More than 25 years online for the CAMP!

 

Helping to make American music come alive again

 

 

 

 

The Center for American Music Preservation (CAMP) was established in 1998 to help preserve historical American music
from the past so it will survive into the future.

The main focus is on American vocal music (classical, folk, popular) from the 18th century to the 20th century.
Some instrumental music is also included.

Are you someone interested in performing, studying or teaching American music? Then look at the links listed below.

Your support is needed to help keep this website available as a free educational service.

To help support the CAMP please consider ordering the limited edition AMRC CD AMERICAN PLACES below with over one hour of enjoyable piano music about different regions of the USA.

If you are unable to offer any finacnial support, please mention this website in your research, publication, or teaching.

 

 

Help Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of The American Revolution with songs from the 1770s,
including an original version of "Yankee Doodle":

 

 

"Yankee Doodle" - American Patriotic Song Quartet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New research article now available--

"My Shaker Home" - Two Shaker Sisters Preserve Their Music Heritage

This research article about two past New England Shakers (Sister Lillian Phelps and Sister Mildred Barker)
includes a music edition of "My Shaker Home" (the last Shaker song composed in the 20th century)

Read more about this article -- click here

 

 

 

CAMP Links

CAMP Director

Music of the American Shakers

Earlier American Composers - Survey in Sound

American Composers Special Collection (ACSC)

American Music Guide Series (AMGS)

American Recorded Choral Archive (ARCA)

American Song History Survey (ASHS)

Saving Earlier American Music (SEAM)

CAMP Reference Links

Research Topics

 

Essential American Recordings Survey - 200 recordings for music from 1759-1959 -- here

 

Earlier American Music Timeline (EAMT)

Part One: 1620 - 1818

Part Two: 1822-1920

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-- Roger Lee Hall, CAMP Director

For his extensive work in various areas of American music, he has been listed in
major directories including International Who's Who in Music , Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World

You can listen to how Roger Hall's music career developed from high school songwriting,
to how he became an American Music Preservcationist.

Click on any of these links to listen to the audio for -- "Making American Music Come Alive Again"
and consider supporting the worthwhile Your History/ Your Story podcast:

Apple -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-history-your-story/id1535889414?i=1000611257078

Spotify -- https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mS6z5JjFwUapMnp3jk5XJ?si=lYjF4XNiT7iHmZmD7qCF9w

YouTube -- https://youtu.be/aPlzapgMVkM

Support Your History/Your Story Podcast at -- http://patreon.com/YourHistoryYourStoryPodcast

Read about Roger Hall's latest book in his Memories And Music series--

"Gentle Peace" - Songs For Survival -- click here

 

New Book by Roger Hall available Spring 2025 From PineTree Press!

Book: "Good Rockin' Tonight" - Electric Elvis, Bill Randle,
and The Rise of a Music Legend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About The Shakers and their music

 

 

Shaker Music In Our Time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Tis the gift to be simple" - Aaron Copland Meets The Shakers In Shaker Heights

Learn about the popular Shaker song and the only meeting between composer Aaron Copland and several Shakers visiting from Maine
and the background on the popular Shaker dance song, "Simple Gifts" (aka: Tis the gift to be simple)

This Zoom program was presented by musicologist, Roger Lee Hall, on 7 November 2024.

Complete 90 minute program on YouTube (without the audio examples) --https://youtu.be/rcpVRysB328

The audio examples are listed here

 

 

 

This year 2024 marked the 250th anniversary of the American Shakers,
who arrived in America after an over two month voyage from England on August 6, 1774.

For over two centuries they composed thousands of anthems, hymns and songs, probably more than any communal sect in America.
Their first tunes were wordless and later they added texts and also music in three and four-part harmony.

Their earliest existing songs in America are from the 1780s and their last song was composed in 1959.

Some of the earliest religious music composed by women in America was by the Shakers,
including their most revered spiritual leader, Mother Ann Lee (1736-1784).
One of her early songs is on this new collection.

Also in this collection are audio interviews with Shaker singers and composer, Aaron Copland (1900-1990),
about his arrangements of the popular Shaker song, "Simple Gifts" (Tis the gift to be simple).

The DVD-ROM or USB is titled:

 

 

Oldest singing school in America with pupils listed

2024 marked the 250th anniversary of the First Singing School in America with all the pupils listed.

I

 

 

 

 

t was taught in 1774 by Boston composer, William Billings (1746-1800). The black & white picture shows the house which was originally the tavern of Robert Capen built in 1747. It was here where the Billings singing school was held. That house was later moved and extensively remodeled and it still stands near Stoughton Center.

Billings was the best known New England composer in 18th century America. His Stoughton singing school had 49 pupils, consisting of young males and females. One of his singing school pupils later became a choral composer, Jacob French (1754-1817).

In that singing school, Billings also met his future wife, Lucy Swan, and they lived in Boston.

Did you know the oldest choral society began in 1786 before the U.S. Constitution was approved?

Read about the singing meetings and concerts by this Massachusetts choral society
in "Dedication: Singing in Stoughton, 1762-1992" -- click here

 

 

Film Music:

 

Popular Music:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In celebration of the centennial birth of American composer, Henry Mancini (1924-1994) -- Memories of Mancini

 

 

To commemorate the centennial of Bill Randle (1923-2004),
a free Zoom program was presented by Roger Lee Hall
titled, "Bill Randle in Cleveland: From Electric Elvis to The Shakers"

For information how to watch this free Zoom program and the book about Bill Randle -- click here

 

Popular Singers:

 

Male Vocal Quartet:

Bravo, Bing!

