Utile dulci. or, A joco-serious dialogue, concerning regular singing
Thomas Symmes • 1723 • Printed by B. Green, for Samuel Gerrish, near the Brick Meeting House in Cornhill.
- Author
- Thomas Symmes
- First published
- 1723
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Where it came from
Published in Boston in 1723, this treatise by the Reverend Thomas Symmes emerged during a pivotal cultural shift in New England Congregationalist worship. At the time, the tradition of 'lining out' hymns had led to a perceived decline in musical quality, with congregations often struggling to maintain pitch and rhythm. Symmes, a proponent of the 'regular way' of singing, authored this dialogue to advocate for the formal teaching of musical notation, arguing that singing by rule was not merely a secular indulgence but a duty to provide a more harmonious offering to God.
The text is presented as a joco-serious dialogue, a rhetorical device common in the period that allowed the author to address counter-arguments against musical literacy in a accessible, conversational manner. By balancing lighthearted commentary with earnest theological justification, Symmes sought to persuade skeptical parishioners that musical proficiency and spiritual devotion were complementary. The work remains a significant historical artifact of early American musical pedagogy, reflecting the transition toward formalized church music in the colonies.
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About Utile dulci. or, A joco-serious dialogue, concerning regular singing
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