Bibliography of Shape-Note Songbooks

(Compiled by Stanley C. Pelkey II Fall 1996) The repertoire of the nineteenth-century shape note tradition constitutes one of the greatest native traditions of American music. Its directness, immediacy of sentiment, and its rough-hewn integrity represent some of the best qualities of the American ethic. It was born in the singing schools of the northeast, but was driven into the marginal lands of the frontier and backwoods where it has survived as a living tradition down to the present. A mark of its resilience and power is its revival in virtually all parts of the United States including, with poetic justice, the lands of the northeast from which it was driven.The long-standing association of the Eastman School of Music with American music would serve as sufficient justification for Sibley Library’s development of shape note resources. But beyond both that and the fact that it represents a fertile and little tilled field for scholarly research, the music itself simply merits the attention. Almost every writer who has dealt with the subject has to some degree fallen under its spell. We hope that this ongoing bibliography of our resources will stimulate scholarly research in a worthwhile field, but we hope more that it will promote a love of the music.

M2116 .L415a The Art of Singing; in Three Parts: to Wit, I. The Musical Primer, II. The Chistian [sic] Harmony, III. The Musical Magazine. Fourth edition. Andrew Law. Cambridge: W. Hilliard, 1803, c1804.
M2117 .A292 .C55 1853 The Christian Minstrel: A New System of Musical Notation; with a Collection of Psalm Tunes, Anthems, and Chants, Selected from the Most Popular Works in Europe and America. Forty-Eighth Edition. J.B. Aikin. Philadelphia: T.K. Collins, 1853 [cover 1854], c1846.
M2117 .A292 .C55 1855  The Christian Minstrel: A New System of Musical Notation; with a Collection of Psalm Tunes, Anthems, and Chants, Selected from the Most Popular Works in Europe and America. J.B. Aikin. Philadelphia: T.K. Collins, 1855, c1846.
M2121 .S649 The Church Harmony. Henry Smith. Chambersburg, PA: Henry Ruby, 1831, c1831.
M2117 .C953 1908 Crowning Day 1-6 Combined Contains 297 Numbers of the Most Popular Songs of this Famous Series of Gospel Song Books. J.H. Hall, J.H. and W.H. Ruebush. Dayton, Virginia: Ruebush-Kieffer Co., 1908.
M2116 .S664 .E1 1803z The Easy Instructor Or A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. Part II. William Smith. c1798.
M2116 .L778 .E1 1805   The Easy Instructor, Or A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. [1805] Title page torn; publication information missing. (C.f. Lowens = ed. B)*
M2116 .L778 .E1 1809  The Easy Instructor; Or, A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. William Little and William Smith. Albany: Websters & Skinner and Daniel Steele. With manuscript additions. (C.f. Lowens = ed. G)*
M2116 .L778 .E1 1810 VIP  The Easy Instructor; Or, A New Method…. William Little and William Smith. Albany: Websters & Skinner[s] & Daniel Steele.] (C.f. Lowens = ed. G or H)*
M2116 .L778 .E1 1816  The Easy Instructor; Or, A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. William Little and William Smith. Albany: Websters & Skinners and Daniel Steele. (C.f. Lowens = ed. Ob)*
M2116 .L778 .E1 1818  The Easy Instructor; Or A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. William Little and William Smith. Utica: William Williams, 1818. (C.f. Lowens = ed. S)* 
M2116 L778 E1 1818  copy 2  The Easy Instructor; Or A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. William Little and William Smith. Utica: William Williams, 1818. (C.f. Lowens = ed. S)*
M2116 .L778 E1 1831  The Easy Instructor; Or, A New Method of Teaching Sacred Harmony. Revised and enlarged edition. William Little and William Smith. Albany: Websters & Skinners and Oliver Steele, 1831. (C.f. Lowens = ed. BB)*
M2117 .E92 1837  Evangelical Musick; Or, The Sacred Minstrel and Sacred Harp United: Consisting of a Great Variety of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, Set Pieces, Anthems, &c., &c., &c. Eighth edition. J.H. Hickok and Geo. Flemig. Philadelphia: J. Whetham, 1837, c1834.
M2117 .E92 1847  Evangelical Musick; Or, The Sacred Minstrel and Sacred Harp United: Consisting of a Great Variety of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, Set Pieces, Anthems, &c., &c., &c. J.H. Hickok and Geo. Fleming. Harrisburg, PA: Benjamin Parke, 1847, c1834.
