USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The first centenary of the North church and society, in Salem, Massachusetts > Part 10
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By vote of the proprietors, Jan. 7 and 8, 1798, Dr. Barnard was requested "to improve [make use of ] Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns in the public worship, together with Tate and Brady's [which was then in use] if the same be agreeable to him and the church."
The church, acting thereon,
Voted, " That for the future this church will make use of the Rev. Dr. Belknap's collection of Hymns in our public worship, in the stead of that collection we have hitherto employed, . provided this alteration shall be agreeable to the proprietors."
The Church were willing to change, but preferred Belknap to Watts, and apparently also differed from the proprietors in not wishing to retain Tate and Brady.
NOTE. - By record of April 14, 1796, Messrs. Northey and Rust were a committee to see to repairs of the bell "lately broken." A new bell, weighing 1,000 pounds, was afterwards procured " by subscription." Its note is B, middle line of Treble Clef. It was cast in England, and by vote of the committee was to be placed " on the top of the tower," apparently in a cupola erected on said top after the original spire had been taken down. The church then stood on the corner of North and Lynde streets.
(133)
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On the 5th of February following, the proprietors voted to con- cur with the church in the above vote, only modifying the proposi- tion " to improve Dr. Belknap's collection," by adding, in partial adherence to their first vote, " together with the psalms now in use." Perhaps this desire on the part of the proprietors to keep Tate and Brady, along with the new book to be intr duced, and the counter desire of the church to dispense with it, caused the whole matter to be dropped for the time. The records make no farther reference to the subject till Jan., 1803, except that the pro- prietors voted in January, 1799, " not to act " upon a proposition which had been made, to add Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns to those already in use. On Jan. 23, 1803, the proprietors having submitted to the church, anew, the very proposition embodied and adopted in their vote of Feb. 5, 1798, - after discussion, an un- decided vote, an adjournment, more conversation, and another vote, it was declared by the pastor that : "It appeared [to be] the determination of the church to concur with the proprietors of this house in the introduction of Dr. Belknap's Hymns and Psalms into public worship in connection with Tate and Brady's Psalms."
As the pastor could read from either collection, at his pleasure, however, no doubt Tate and Brady were soon quietly superseded by Belknap.
At a meeting of the Proprietors' Committee, held at the house of Jacob Ashton, on the evening of Aug. 29, 1800, it was
Voted, To recommend to the proprietors "to consider what measures they will take to provide a suitable place (either by building or otherwise), where such persons belonging to the soci- ety as are desirous of being instructed in psalmody, may conven- iently meet for this purpose."
The proprietors adopted this recommendation and authorized the Committee to carry it into effect. A sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Elijah and Jacob Sanderson and Benj. Watkins, were intrusted with the matter, who, after due consideration, decided
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that a building of two stories, instead of one, as originally con- templated, would be preferable, and so advised the proprietors, who, at their meeting of Jan. 12, 1801, accepted the suggestion and authorized the erection of the building, the cost thereof not to exceed the sum of seven hundred dollars. Land for the purpose was leased of James Odell, and a passage way thereto of William Luscomb. At a meeting of the Parish Committee, Jan. 12, 1801, the same sub-committee were directed to agree with and employ some person or persons suitable therefor, to take charge of and to teach psalmody to such persons as attend public wor- ship at the North Meeting House, in the new house built by the proprietors therefor, and to draw on the treasurer for the expense attending the same. This " new building " was situated near the First Baptist Church, on the Odell estate, on the corner of a passage way leading from Federal street to Bridge street, and a passage leading from the first passage way to North street. It was subsequently removed farther down the second passage way, and now stands, as a dwelling-house, next above the gasometer. It was occupied, at one time, for a day school by William Biglow (H. Coll. 1794), afterwards Master of the Boston Latin School* from 1805 to 1814, and subsequently by Samuel Haraden Archer (Dart. Coll. 1818), from 1819 to 1835.
The proprietors, at their meeting, Jan. 25, 1803,
Voted, "That forty-five copies of Dr. Belknap's Collection be purchased at the expense of the proprietors for the use of the choir."
At a meeting of the Committee, Sept. 22, 1803, Col. Pickman and Mr. Elijah Sanderson were chosen a sub-committee to request Mr. Samuel McIntire and Mr. Josiah Peabody, to apply to Mr. Samuel Holyoke, or some other person, and request him to assist them in keeping a singing school for the society.
