Early Years
From the inspiration of a singing school given in Stoughton in 1774 by Boston composer, William Billings, a group of male singers in town decided to form a singing society. There were 25 names and all of them listed in the membership journal with the date of organization being November 7, 1786. Their first President was Elijah Dunbar, 1740–1814, from Canton. He was also their conductor and a singer.The first music collection the musical society purchased was The Worcester Collection of Sacred Harmony compiled by Isaiah Thomas in 1786, which contained the first American printing of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.
Read more about this topic: Stoughton Musical Society
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or years:
“As I went forth early on a still and frosty morning, the trees looked like airy creatures of darkness caught napping; on this side huddled together, with their gray hairs streaming, in a secluded valley which the sun had not penetrated; on that, hurrying off in Indian file along some watercourse, while the shrubs and grasses, like elves and fairies of the night, sought to hide their diminished heads in the snow.”
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