M2117 .F831 1821  Die Franklin Harmonie, und Leichter Unterricht in der Vokal-Musik. Edited by Johannes Rothbaust. Harrisburg, PA: John Wyeth, 1821, c1822.
M2131.M4 H28 1858 Harmonia sacra; Being a Compilation of Genuine Church Music, Comprising a Great Variety of Metres, All Harmonized for Three Voices, Together with a Copious Explication of the Principles of Vocal Music. Ninth edition. Mountain Valley, VA: J. Funk and Sons, 1858.
M2131.M4 H28 1860 [Harmonia Sacra, Being a Compilation of Genuine Church Music. Tenth edition. Joseph Funk. Singer’s Glen, VA: J. Funk and Sons, 1860.] The title page of this copy is missing.
M2131.M4 H28 1866 Harmonia Sacra, Being a Compilation of Genuine Church Music. Twelfth Edition. Joseph Funk and Sons. Singers’ Glen, VA: Joseph Funk’s Sons, 1867, c1867.
M2116 .L415H Harmonic Companion, and Guide to Social Worship: Being a Choice Selection of Tunes, Adapted to the Various Psalms and Hymns, used by the Different Societies in the United States; Together with the Principles of Music, and Easy Lessons for Learners. Andrew Law. Philadelphia: Robert and William Carr, c1808.
M2127 .H288 1837 copy 1; … copy 2; … copy 3; … copy 4 The Harmonist: Being A Collection of Tunes from the Most Approved Authors; Adapted to Every Variety of Metre in the Methodist Hymn-Book. New edition. New York: T, Mason and G. Lang, 1837, c1837. 
M2127 .H288.4 The Harmonist: Being a Collection of Tunes From the Most Approved Authors; Adapted to Every Variety of Metre in the Methodist Hymn-Book. New York: G. Lane and P. P. Sanford, 1842, c1837. 
M2127 .M592 1889  Hymn and Tune Book of The Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Nashville: Publishing House of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1889, c1889.
M2193 .J97 1834  Juvenile Harmony, Or, A Choice Collection of Psalm Tunes, Hymns and Anthems, Selected from the Most Eminent Authors, and Well Adapted to All Christian Churches, Singing Schools and Private Societies. W.C. Knight. Fifteenth edition. Cincinnati: Morgan and Sanxay, 1834, c1825.
M2117 .D665 1814 Leichter Unterricht in der Vocal Musik, enthaltend, die vornehmsten Kirchen=Melodien, die bey allen Religions verfassungen gebräuchlich sind, auf drey Stimmen gesetzt: und mit dem vornehmsten musicalischen Stüken, von verschiedenen Dichtern und Componisten, samt hinreichendem unterricht versehen, eingerichtet für Singschulen. Zweyte und verbesserte Auflage. Herausgegeben von Joseph Doll. Harrisburg: Johan Wyeth, 1814.
M2127 .M592.2 The Methodist Harmonist, Containing a Collection of Tunes From the Best Authors, Embracing Every Variety of Metre, And Adapted to the Worship of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Revised edition. New York: B. Waugh and T. Mason, 1833, c1833.
Vault M 2117 .M678 C26 1825 The Missouri Harmony, or a choice collection of psalm tunes hymns and anthems, selected from the most eminent authors, and well adapted to all Christian churches, singing schools, and private societies, together with an introduction to grounds of music, the rudiments of music, and plain rules for beginners. Carden, Allen D. Cincinnati: Morgan, Lodge, and Fisher, 1825.
M2121 .M678 The Missouri Harmony, or a collection of psalm and hymn tunes, and anthems, from eminent authors: with an introduction to the grounds and rudiments of music by Allen D. Carden. To which is a supplement, containing a number of admired tunes of the various metres, and several choice pieces, selected from some of the most approved collections of sacred music.. By an amateur. Cincinnati: Cincinnati: Phillips and Reynolds, 1846.
M2116 .C463 The Musical Instructor: Containing A Choice Collection of Psalm Tunes, Hymns and Anthems; Together with the Rudiments of Music on an Improved Plan, Wherein Each Sound, and its Distance from the Key, is Always Known by its Name and Character…. Nathan Chapin and Joseph L. Dickerson. Philadelphia: W. M. Culloch, 1810, c1808.
