William Billings (1746-1800) was the most important native-born composer of the American colonial and Federal eras. He wrote hundreds of choral compositions, which were set to sacred or devotional texts for use by church choirs, singing schools, and musical societies. Extremely popular in his own time, Billings's music was denigrated during the nineteenth century when European styles governed American musical tastes. In the twentieth century his genius was recognized, and his music is widely sung and studied. Originally published in six tunebooks, the 338 extant pieces were issued in a...

The fuging-tune has long been associated with American music. Indeed, it was once thought to have been an American innovation, but research has shown that, like much else in 18th-century America, the fuging-tune had its origins in England. The American composer adopted and developed it, added his own expressive touches, and made it a primary vehicle for his musical creativity. The almost 1300 fuging-tunes by American composers published between 1770 and 1820 testify to their widespread popularity and musical impact. They represent about a quarter of all the pieces composed by American...