By MISS LIZZIE B. CURRIER.

The musical efforts of the town date back to its earliest infancy, as we, find that in 1728 the people were called to worship by the blowing of a horn, and the beating of a drum. During the years that followed they must have shared in the "disorderly and interfering" singing, which was common in New England during those early days, when, with little or no knowledge of harmony, the exercise took the form of a shouting match and the loudest voice won the victory.

It was in the winter of 1764 that the vote was taken to substitute Tate and Brady's version of the Psalms, with Watt's Hymns, for the old version or Bay Psalm Book which was in use previous to that date.

Throughout New England this change' met with the greatest opposition, in some cases approaching blood shed ; but regarding the sentiments and behavior of our respected ancestors the record is silent, covering all possible disagreements and quarrels with the simple words "it was voted."

Singing by rule was introduced in this vicinity during the years 1762 to 1770, and the "taught singers" occupied separate seats, but the first mention of a choir in Methuen is found in the following article from the "Town Warrant" of 1773 : "To see if the town will grant liberty to build a convenient place for the singers in the front gallery of the meetinghouse.''

That these advanced ideas of their musical necessities met with little favor is proved by the fact that it was not until three years later that the petition was granted, and even then upon condition that it should be "without expense to the town." The pews for the men were to be two feet wide, and those for the women five feet. To the ladies of the present day this added space naturally suggests a thoughtful care for their sleeves, but as it was during the period of the "pocket hoop" it was probably arranged for the accommodation of their skirts.

The first instrument used in the musical service was the tuning fork, and about the year 1813 it was presided over by an old gentleman who sounded the ''sol, law, faw, sol," with great vigor, to the delight of all the small boys in the congregation. His appearance was rendered more interesting by the height of his "dicky," or standing collar, which seemed to hold the chin firmly in place and give a solid foundation for the tone.

It is said that "to be in fashion is the instinct of a gentleman," and therefore, it is not strange, that when that fickle dame decreed low collars this same dicky was made to do duty, the points standing up pertly at the back of the neck, and the curved edges sloping gracefully beneath the chin.

"The Village Harmony, or Youth's Assistant to Sacred Music," published in 1803, was used in Methuen about this time. The chief composers were Reed, Holden, Swan, billings and Kimball, and their compositions were the "sett pieces" and various fugues with which the Old Folks' Concerts have made us familiar.

The passing of Sophronia, who died of small-pox in 1711, is mourned in quadruple measure, and a minor key, through twelve pathetic stanzas, two of which will be sufficient to arouse sympathy and illustrate their style.

"Uncomly veil and Most unkind disease,

is this Sophronia once the fair?

Are these the features that were born to please?

Did beauty spread her ensign there?"

"Unkind disease, to veil that rosy face,

With tumors of a mortal pale,

While mortal purples with their dismal grace

And double horror, spot the veil."

The cautions and suggestions of the preface are most interesting. Great stress is laid upon the "tuning of the voice," and it is advised that no singers attempt to sing tunes until he can tune his voice.

"In order to good pronunciation the mouth should be opened freely but not too wide."

"High notes should be, in every part, sung softer than the low; the tones of the bass should be full and majestic; the tenor bold and manly; the counter soft yet firm; the tribble smooth and delicate."

"In a company of singers it would have a good effect for some of the performers to be silent when passages marked soft occur; the additional strength of their voices in the loud which generally precedes or succeeds the soft, would give peculiar force and vigor to the performance. A becoming behavior in a collection of singers will greatly increase the agreeable sensations which arise from good performance."

With the setting apart of certain persons as singers came the study of music, and that New England blessing, the "singing school," was planted through all the land. That it had flourished and borne fruit in Methuen is seen by the following extract from the Church records of April 1816.

"Voted: That we will pay our last respects to our beloved brother, Deacon Wm. Swan, deceased, by following him to the grave as mourners.

Voted: That Bro. Richard Messer be requested to invite the Musical Society of this place to attend the funeral of our deceased brother.

Voted: That Bro. Job. Pingree be requested to. invite Mr. Phinias Messer to superintend the music on said day."

The tuning-fork gave place, after some years, to the Bass Viol, or as it was then called "The Lord's Fiddle," and later this was reinforced by its wordly relative the violin, accompanied by a clarinet.

At this time, somewhere about 1820, the Boston Academy Collection was in use. It was made up of gems of opera, symphonies and sonatas, from which all unseemly trills and turns had been carefully clipped, leaving a solid harmony which was rendered with spirit and energy by a choir of twenty or thirty voices. Wheeler, Poor, Carleton, Osgood, Sargent, Currier, Merrill and Messer, were some of the leading singers.