M2131 .M4 .H28 1915  The New Harmonia Sacra A Compilation of Genuine Church Music Comprising a Great Variety of Metres, Harmonized for Four Voices. Eighteenth edition. Joseph Funk and Sons. Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Publishing House, 1915.
M2131 .M4 .H28 1923 The New Harmonia Sacra A Compilation of Genuine Church Music Comprising a Great Variety of Metres, Harmonized for Four Voices. Nineteenth edition. Joseph Funk and Sons. Dayton, Virginia: Ruebush-Kieffer Co., 1923.
M2117 .N53 1867 [The New Harp of Columbia: a System of Musical Notation, With a Note for Each Shape and a Shape for Each Note…. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1867.] The title page of this copy is missing.
M2121 .M471 A New Selection of Sacred Music; Consisting of Approved Psalm and Hymn Tunes: Likewise, Chants, Doxologies and Anthems, From the Works of the Most Approved Authors, Both Ancient and Modern:…. Ezekiel Maynard. Baltimore: J. Robinson, c1823.
M2121 .W376 Die Pennsylvanische Choral Harmonie, enthaltend die vornehmsten Kirchen- Melodien, versehen mit Deutschem und Englischem Texte, = The Pennsylvania Choral Harmony, Containing the Principal Church Melodies; Provided with German and English Text; Thomas R. Weber. Allentown, PA: Blumer & Bush, 1844, c1845.
M2121 .W376 1879 Die Pennsylvanische Choral Harmonie, enthaltend die vornehmsten Kirchen=Melodien, versehen mit Deutschem und Englischem Texte, gebräuchlich bei allen Religions=Verfassungen, auf drei und vier Stimmen ausgesetzt, mit vielen der vornehmsten musicalischen Stücken … Bearbeitet von Thomas R. Weber. Elfte Auflage. Hellertown, PA: Thos. R. Weber, 1879, c1859.
M1578 .R888 1886  The Royal Proclamation. Edited by Aldine S. Kieffer and William Blake. Dayton, Virginia: Ruebush, Kieffer & Co, c1886.
M2124 .S1232 Sacred Harmony. New York: Conference Office, Associate Reformed Synod of New York, 1834, c1834.
M2117 .S123 E52 1822  Sacred Music, Containing a Great Variety of Psalm and Hymn Tunes; Selected Principally, From the Most Eminent European Authors; The Greater Part of Which Were Never Published in the Patent Notes. Seth Ely. Cincinnati: Morgan, Lodge and Co., 1822, c1822.
M2117 S795 1889  The Star of Bethlehem. J. H. Hall, J. H. Ruebush, and Aldine S. Kieffer. Dayton, Virginia: Ruebush, Kieffer, & Co., 1889, c1889.
M2117 .T284 1886 The Temple Star: For Singing-Schools, Conventions, Choirs, Day-Schools and Musical Societies. Edited by Aldine S. Kieffer. Dayton, Virginia: Ruebush, Kieffer & Co., 1886.
M2121 .E97 Die Union Choral Harmonie, enthaltend drey und bierstimmig ausgeseste Melodien, mit deutschem und englischem Texte; = The Union Choral Harmony, Consisting of Sacred Music, With German and English Lines to Each Tune…. Second Edition. Henry C. Eyer. Harrisburg, PA: Francis Wyeth, 1836, c1833.
M2121 .E97 1839  Die Union Choral Harmonie, enthaltend drei und bierstimmig ausgeseste Melodien, mit deutschem und englischem Texte; = The Union Choral Harmony, Consisting of Sacred Music, With German and English Lines to Each Tune…. Tenth edition. Henry C. Eyer. Printed by J. Vancourt; Stereotyped by John Fagan, 18–, c1839.
M2117 .V187 1836 VIP The Valley Harmonist, Containing a Collection of Tunes and Hymns, From Approved Authors — Adapted to the Worship of Religious Denominations. J. W. Steffy, Winchester: Robinson & Hollis, 1836, c1836.
M2116 .W979 .R425 1818  Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music. Fifth Edition. John Wyeth. Harrisburg, PA: Wyeth, 1818, c1811.
M2116 .W979 .R425 pt. 2 1813  Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music. Part Second. John Wyeth. Harrisburg, PA: Wyeth, 1813, c1813. Copy incomplete.
M2116 .W979 .R425 pt. 2 1820 Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music. Part Second. Second edition. John Wyeth. Harrisburg, PA: Wyeth, 1820, c1813.