* Then standing in School street, on site of the Parker House. Master Biglow was a good classical scholar, a great wit, but severe in discipline. A common word of en- couragement was " Study, boys, study, and fill up the gap where brains are left out."
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This Mr. Holyoke, a graduate of Harvard College, 1789, was a son of Rev. Elizur Holyoke (Harv. Coll. 1750), minister of the East Parish of Boxford, Mass., and a cousin of the late centena- rian, Dr. Edward Augustus Holyoke (Harv. Coll. 1746), of Salem. He was born at Boxford, Oct. 13, 1761, and died at Concord, N. H., Feb. 22, 1820. In his day, he was a much celebrated composer and teacher of music, writing generally for the church, and in the faulty style then in vogue. His music is now wholly out of use, having few of the elements of endurance that characterize the church Chorals of Germany and England, after the models of which later American writers have written, whose compositions show a vastly increased knowledge of the principles and laws of counterpoint and harmony. His most celebrated work was a large Collection of Hymn Tunes called the " Columbian Repository of Sacred Harmony." This was a very extensive collection of Sacred Music, containing 472 quarto pages and 750 pieces, including the whole of Dr. Watts' and of Dr. Belknap's Psalms and Hymns, to each of which a tune was adapted, as well as to some of the "par- ticular" metres in Tate and Brady's. Published by Ranlet, Exe- ter, N. H. At a meeting of the Committee, Aug. 12, 1805, a sub-committee of five persons, Messrs. Benj. Goodhue, Samuel Putnam (afterwards Judge P.), Ichabod Tucker, Samuel McIntire and William P. Symonds, was chosen "to regulate the singing in time of divine service."
The first hint of an ORGAN is noticed in the record of a meet- ing of the Parish Committee (Messrs. Samuel Holman, Abijah Northey, Elijah Sanderson and William Ward), August 29, 1806, when it was
Voted, " That the clerk notify a meeting of the proprietors to be held at the Meeting House, on Monday, Sept. 8, to know if they will appoint a Committee to dispose of the Schoolhouse belonging to the proprietors, and appropriate the proceeds towards the pur- chase of an Organ, if wanted for that purpose," that is, if said pro-
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ceeds be wanted to make up the amount needed, over and above the subscription.
At a meeting of the proprietors on Monday, Sept. 8, 1806, it was
Voted, "That the building belonging to the proprietors, which has been improved for a singing school, be sold, and the proceeds thereof in whole, or in part, be appropriated, if wanted, towards procuring an ORGAN for the North Meeting House," and "that the standing Committee be authorized to carry the vote into effect."
It was further
Voted, "That whatever Committee may be appointed by the in- dividual subscribers towards the aforesaid Organ, in aid of the sum realized from the sale of the school-house, be authorized to draw out of the treasury, the whole or a part of the sum which said sale may produce, and unite it, if wanted, to the sum raised by subscription for procuring the Organ and placing it in the Meeting House."
At a meeting of the proprietors, at the house of Abijah Northey, June 3, 1808, it was
Voted, " That Ichabod Tucker, Esq., Mr. Samuel McIntire, Mr. Leverett Saltonstall and Capt. William Ward, be the Singing Com- mittee for the said proprietors, and they are requested to take charge of the Organ when completed, and to regulate the singing in said society as they may judge most proper for the purposes of devotion and praise."
Voted, also, that "The treasurer be authorized to hire the sum of four hundred and fifty-seven dollars and eighty-five cents, to discharge the balance due by the Committee of the Organ as per account rendered in this day and examined."
This instrument was made by John E. Geib & Son, of New York, 1808, builders of some celebrity in their day. The son was a musician of some considerable note, and a maker of Piano Fortes. This Organ had two full manuals, from GG to F, omitting GG sharp ; but the bass of the upper manual (swell) was "fixed," the
9
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keys being immovable, and without pipes, so that the bass of the Great Organ had to serve for the swell also. Originally it had no pedal bass. The stops were, in Great Organ (56 notes),- Open and Stopped Diapason, Principal, 12th, 15th, Sesquialtera, Dul- ciana, Trumpet, and blank Viol di Gamba; in Swell (extending from tenor G upwards, 38 notes), Open and Stopped Diapason,. Principal and Cremona. Its touch was exceedingly hard, even affecting skill in fingering. In 1832, Messrs. Hook, Salem men who, starting in a small shop at the corner of Essex and Sewall streets, and afterwards removing to Boston, achieved the very highest and most merited celebrity as Organ-builders, made some repairs, changes and additions. They took out the old diagonal bellows, and put in one of more modern make, with feeder and res- ervoir, added an octave and half of pedals with a double Open Diapason of 16 feet pipes, added a Flute stop in place left blank for Viol di Gamba in Great Organ, and greatly eased the very hard touch. Good (but only that) for its day, its tones were not smooth nor agreeable, and its un-facilities would greatly trouble a modern organist. These changes were made while the instrument stood in the old church, corner of Lynde and North streets. Some repairs were made prior to the above, by William Goodrich, Organ-builder of Boston.
