Jacob French (July 15, 1754 – May 1817) was a singing master and one of the first American composers, sometimes called
Yankee tunesmiths
Yankee tunesmiths (also called the First New England School) were self-taught composers active in New England from 1770 until about 1810. Their music was largely forgotten when the Better Music Movement turned musical tastes towards Europe, as in ...
. "A student of
William Billings
William Billings (October 7, 1746 – September 26, 1800) is regarded as the first American choral composer and leading member of the First New England School.
Life
William Billings was born in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 14, t ...
, French adopted Billings' innovative approach to psalmody ... His music tends to be more complex in its structure, rhythm, and counterpoint than most of his contemporaries." "Along with William Billings, he is regarded as one of the finest composer of anthems in the New England tradition." French's ''Farewell Anthem'' appears in ''
Southern Harmony
The ''Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion'' is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker, first published in 1835. The book is notable for having originated or popularized several hymn tunes found in modern hymnals and s ...
'', 1835, as well as ''The
Sacred Harp
Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in New England and was later perpetuated and carried on in the American South. The name is derived from ''The Sacred Harp'', a ubiquitous and historically important tune ...
'' from 1844 to the present. He was born in
Stoughton,
. His brother, Edward, also composed a few tunes.
Singing Stoughton
/ref>
Some of French's choral music was adapted by American composer John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading fi ...
for his ''Apartment House 1776
''Apartment House 1776'' is a 1976 composition by the American composer John Cage, composed for the United States Bicentennial and premiered by six orchestras across the country in 1976. The work was commissioned jointly by the orchestras of Bost ...
'' and subsequently arranged for string quartet
The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists ...
as part of ''44 Harmonies'' by violinist Irvine Arditti
Irvine Arditti (born 8 February 1953) is a British violinist, as well as the leader and founder of the Arditti Quartet.
Biography
Arditti attended the Central Foundation Boys' School in London before continuing his studies at the Royal Academy ...
. These were recorded and issued by Mode Records
Mode Records is an American record label in New York City that concentrates on contemporary classical music and other forms of avant-garde music. The label was founded by Brian Brandt in 1984, with a goal of releasing music composed by John Cage ...
along with adaptations by Cage of other Colonial-period hymnists.
Publications
*''The New American Melody'' (1789)
*''The Psalmodist's Companion'' (1793)
*''Harmony of Harmony'' (1802)
List of works
*Heavenly Vision
*Beauty
*Dormant
*Happiness
*Farewell Anthem
(Scores available a
the Choral Public Domain Library
Discography
*''Sweet Seraphic Fire'' - New England Singing School Music
References
1754 births
1817 deaths
American male composers
American composers
Shape note
{{US-composer-stub