It may be that those violins were sanctified by their use in the religious service, since they were evidently unavailable for the merry-makings of the time, it being the custom to sing for the dancing; sometimes one voice only, and sometimes in chorus; and on special and delightful occasions when the services of Cato Freeman, a colored fiddler from Andover, could be secured, there was nothing left to be desired in the way of melody.

A singing school taught by Leonard Wheeler in 1819 or 1820 is the first of which there is any record.

Other early teachers were Benjamin Griffin and Enoch Poor.

In 1826 a singing school was taught in the old school house on Howe Street, and was largely attended by the young people thereabout. It is said that the way home to Currier Street was by way of Marston's Corner; an arrangement which was considered no hardship by the Currier boys, and was doubtless equally satisfactory to the Marston girls.

In 1836 a course of musical study, under the direction of a Mr. Eastman of Lowell, was closed by a concert in the meeting-house which then stood upon the spot now occupied by the Congregationalist church. Later, about 1839, a singing school was held in the hall of the Hotel, then standing upon the site of the present Club House. It was taught by a Mr. Aiken and ended with a grand concert which was the event of the season, and which was repeated in Haverhill and Derry, gaining much praise for the musicians of Methuen.

Music in Methuen reached its highest mark during the years from 1830 to 1850 and the number of singers of ability and cultivation was remarkable.

The Richardson family were all singers, particularly Mary and William; the former having a wonderfully pure and strong soprano voice, and the latter an excellent tenor.

The Blaisdell family were among the leaders in music, all being singers, and at one time traveling after the manner of the Hutchinson family.

One of their songs, beginning "We come, we come from the Old Bay State," contained the lines,

John and Josiah,

Judith and Sophia,

Levi and Maria,

Are our names."

John Blaisdell was prominent in town as a teacher of singing schools and as a choir leader.

Josiah Blaisdell had a fine voice, played a violin, and was a popular teacher of music.

Levi Blaisdell became a Prof. of Music in a southern university and Christina Blaisdell was leading soprano in the Baptist choir for several years.

Other names well known in music during those years were:

Abbie Ladd. Oliver Emerson. John D. Gage.Daniel Currier. Aaron Gage. Joshua Buswell.Phineas Smith. Chas. Currier. Helen Safford. Col. Safford. Albert Smith. Josiah Osgood. Betsy Ditson.

The last three were singers who ranked far above the average. Mr. Buswell is said to have had the finest bass voice ever heard in Methuen, and Miss Safford possessed a finely cultivated contralto voice of great sweetness and compass.

Josiah Osgood was a fine musician, and for many years was a successful leader. He was a man of few words but very earnest and enthusiastic in his work. On one occasion, being much annoyed by the peculiar mannerism of a leading singer, he tried by general remarks to correct the fault, but failing in this he fixed his keen, black eyes upon the offender, and advancing toward him with uplifted finger solemnly pronounced the sentence, "Thou art the man." This reprimand was received with perfect amiability by the accused but with no change in the manner of singing, and to the day of his death he clung lovingly to the old habit.

From 1830 to 1840 one of the finest military bands of this region was the boast of the town, and played for the Methuen Light Infantry, the Lowell Highlanders, and the Nashua Artillery. For a part of the time it was under the direction of Warren Bamford who is still remembered as an excellent musician.

In 1848 a singing school held in the old Hotel hall was taught by B. F. Baker of Boston, a celebrated composer and vocal instructor of that time. He expressed great pleasure in the work, remarking that outside of Boston he had never met such fine vocal talent in any one class.

A chorus of one hundred and twenty-six voices, under the direction of George F. Willey of Lowell, gave a concert at the Lawrence St. Church in Lawrence Feb. 20, 1849. Of this number more than forty were from Methuen.

An orchestra of piano, two violins, two violincellos, two flutes, and two double-bass viols furnished the instrumental music, and of these, Methuen contributed one flute player, Parmenas Pratt, and the two violinists, George Bailey and George Waldo.

Some of the vocal performerers were:

Bill Annis, Nancy Kimball, Lydia Baldwin Louisa Smith, Etta Currier Josephine Whittier, Maria Currier, Homer Dow, Abby Hutchinson, Virgil Dow, Augusta Huse, Aaron Gilchrist, Augusta Hibbard, Moses Merrill, Georgiana Kimball, Daniel Tenney,
Lizzie Smith, Jacob Emerson.

Other schools were taught during this period by a Mr. Heath of Nashua, a composer and singer of songs, who was always a great favorite with Methuen audiences. Musical practice served as an excuse for many a social gathering, and picnics, parties and sleigh rides were numerous.