On the Sunday of the first playing of this Organ, Dr. Barnard preached a sermon on music, his text being " And when they had sung a Hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives." He spoke of " the stately Organ that now adorns this House." The opening of this instrument must have been quite an occasion, a full choir of volunteers having been trained to give some special music ; among which was Dr. Madan's then well-known, and now shelved, Anthem, called "Denmark," Before Jehovah's awful throne.
On the Committee for procuring this Organ, were two gentlemen long identified with the music of the parish, Messrs. Tucker and Saltonstall. They were both lawyers, the former occupying, for
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many years, the office of Clerk of the Courts of Essex County. He was a prominent and much respected member of the society, distinguished for his interest in its welfare, and well remem- bered as the "minister's host," his house in Chestnut street (now Mrs. Thomas Cole's), being a home for those who supplied at exchanges or other occasions. He sang in the Choir for many years. Mr. Saltonstall was very largely and successfully engaged in the practice of law, and often placed by his fellow citizens in offices of honor and trust. He represented Salem in the Legisla- ture of the State many times, was its first Mayor (in 1836), and a member of Congress, from the district, from 1840 to 1844. Eminent in his profession, respected and beloved by the whole community, and ardently attached to the society to which his religious convictions led him, he gave it his most earnest service and sustained its interests with unflagging devotion. A polished and accomplished gentleman, of marked and attractive face and figure and dignified bearing, of genial disposition and warm sympathies, " none knew him but to love, nor named him but to praise." He had an admirable bass voice, with exquisite musical taste, and great skill in performance ; and, except when absent from home on professional or public duties, always occupied a seat in the Choir, and joined earnestly and devoutly in the praise-service of the church.
The other member, Mr. McIntire, a player on the double bass and violoncello, was a noted architect and mechanic of his day, and of rare taste and skill in his special business. He planned the old Tabernacle, the South Church, on Chestnut street, always admired for its fine proportions, and very many of the old and stately residences of the wealthy Salem merchants of his day.
By a vote passed at a meeting in June, 1821, it appears that the subject of a change in the Hymn Book was contemplated, and a special Committee was appointed upon the subject, consisting of the Hon. Joseph Story (H. Coll.), the celebrated jurist, one of the
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judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, Hon. Leverett Saltonstall and Hon. Ichabod Tucker. This Committee, at a meet- ing of the proprietors, January 14, 1822, reported in favor of substituting, in place of Dr. Belknap's, the collection known as " Sewall's," recently printed in New York, as "in the opinion of the Committee, compiled with great judgment and taste, and con- taining a suitable variety of sacred poetry by the best authors." The Committee added, that Rev. Mr. Brazer, the then pastor, " had perused the book and was satisfied with it." The recommendation was not adopted, and the subject was recommitted to the same Committee, with the addition of Messrs. Frederick Howes and Benjamin Pierce. This new Committee, at the annual meeting of January 13, 1823, reported " that in our opinion a change is desir- able ; but we think it inexpedient, at present, to recommend any particular substitute, and pray to be discharged from any further attention to the subject." [Signed, Joseph Story, Chairman.]
The notification for the annual meeting of March 19, 1827, con- tained the following clause : "To consider and determine upon the expediency of discontinuing the use of " Belknap's Collection of Psalms and Hymns," and of obtaining some other collection instead thereof." At that meeting, at which Hon. Dudley L. Pickman presided, it was
Voted, "That the Committee chosen at the last annual meeting be authorized to procure a suitable number of copies of 'Sewall's Collection of Psalms and Hymns' for the use of the church and society, printed with good type and on good paper, and hand- somely, but not expensively, bound."
Subscription copies were to be paid for by the subscribers, and the rest by the treasurer.