 

 

 

Early Elvis

 

 

Forever Frank

 

 

Lotsa Lanza!

 

 

 

You can help support the CAMP mission by ordering this enjoyable CD
with over one hour of music by a diverse list of American composers,
both women and men.

Just click on this CD cover to read about this important release
to help support the CAMP:

You can help support the preservation work of the CAMP
by ordering this AMERICAN PLACES CD which contains music not available anywhere else.

Your payment is through safe and secure PayPal and Free shipping is included (USA orders only).

For countries other than the USA, you can receive this CD by clicking the "Add to Cart" button TWO TIMES
and your CD will be sent by Air Mail.

Click the button below --

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The CAMP Bulletin Board

 

 

 

 

 

Publications

 

 

 

Lincoln and Liberty: Music From Abraham Lincoln's Era

 

 

 

Angel of Peace: Music in Old Boston (multimedia disc)

 

 

Five American Women Composers (CD)

 

Book and CD about music of the American Shakers:

 

Book including a history of their music
written by a Shaker Sister, also lyrics for 25 Shaker spirituals,
and an exclusive interview with composer, Aaron Copland
about his arrangements of the Shaker song, "Simple Gifts."
The CD contains all the music mentioned in the book.

GENTLE WORDS (Book and CD)

 

 

American Choral Music History:

In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts,
a collection highlighting singing in earlier America:

LAND OF OUR HEARTS - From Pilgrims to Patriots (multimedia computer disc)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A valuable series of music
for teaching, research or just for listening!

 

 

Earlier American Composers:
Survey In Sound, 1759-1919

music examples
from 16 American composers,
including chamber music and choral music,
all together on one multimedia DVD-ROM.

Read about this extensive audio collection -- click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Multimedia Series!

American Composers Special Collection (ACSC)

Each disc highlights one American composer and one of their major works..

These are the three releases:

20th century: Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Copland meets Shaker Sister Mildred Barker
in Shaker Heights, Ohio, 1974
© Photo by G.M. Hall

ACSC-1: Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Film Music and "Appalachian Spring"

19th century: Edwin Arthur Jones (1853-1911)



© Photo by PineTree Press

ACSC-2: Edwin Arthur Jones (1853-1911)
Chamber Music and "Song of Our Saviour"

18th century: William Billings (1746-1800)

ACRC-3: William Billings, 1746-1800
Choral Music and "Anthem for Thanksgiving"

The disc includes a book with detailed Billings family genealogy and Facts and Fiction about Billings and The Stoughton Musical Society,
now the oldest singing society in America, organized in 1786. For more information about this disc -- click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Music Guide Series:

No. 1 - A Guide to Film Music: Songs and Scores

No. 2 - "Celebrate, Rejoice and Sing!" - A Guide to Christmas Music in America

No. 3 - "Dedication" - A Guide to Singing in Stoughton, 1762-1992

No. 4 - "I Got Rhythm" - A Guide to George Gershwin - Music for Radio and Films

No. 5 - "In The Mood" - A Guide to Music on Radio

No. 6 - "Invitation to Zion" - A Guide to Shaker Music

 

 

Are you a fan of movie songs?

Then check out these enjoyable CDs about this Oscar-winning lyricist:

 

AMRC 0018: Oscar Meets Sammy:
Film Music On Radio

 

 

 

 

 

American Recorded Choral Archive (ARCA)

American Recorded Choral Archive

 

 

 

 

Honor Roll

We are grateful for any donations received to help support the Center for American Music Preservation.

These names have been added to the CAMP Honor Roll for their service to music
as singer, composer, conductor or scholar:

 

Sister Ruth Mildred Barker

Gregory Erickson

Earl Eyrich

Randy Folger

John D. Herr

David P. McKay

Sister Bertha Lillian Phelps

George Walker

 

You can help support the CAMP and adding a name to this Honor Roll.

To add a name to the Honor Roll, order the American Places CD listed above.

 

 

 

 

Research Topics

 

18th century

Read about the first known American art song in 1759 by Francis Hopkinson--
click here

 

 

 

 

William Billings - Father of American Choral Music

 

 

Singing Stoughton - Music in Massachusetts

 

 

 

 

 

 

"A Toast" - Music of George Washington's Time

 

 

 

 

 

19th century

Read about "The Simplicity of Shaker Music" -
the oldest surviving communal sect in America,
with the largest number of original tunes and texts
click here

 

 

"Lincoln and Liberty" - Music From Abraham Lincoln's Time

 

It is not commonly known that in addition to his many popular songs,
Stephen Foster also composed a group of beautiful hymns during the Civil War years.
Some of these hymns are available in First Recordings on a multimedia disc titled,

 

"Glory, Hallelujah" - Songs and Hymns of the Civil War Era

 

 

20th century

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music by George W. Chadwick - click here

One of his choral works from 1918 is the title of this DVD-ROM with audio and video features:

"Land of Our Hearts" - From Pilgrims to Patriots

 

Leonard Bernstein: The Total Musician

 

 

 

The Bill Randle Chronicles - click here

 

 

Film In Focus (1930s-1960s) - click here

 

 

Tribute to a popular Oscar-winning lyricist, Sammy Cahn