The foremost American musician of the eighteenth century, William
Billings wrote more than three hundred compositions and six musical
collections at a time when Americans were singing almost nothing but
British music. In this study, David McKay and Richard Crawford depict
the man, his music, and his place in the tradition of American
psalmody.
The authors examine Billings' methods, innovations, and interaction with
the Boston society in which he lived, placing overall emphasis on his
influence on American Protestant sacred music.
David McKay is Associate Professor of English at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute. Richard Crawford is Associate Professor of Music at the
University of Michigan. He is the author of Andrew Law, American
Psalmodist (Northwestern, 1968).
Originally published in 1975.
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