{"product_id":"18259-american-music-gifford-isaac-decorated-tenor-partbook-from-early-american-fa-sol-la-tradition-dated-1797","title":"[American Music] Gifford, Isaac. (1772-1843) Decorated Tenor Partbook from Early American Fa-Sol-La Tradition, dated 1797","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eAutograph musical manuscript, dated 1797, approx. 70 pp., handwritten in ink throughout, followed by additional blank leaves and containing nearly 50 songs in total (with titles such as \"French tune\", \"London tune\", \"York tune\", \"Dundee tune\", \"Dublin tune\", \"Martyrs tune\", \"Aby tune\", \"Newton tune\", St. David's tune\", etc.), consisting of a combination of popular tunes from the period and apparently original compositions penned by Isaac Gifford. Entries are embellished throughout the book with assorted decorative border patterns painstakingly hand-drawn by Gifford. 3.75 × 6.5 inches (9.5 × 16.5 cm), leather-backed paper-covered boards. Cover worn and partially detached, some loose leaves, one leaf lacking, scattered staining and minor tearing, mild toning, ink bold and legible throughout. A fascinating early American manuscript music book kept by Isaac Gifford of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, founded just ten years previous, in 1787. \u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr style=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eThis manuscript is an early witness of the American singing tradition that encompassed shape-note singing and the Sacred Harp. The present collection is a partbook for the “tenner” or tenor voice, which in this tradition sang the melody in the middle of a texture, harmonized by higher and lower voices. Its notation was designed for readers and singers who possessed differing kinds of musical literacy. Instead of note heads, the letters F, S, L, and M were written on a five-line staff: the whole-step syllables fa-sol-la repeated within the octave, along with the half-step syllable mi. In the present manuscript, a single tune is given on each opening of the book: the musical staff with letter notation on the right (recto) and the metrical verse text on the left (preceding verso). Most texts are iambic (weak-strong syllable pairs; 8.6.8.6). This regular meter allowed for interchangeability among texts and melodies; for instance, no. 44, Rochester, sets the well-known text of \"Joy to the World\" to a different tune. Many texts meditate upon devotional themes, including death and grace, although not for singing in worship; the collection also includes love songs and songs with profane references, such as tobacco (no. 30) and Virgil (no. 40). Unpaginated with numbered tunes. Two gaps in tune numbering (between nos. 4 and 6; and nos. 44 and 47) suggest scribal error or lacking leaves.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr style=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eThe compiler of this manuscript was born in New Jersey and spent most of his life in Tell Township, Pennsylvania. Historical records indicate he and his wife Sarah Cluggage Gifford (1781–1827) had eleven children, some whose names appear in the book towards the end. Isaac Gifford's ownership inscription to front flyleaf indicates he purchased the volume from noted merchant Peter Swoope [aka Swope] (1763–1839) in the borough of Huntingdon. Swoope was \"engaged in the merchandising and the iron business, and accumulated a nice fortune.\" (see History of the Swope Family and Their Connections, 1678–1896 by Gilbert Ernest Swope, 1896, p. 364). The borough of Huntingdon had just been incorporated the previous year, in 1796. Isaac Gifford traversed a distance of about 35 miles from the rural township of Tell to the county's population center of Huntingdon where he purchased book from Swoope.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr style=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003eThe tunes are numbered and captioned as follows, with incipits:\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e1. French tune (O franch thou art plesent Land)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e2. London tune (When jacobs Days drew near an End)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e3. York tune (O york thou art a plesent tune)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e4. Dundee tune (My Dearest dear take me along)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e6. Dublin tune (I Love the prity virtuous Maid)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e7. Martyrs tune (This is the tune the Martyrs sung)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e8. Aby tune (Aby thy walls are beate gold)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e9. Newton tune (As I was going up newton street)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e10. St. Davids tune (King David but a striplin was)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e11. St. Mareys tune (An angel did apear and say)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e12. Savoy tune (When this livery I put on)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e13. The Isle of White tune (The Isle of white is my delight)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e14. Brunswick tune (New Brunswick stands near rariton)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e15. St Humphrey's tune (Thare is a fairmade in this place)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e16. Litchfield or London old (Thare is a fairmade in this place)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e17. Middlesex tune (The lisard lies upon the grass)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e18. Lunenburgh tune (The Clark asends the seat)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e19. London new tune (My love Come walk along with me)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e20. Standish tune (Come let us all stand to the dish)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e21. Calvory tune (This night is dark and something wet)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e22. Canterbery tune (The maids will dress in ornament)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e23. Westminster tune (My love and I sat up last night)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e24. Windsor tune (My Dearest dear I love you well)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e25. Gloucester tune (I think I Can with honer say)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e26. St. James's tune (I wish my Love was a Red Rose)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e27. The 90eth psalm (I wish my love was in this hous)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e28. Bedford tune (The features of my true loves face)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e29. South Wells tune (I'll Marvel the abaut)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e30. Norwich tune (Its he that doth tobacco chew)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e31. Old common tune (Our days begin with trouble heir)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e32. Oxford tune (O Marvel not my Dearest dear)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e33. Exeter tune (Come let us walk to yonder shade)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e34. The New 100 psalm tune (Then wisdom learn from follay past)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e35. St. Ann's tune (Wish I was thare that I know whare)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e36. Ely's tune (Hast my beloved come away)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e37. The judgment tune (When the fierce North wind)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e38. The 98th psalm tune (The spacious firmement on high)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e39. The Angel's song (Behold the blind Receive thare sight)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e40. Converse tune (Mine Ears are rais'd when virgil sings)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e41. Bangor tune (Whilst man is in his youthful days)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e42. Wells tune (Life is the time to serve the Lord)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e43. Virginia tune (Thye word the Ragin winds Contrauls)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e44. Rochester tune (Joy to the world the Lord is Come)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e47. Montgomery tune (Lord of the worlds above how plesent and how fair)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e48. Jophronia tune (Grace is a sacred plant of heavenly berth)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e49. Amanda tune (Death like an overflowing streame)\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"\"\u003e50. Sherburne tune (Song of Immortil praise be long to my almighty god)\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46093676839071,"sku":"18259","price":6500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/4826\/7423\/files\/Manuscript_tune_book_18259a.jpg?v=1722189623","url":"https:\/\/www.schubertiademusic.com\/products\/18259-american-music-gifford-isaac-decorated-tenor-partbook-from-early-american-fa-sol-la-tradition-dated-1797","provider":"Schubertiade Music and Arts","version":"1.0","type":"link"}