Friendship (William Billings)

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• (Posted 2023-10-02)  CPDL #75941:         

Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2023-10-02).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 48 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Transcribed from The Waterhouse Manuscript, entitled "Bennington", Copied by Susanna Heath, 1780-1781. Meter 86. 86 (C.M.), in G. Words by Isaac Watts, "Shepherds rejoice, lift up your eyes" from Horae Lyricae, 1706, with eight stanzas. Heath indicated the first stanza of Watts' hymn; this edition includes the second stanza as well.

• (Posted 2023-10-02)  CPDL #75939:         

Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2023-10-02).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 33 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Transcribed from The New-England Psalm-Singer, 1770. Meter 66. 86 (S.M.), in A. No text appeared with this tune in 1770.

General Information

Title: Friendship
Composer: William Billings
Lyricist: Isaac Watts
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: TrCTB
Genre: Sacred, Psalm-tune   Meter: 66. 86 (S.M.)

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1770 in The New-England Psalm-Singer, no. 69
    Manuscript 1780 – 1781 in The Waterhouse Manuscript, as Bennington, no. 17
Description: Published in The New-England Psalm-Singer, 1770, without words. About a decade later, an variant version (see Kroeger 1982) was published in The Waterhouse Manuscript, 1780-1781, with words by Isaac Watts, 1706, "Shepherds, rejoice, lift up your eyes" – in 86. 86. (C. M.) meter. These 1780-1781 words can't fit the 1770 meter, which is 66. 86. (S. M.); Karl Kroeger (The Complete Works of William Billings, 1981) suggested the words of Isaac Watts, 1719, paraphrase of Psalm 45, Version 1, "My Savior and my King". Both the 1770 and 1780-1781 versions are simple tunes, probably for use in singing schools. Contrasting the two variants:

Title Key Time Meter Words

1770 Friendship A 4:4 S. M. None

ca. 1780 Bennington G 3:2 C. M. Shepherds, rejoice

Original text and translations

Original text and translations may be found at Shepherds rejoice, lift up your eyes and Psalm 45.