This was the introduction of this collection, which was used by the society up to 1850.
Col. Benjamin Pickman and Messrs. Dudley L. and William Pickman were wealthy and influential citizens of Salem. Col.
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Pickman's house stood on Essex, opposite St. Peter street, Mr. D. L. Pickman's on Chestnut street (now Mr. Benjamin Shreve's), Mr. Wm. Pickman's on Essex below Beckford, now Dr. G. B. Loring's.
In 1829, by vote of the proprictors' Committee, though no record thereof appears, Henry K. Oliver (Harv. and Dart. Coll., 1818), then Master of the English High School of Salem, was appointed Organist and Choir director, at a salary of two hundred and seventy-five dollars. His first thought of organ-playing came from a suggestion of Hon. Mr. Saltonstall, in a conversation on church music in 1822, intimation being given that, after qualifying by a course of study and practice, he could probably have charge of the Organ and Choir of the North Society. On this hint, he com- menced study with Mr. Thomas Cooper, organist of St. Peter's Church, who, with his brother, Mr. Samuel Cooper, ranked among the best organists of the day. Compared with the present time, players were very scarce. Mr. Cooper removing to Boston, Mr. Oliver succeeded him at St. Peter's in 1823, removing in 1827 to the Barton Square Church, and thence to the North Church in 1829, where he continued the next following twenty years. Dur- ing nearly all this time the Choir consisted mostly of volunteers, though salaried singers, mainly sopranos, were employed. Among these for about thirtcen years, from 1837 to 1850, was Miss Catharine S. Mallet, afterwards Mrs. Henry Lemon.
This lady, a sister of Miss Sarah Mallet, organist of the North Church from 1826 to 1829, first came to Salem in 1827, as lead- ing soprano soloist of the Mozart Association, and organist of St. Peter's Church, succeeding Mr. Oliver. This Association, consisting of about one hundred members, comprising the best talent of the city, devoted itself to the study and practice of the works of Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc. It gave many concerts and greatly improved the musical knowledge, taste and skill of Salem. Mr. Oliver was its President and Conductor.
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Mrs. Lemon, now residing at Newton, possessed a voice of great power, with a richness, fulness and delicacy rarely surpassed. Well instructed in the art, and with admirable appreciation of what she rendered, she never failed to make a deep and most favorable impression. She particularly excelled in Oratorio and sacred music. Most estimable in private life, she was a general favorite, and her own annual concerts always commanded a full house and hearty welcome. When permanently engaged at the North Church, she was ably seconded by Miss Ellen M. Swan, now of Boston, an alto of the very best quality, and a most excellent singer. The music of the church during all this period was of rare ex- cellence. Miss Mallet died at Bangor, Maine, May 25, 1872, having been for many years, the organist of the Unitarian Church in that town. They were daughters of Monsieur Mallet, a French gentleman of much respectability, who came to this country with Lafayette, and served in the army of the Revolution to the end of the war. He then settled in Boston as a teacher of music, declin- ing to receive any pension. He was among the earliest publishers of music in Boston, the friend and business partner of the cele- brated Dr. G. K. Jackson, and predecessor of Graupner,* the fa- mous double-bass player, whose music store was in Franklin street.
Mr. Adrian Low, one of the old and valued members of Wil- liam Manning's corps of famous coach drivers on the Boston and Salem line of stages, and a faithful and trusted express messen- ger, was, at this time, a leading bass singer. His sudden dis- appearance, never accounted for, will be remembered by our older people. Mr. Henry Lemon, now of Newton, a baritone, was also a member of the Choir at this same date.
Nothing noteworthy in the musical history of the parish appears in the records till the year 1835-36, when the subject of a new church edifice was agitated, resulting in the erection, by subscrib- ers, of the present stone building on Essex, west of North street.
* All these men are well remembered by the writer.
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At a proprietors' meeting held on the 27th of May, 1836, it was
Voted (though not without some opposition), "That the old Meeting House, land, and appurtenances, the bell, organ, and clock, shall be sold for the most the same will bring."
A Committee of five persons, Messrs. John G. King, W. H. Foster, Nath'l Saltonstall, Geo. Peabody and Emery Johnson, were intrusted with this sale. The committee for building the new church purchased the old Organ at $706.50. The instrument was afterwards set up in the new building where it remained till 1847- 48, when the subject of a new instrument was agitated.
