpet,” the now-defunct online publication of new tunes in the Sacred Harp tradition.
