William Billings
First American choral composer and singing master.
William Billings (1746–1800) was a self-taught amateur musician and a tanner, born in Boston. He was part of the colonial working class and lacked the benefit of much formal education, let alone the chance of attending college. Billings gave expression to a provincial, American culture instead of aspiring to the cosmopolitan ideal of British culture. At the age of twenty-three he had already composed more than one hundred original pieces of sacred music, and in 1770 he published his first tunebook, *The New England Psalm Singer*. Only a dozen or so American-composed tunes had previously been published. Collecting more than 120 new compositions, it was the first published compilation of entirely American music and the first tunebook composed by one American composer.
- born
- 1746
- died
- 1800
- field
- Music composition
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- First American choral composer; leading member of the First New England School
Lore & Background
William Billings was a native of Boston, born in 1746. He was a self-taught amateur musician and a tanner by trade. His tunebook *The New England Psalm Singer* (1770) was advertised as “never before published” and stressed that it was composed by “a native of Boston”—made in America by an American. Published by Benjamin Edes and John Gill, who also published *The Boston Gazette and Country Journal*, a major Patriot newspaper, and including an engraving by Paul Revere, the book suggested Billings was strongly aligned with the Rebels. His best-known tune, “Chester,” declares: "Let tyrant shake their iron rod / And slav'ry Clank her galling Chains / We fear them not we trust in God / New Englands God for ever reigns." His second and more popular collection, *The Singing Master’s Assistant* (1778), includes a paraphrase of Psalm 137 that refers to the occupation of Boston in 1775–1776. These selections captured the mood of confident defiance with which New England patriots entered the new era. Billings is considered the first influential figure of the First New England School, heavily influencing the development and success of the Second New England School.
Reader's Guide
Billings' most significant contribution to the history of American music was the publication of his two tune-books: *The New England Psalm-Singer* (1770) and *The Singing Master’s Assistant* (1778). The first was the first published compilation of entirely American music and the first tunebook composed by one American composer. His work gave expression to a provincial, American culture instead of aspiring to the cosmopolitan ideal of British culture. He was part of the colonial working class and lacked the benefit of much formal education. His tunebook is striking for the manner in which it boldly signals nationalist sentiments, with tunes like “Chester” declaring defiance against tyranny. Billings' music and his alignment with the Rebels, as shown through his publishers and the engraving by Paul Revere, mark him as a key figure in early American music. While there was no official "First New England School," Billings and other independent composers heavily influenced the development and success of the Second New England School.
Did You Know?
- His 1770 tunebook *The New England Psalm Singer* was the first published compilation of entirely American music.
- Only a dozen or so American-composed tunes had been published before Billings' first tunebook.
- His best-known tune, “Chester,” includes the line 'New Englands God for ever reigns.'
- The tunebook was published by the same men who published *The Boston Gazette and Country Journal*, a major Patriot newspaper, and included an engraving by Paul Revere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is William Billings?
William Billings (1746–1800) was a Boston-born composer recognized as the first major choral composer to come out of the American colonies. He is best remembered for his hymns and psalm settings that helped define early American sacred music.
What school of composition is William Billings associated with?
He is a leading figure of the First New England School, a circle of colonial-era composers who cultivated a distinctly American voice in choral and sacred writing.
Did William Billings receive formal musical training?
No; he was essentially self-taught and never attended a conservatory or studied under a formal master. He picked up his craft on his own while working as a tanner in Boston before turning to singing instruction and composition.
What was William Billings's trade before he became a composer?
He earned his living as a tanner in Boston, Massachusetts. That hands-on, working-class background is often cited as part of what gave his hymnody a practical, congregational character distinct from European court music.
When was William Billings born and where?
He was born on October 7, 1746, in Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay, and died on September 26, 1800. He is regarded as American by nationality and stands as a foundational figure in the country's early musical heritage.
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