THE GOLDEN LYRE: NEW COLLECTION OF CHURCH MUSIC, ADAPTED TO THE VARIOUS METRES NOW IN USE; TOGETHER WITH A NEW AND EXTENSIVE VARIETY OF ANTHEMS, SENTENCES, AND CHANTS, FOR CHOIRS, SINGING CLASSES. MUSICAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND SOCIAL SACRED MUSIC CIRCLES. By Virgil Eorydon Taylor, HARTFORD, CT., AUTHOR OF TAYLOR'S SACRED MINSTREL, TAYLOR'S CHORAL ANTHEMS, AND THE LUTE, OR MUSICAL INSTRUCTOR. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY OLIVER DITSON & CO. WASHINGTON ST. NEW YORK: S. T. GORDON-PHILADELPHIA: BECK & LAWTON.-CINCINNATI; TRUAX & BALDWIN. 1836 1359, Q.ce. 7. The Biblishers. ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1850, BY IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF CONNECTICUT. N. B.-All Tunes, Anthems, Sentences, Chants, or other pieces of music contained in this work, having the initials of the Editor or the asterisk (*) affixed to them, are claimed as the property of the copyright owner. PREFACE. A FEW explanations to the friends of music, who may become ac character, beauty, and originality to commend it to the taste and ap quainted with this work, may be of service in answering any queries proval of the critical and discerning, into whose hands his work may which may arise relative to its characteristic features. When my first fall. When my first fall. Again, such tunes as are deservedly popular, he cannot always work (The Sacred Minstrel) appeared, it was thought that the nume- command; he is, therefore, thrown upon his own resources for nearly all rous contributions it contained, from my own pen, might, in the esteem to fill the pages of his work. There is one point deserving of attention of some, ultimate to the prejudice of the work. The auspicious inter- respecting tunes in common psalmody, to which are appended the names vention of some counteracting but unknown cause, (doubtless,) saved of numerous celebrated European composers. It should be remembered the work from what seemed (to such individuals) its inevitable fate. that these persons seldom wrote other music than Oratorios, Operas, Respecting this point, however, as constituting either in a general or Symphonies, &c., which do not admit always of the most complete and particular sense, a necessary and valid objection to a work, I would literal transformation into plain metrical tunes, without many interposay, however numerous the contributors to any book of church music lations and abridgments, which materially interfere with their perfect may be, no author can feel safe in setting aside his own judgment to identity and originality, as emanating from their attributed sources. admit, without proper discrimination, whatever might be offered for Again, it is sometimes thought that an author who has written much, his work, even from the most renowned musicians. A piece might be should not republish in successive works, even his best and most useful presented him which, for elaborateness and beauty of harmonic struc- tunes. 'Give us something new," is the demand. In answer to this ture, would, to the ear of the professor, be considered superlatively fine objection, I would first inquire of its propounder, did you ever find in a and exquisite, but for any purpose of utility, it would be absolutely book of church music all the pieces of one writer of EQUAL MERIT? worthless. Therefore, whatever goes into his book, must of necessity Again, are you not aware that a tune which the author might not think pass the test of his own scrutiny and inspection; he must judge of its fit to republish, because you have long been familiar with it in a former wvailability for practical use, must see whether it embodies sufficient work of his, another writer would consider a "gem," could he offer it PREFACE. cations, and for Concerts of Sacred Music, than for the more strict use of the church. Those persons acquainted with my "CHORAL ANTHEMS," will recognize in the Anthems of the Golden Lyre, a vein of relationship which they will regard according to their estimate of the former work. After all that can be inculcated with respect to the mere mechanical use of music, if we go no further, we can realize nothing of that which is elevating and sublime in its true nature and effect. To the composer who writes, or the performer who strives for perfection of execution, merely to gratify the desire of renown, to him the soul of music has no delightful and abiding charms. It must and will be as evanescent and transitory as the desire which seeks it is superficial and grovelling. If the "kingdom of heaven is peace and righteousness," and if that can dwell" within us," deeply is it to be lamented that music, so redolent of benign and sanctifying influence, should be diverted from its high and appropriate end of retining and elevating the soul to that which is heavenly and divine. And when it leads its followers into the realms where its own nature would seek to go, then will the ideal entrancement of celestia! harmonies them become living reality. to you in a work of his own? There is no individual, poet, painter, | church use. The Anthems are not difficult, yet they are of a charac sculptor. statesman, or what else he may be, but that has some one ter better adapted for occasions like Thanksgiving, Ordinations, Dedi production, or at most a comparative few, which both himself and others will claim transcends all his other efforts. A composer of music forms no exception to this general principle; he can by no possibility write to the same words several tunes of equal excellence. Again, all words do not admit of equally perfect affinity with music. Or, to all words you cannot so interblend sentiment with song, that the combined effect will be enhanced by their union. Consequently, the book that is made up of judicious selections from former works, together with the best specimens of subsequent production, is incomparably more valuable than can be produced by any other means. A particular point upon which I am ever solicitous, is, that music of my own writing (however inconsiderable its merit) should always be thoroughly studied and judged of by its own standard. Tunes like Vesper, Ingalls, Twilight, Vienna, Peace, Evening, etc., can never be understood if divested of the least shade of their intended character. While I am aware that the tastes of different individuals are as diverse nearly as their personal appearance, and that it is in vain and unreasonable to expect all to attach the same value to any one given style of music, yet I feel it is still a desideratum that that which is most intrinsically characteristic of a work, should be rightly understood and appreciated. The goodly number of short Sentences the work contains, will be found, it is believed, quite sufficient for all ordinary purposes for ELEMENTS OF VOCAL MUSIC. NOTE TO SCHOLARS.-If you have a good voice, and can sing readily by imitation, if you prefer, you may omit the pains of learning to sing theoretically, upon condition that you are willing to forego the advantage of singing at sight from a knowledge of the rules, and always depend upon others to teach you what you attempt to sing. Should you wisely prefer the opposite, however, all the rules necessary for you to commit to memory, to enable you to sing mechanically any piece of ordinary difficulty, are FEW and SIMPLE. Do you inquire," Why, then, so difficult to sing AT ONCE after the rules are understood?" Because (and no process of instruction can obviate it) after you have learned arithmetically that a particular note or number of notes are sung at a beat, you have still to learn a concomitant part, which is to Do it, after you have first learned the theory. CHAPTER I. § I. Notes represent musical sounds. Seven kinds are used; generally, however, but six. II. Their names and value are as follows: to two to four to eight to sixteen NOTE TO TEACHER.-In adopting the elements as here laid down, your preconceived views as respects other methods of classification for instruction may induce you at first to hesitate in following implicitly the arrangement adopted; perceiving, as you will, that the whole subject of elementary in to thirty-two struction is abridged and reduced in many particulars very much from what you may have been accustomed to. Instead of giving at once, the definitions of the several departments upon which the subject is based, the principles themselves are first defined, then follow the names of them. The frequent Notes interspersed, will afford comments on all departures from established usages; showing, it is believed, reasons which will commend themselves to the candor and judgment of all unbiased and discerning minds. § III. A Dot placed after a note adds to it one half its length. A equals or &c. equals |