1 The Colonial Era Music in the Colonies Music in the Colonies 17th Century  Music primarily vocal music  Organized to the needs of the meeting house or (church), home, and community  Meetinghouse provided a religious guidance and social diversion Music in the Colonies 18th Century  More variety of music  Fine arts was cultivated  Instruments for home use  Music and dance schools  Professional teachers Primary Source of Information  Blacks had to adjust to a new home and the traumatic experience of slavery  The colonial newspaper » Source for information about slave musicians » Listed slaves for sale or hire » Slaves’ musical skills » Runaway listings Congregational Singing: Psalmody and Hymnody  Singing in the meetinghouse • Black separated from whites (BW, BM)  Hymn lining Congregational Singing: Psalmody and Hymnody  Psalm singing in the community • Black servants sang with their masters on special occasions • Psalm singing at wedding ceremony or funeral 2 Congregational Singing: Psalmody and Hymnody  The Reform Movement • Singing psalms without instrumental accompaniment or musical notations led to undesirable practices. • Forgotten tunes, incorrect pitch • “Common Way” verses “Regular Singing” The Growth of Hymnody  The Great Awakening • Demand for livelier music in worship service • Hymns that employed religious poems instead of scriptural psalms. • Dr. Isaac Watts Religious Instruction and Psalmody  Patterns of Slavery in the North and South • Quakers were more interested in the plight of Black men and women. • Slaves being regarded as part of the family in the north. • In the South masters had more control over their slaves. Religious Instruction and Psalmody  Conversion and Religious Instruction in the North • Colonial clergymen were concerned with converting the heathen (African American and Native American) of the New World to a Christian. Religious Instruction and Psalmody  Missionary Activity in the South • Like the North, the South was concerned with the souls of slaves. • Hesitations to grant slaves with religious institute and baptism. • The idea that slaves who were received into the church would automatically receive freedom. • Slave conspiracies and uprising Recreational Music  Holiday Celebrations • North and South observed New Year’s Day, Easter, Pentecost, Whitsunday, Election day, Militia, and Christmas • Militia day (military day) » Salves could only play instruments 3 Recreational Music  Social Diversion of the Colonists • Whites and black participated in social activities together. » House raisings, maple sugarings, cornhuskings, ect. » Dancing and singing Recreational Music  Slave dance musicians • In north black musicians provided much of the dance music for colonists. • Slaves played in some of the dance schools. • In south slaves played for their masters at balls, assemblies, and special entertainments. Recreational Music  Social Singing .

1. 1
The Colonial Era
Music in the Colonies
Music in the Colonies
17th Century
house or (church), home, and
community
guidance and social diversion
Music in the Colonies
18th Century
Primary Source of Information
the traumatic experience of slavery
» Source for information about slave musicians

2. » Listed slaves for sale or hire
» Slaves’ musical skills
» Runaway listings
Congregational Singing:
Psalmody and Hymnody
• Black separated from whites (BW, BM)
Congregational Singing:
Psalmody and Hymnody
• Black servants sang with their masters on
special occasions
• Psalm singing at wedding ceremony or funeral
2
Congregational Singing:
Psalmody and Hymnody
• Singing psalms without instrumental
accompaniment or musical notations led to
undesirable practices.
• Forgotten tunes, incorrect pitch
• “Common Way” verses “Regular Singing”

3. The Growth of Hymnody
• Demand for livelier music in worship service
• Hymns that employed religious poems instead
of scriptural psalms.
• Dr. Isaac Watts
Religious Instruction and
Psalmody
South
• Quakers were more interested in the plight of
Black men and women.
• Slaves being regarded as part of the family in
the north.
• In the South masters had more control over
their slaves.
Religious Instruction and
Psalmody
n
the North
• Colonial clergymen were concerned with
converting the heathen (African American and
Native American) of the New World to a
Christian.
Religious Instruction and

4. Psalmody
• Like the North, the South was concerned with
the souls of slaves.
• Hesitations to grant slaves with religious
institute and baptism.
• The idea that slaves who were received into the
church would automatically receive freedom.
• Slave conspiracies and uprising
Recreational Music
Holiday Celebrations
• North and South observed New Year’s Day,
Easter, Pentecost, Whitsunday, Election day,
Militia, and Christmas
• Militia day (military day)
» Salves could only play instruments
3
Recreational Music
nists
• Whites and black participated in social activities
together.
» House raisings, maple sugarings, cornhuskings,

5. ect.
» Dancing and singing
Recreational Music
• In north black musicians provided much of the
dance music for colonists.
• Slaves played in some of the dance schools.
• In south slaves played for their masters at balls,
assemblies, and special entertainments.
Recreational Music
• Ballads
• Work songs
Recreational Music
gs
• Slave Festival
Page 241-244
1. Read through the “Cases,” select one of interest and/or value
to you, and then complete. So that you are free to choose the
“Case” that does interest you the most, you are free to adapt the
instructions in this manner: all posts here should be one
substantial paragraph. If the “Case” that you prefer asks for a
one-page response, only write one paragraph. After you post
your response, read and respond to the responses of at least two
other students.

6. Page 100 #5
2. Policy: Go ahead--dream up that great business. After you
post your summary, read and respond to the summaries of at
least two other students..