By a vote at the annual meeting of the proprietors, April 11, 1847, Messrs. Francis Peabody, Geo. Wheatland, and John C. Lee, were appointed a Committee to consider the expediency of making certain alterations in the interior of the house and of pur- chasing a new Organ. At a meeting June 10, 1847, Col. Peabody, in behalf of the Committee, made a report favoring certain altera- tions, and the purchase of a new Organ, whereupon it was
Voted, " That the fund belonging to the society, which was bequeathed to it by the late W. W. Palfray, together with the pro- ceeds of sale of old Organ, be applied by the special Committee towards procuring a new Organ, and towards certain proposed alterations in the pulpit, and in the interior of the church."
This appears to have been done, and a new and larger instru- ment, being the same now (1872) in use, was procured and set up. It was built by Simmons and McIntire of Boston, and set up in 1848. The main part of this instrument is about twelve feet long, with two wings added, of about four feet by three on each side, falling back from the main body. This main body, con- taining the wind-chests and swell, is about six feet deep, with three towers of pipes, the centre fifteen feet high, the end ones twelve feet high, with a very handsome front showing the gilt pipes of the diapasons. The following is its schedule.
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GREAT ORGAN GG to F
SWELL.
Open Diapason 57 pipes
Open Diapason.
Stopped Treble and Bass 57 pipes
Stopped Treble and Bass.
Principal
Double Stopped Diapason.
Twelfth
Dulcino.
Fifteenth
Picolo.
Sesquialtera
Clarabella
Hautboy and Tremulant. Pedal Bass of 20 pipes from GGG upward.
Dulcino
Flute .
Couplers connect .
The bellows are not in the body of the instrument, but in a cas- ing suspended from the ceiling of the room in the tower, back of the Organ, a large trunk conveying the wind to the wind-chests of Great Organ and swell. The blower stands in an open space be- tween the rear of the Organ and this room. The instrument, though not of the highest order, is a vast improvement over its predecessor. Its foundation stops are not quite evenly balanced, and its fancy stops not smooth, nor reaching clear down the key- board.
Hitherto, the Choir appears to have consisted mainly of volun- teers, excepting that the organist was paid a fixed salary which had gradually risen to $275 per annum. The other expenses were for Organ-blower, Music books, and a leading Soprano singer. By vote of the proprietors at their annual meeting April 29, 1850, the cost of the annual music was limited to $500, to be raised by taxation. At the same meeting, Sewall's collection of Hymns was exchanged for a book called "Hymns for the Sanctuary," as re- commended by a Committee, consisting of Messrs. Frederick Howes, Thomas Cole, and Caleb Foote. This book continued to be used till about 1869, the latter portion of the time, in conjunc- tion with Dr. Lowell Mason's Selection of Tunes for Congrega- tional Singing, the society having decided to introduce that form of praise service. In 1848, Gen. Oliver removed to Lawrence as
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Agent of the Atlantic Cotton Mills, and was succeeded, after a short interval, by Dr. J. F. Tuckerman.
Between 1846 and 1862, the following votes are found on the records on the subject of the church music.
Dec. 28, 1846 .- The proprietors voted that the Piano Forte, now in the school-room (rear of the present church), be " placed in the charge of their Committee, to be disposed of if they shall think it expedient." (This instrument had been bought some years before, and placed in the vestry then underneath the church building, a room afterwards abandoned on account of its extreme dampness. This room had been used for Sunday School, Choir and other meetings.)
May 8, 1854. - Voted, unanimously, "That the thanks of the society be presented to Dr. J. F. Tuckerman for the skilful, ap- propriate, and very satisfactory manner in which he has conducted the musical services of the society during the time the same has been under his charge." -
May 1, 1855 .- A letter from Dr. Tuckerman was presented at a meeting of the Proprietors' Committee, as follows. -
SALEM, March 17, 1855.
To the Committees of the Proprietors of the North Church.
Gentlemen :- The removal of Mr. L. Saltonstall, Jr., Bass,* from Salem, which will shortly terminate the constant and able service which he has rendered in the Choir of the society for several years past, obliges me to suggest the necessity of an appropriation (of say $125 per annum), for the salary of a bass singer after the 1st of April next. With this addition, the expense of the music may be estimated as follows : -
Salaries now paid (not including Bass), $500
Add for Bass voice 125
Allowance for repairs of organ tuning, music, etc., 75
- $700
which sum I hope will be allowed.
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