Upon one occasion, at a party given in the suburbs of the town, singing was requested. The familiar words, "We have no music" were duly recited, but were promptly met by the hostess who said there was music enough, and after distributing a singing book leaf by leaf among the guests, she seated herself to listen. To disappoint such faith in their musical ability was not the way of those old time songsters and they lifted up their voices, each singing that which had been provided, to the evident satisfaction of the listeners.

Music at the different churches was furnished by chorus choirs with various accompaniments, from small organs, clarinets, violincellos, violins, and double bass viols at the Universalist, Congregationalist and Baptist, to a diminutive melodeon and a flute at the Methodist.

The Baptist choir was under the direction of Daniel Currier for more than thirty years, and won considerable local celebrity. There was much musical talent in the congregation also, and it was at an evening service in the vestry, that a prominent member of the church struck up the tune of Hebron: at the same moment the pastor started upon Balerma. The audience, in doubt which cause to espouse, waited with silent interest while the singing continued. It was limited to two stanzas, and ended in a tie; each party carrying his chosen favorite triumphantly to the end.

At a singing school for children, held in the vestry of the Baptist church about the year 1853, the following poetic treasure was taught:

"Lorentia darling,

Lorentia sweet,

Oh when shall we together meet?

On Monday.

Oh that all days might Monday be

And I might my Lorentia see."

and so on through all the days of the week.

The accompaniment was played upon the violin by the teacher, who assured the pupils that the instrument had ever been sacred to the best music, and never profaned by a dancing tune.

In the winter of 1856 a Mr. Horn of Salem, Mass., conducted a singing school in the Town Hall. Among those who-attended and there developed their talent for music, we find the names of Newton Webster, H. A. Currier, James Ingalls, Granville E. Foss and others equally well known in musical circles. Although singing schools were still taught in the outlying districts, this was one of the last in the village.

A juvenile concert, directed by Miss J. Augusta Hibbard, was given in the summer of 1856. The performers numbered one hundred, ranging in age from three to sixteen years, and their efforts were received with storms of applause by an audience which filled the Town Hall to its utmost capacity.

In June of 1857 a second concert was given which was received with equal enthusiasm. Some of those who took leading parts were:

Hattie Emerson, Luna Waldo,
Lizzie Merrill, Chas. Hibbard,
Addie Gutterson, Henry P. Doe,
Lizzie Harris, Granville E. Foss,
Lizzie Currier, William Gleason,
Mary A. Wilson, John Davis,
Agnes Wilson, Charlie Carleton,
Addie Wallace, Ira Messer,
Fanny Gleason, Albion Howe,
Georgiana Gleason, George Wilson,
Ada Gleason, Arthur Brigham,
Flora Gleason, Seddie Dole,
Albianna Howe, Marantha Wilson,
Eva Gage, Minnie Gage.

During war time the singers of the town united in an Old Folks' Concert, which was given for the benefit of the Soldier's Aid, Society. It was a great success and added many dollars to the good cause. Some time later the chorus assisted at a similar entertainment given in Lawrence for the same purpose.

The Methuen Brass Band was made up of the young men of the town and although one member blew a B flat cornet an entire evening, quite oblivious to the fact that an old cap was tucked away therein, and another struggled manfully with a most peculiar arrangement of notes for the bass horn, only to find at last that the music was upside down, by continuous and faithful practice it became a successful organization, gave two concerts during the years 1865 and 1866, assisted by the vocal talent of the town, was much sought after at the festivals of the surrounding towns, and did escort duty for John Hancock Lodge on the occasion of the dedication of the Masonic Temple in Boston.

A full chorus met in the High School hall during the season of 1868 and 1869 and labored perseveringly upon "All we like sheep," and similar compositions, attending the Peace jubilee in Boston in June of 1869.

An orchestra consisting of double bass viol, violincello, flute, cornet, first and second violins, existed during the winter of 1871 and 1872, and added considerable noise and some music to the local entertainments. A favorite number was said to contain the same strain ten times repeated, and it is asserted by a mathematically inclined listener that during the life of the club, this strain was played exactly one thousand one hundred and ninety-eight times.

In more recent years, several choral societies have had their brief day-and been much enjoyed.

The study of music in the public schools, introduced in 1874, has resulted in a much more general knowledge of the subject, and has awakened an interest in the art which must deepen and develop as time goes on. Excellent choirs, quartette and chorus, have aided in the harmony of the church service and passed on.

Many musicians, both vocal and instrumental, have charmed with their sweet sounds and are with us no longer. But their places are not empty; their love of music lives again in their children; and the long procession passes, pausing never, and praising ever.

"They show us spots of dimpled sod,

They say that those we've loved are there.

But no-they swell the choirs of God,

And the dear old songs are everywhere."

 

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