WILLIAM BILLINGS

1746-1800
The life of William Billings

Background Information

Born and Died in Boston,

Massachusetts
Born with vision in only one eye
and uneven legs
Father died at age of 14 and he
stopped attending school to
help contribute to family
Received musical instruction
from John Barry, a choir director
at the New South Church
Had a Wife and six children
Died in poverty on September
26th 1800

Billings As A Writer

Majority of the lyrical/texts that he used were from the

poetry of Isaac Watts
Inventor of Fuguing Songs
Billings also wrote dozens of texts to his own
compositions as well
Wrote prefaces to his works in which he explained the
rudiments of music and how his work should be
performed
He also would include information on his choral
performance practice
Very particular in his execution of writing and
performing

Singing Schools

Billings was involved in teaching singing

shcools throughout his life
He was licensed as a singing master in the
Boston city directory
Ran practical singing classes for anyone who
wanted to learn how to sing
Taught logistics, expectations, manners,
attentiveness and the need for supremacy in
music making decisions along with vocal
pedagogy and music reading

Published Music

A Majority of Billings music was written in fourpart a capella arrangements

Wrote hymns and anthems that were published
in book-length collections
Chester
The New-England Psalm-Singer (1770)
The Singing Masters Assistant (1778)
Music in Miniature (1779)
The Suffolk Harmony (1786)
The Continental Harmony (1794)

Musical Examples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
fpKHYe2gSU4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
E_St8bsx31A

Sources

http://www.americanmusicpreservation.
com/
billings.htm
http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exh
ibits/
C188
http://www.americanmusicpreservation.
com/
billings.htm