The School and Primary Songster; Containing Songs for Public Schools, Primary Associations, Kindergarten, Etc., All Specially Composed and Arranged to Suit Childrens' Voices. Also as a Reader of Vocal Music
Salt Lake City: Daynes Music Co., 1899. Hardcover. iv, 106 p. 13.5 x 17.5 cm. Oblong. Flake-Draper 8427b. Black cloth spine with printed boards. Light green paper hardcover, with black lettering; Front cover - Decorative border with squares in the corners of the border that have a floral device in the center; long rectangular boxes with a row of floral designs in them are found on the right and left and top and bottom edges of the front cover and are joined by a decorative band. Plain edges and endsheets (lacks front endsheet).
Moderate to heavy rubbing to printed boards; name inside front cover - "Clarence Cummings, Wilford, Utah." Inside the rear cover is listed, "New Anthems for Choirs" with title, author and prices; no advertising on the rear cover.
Mormons in Utah had been introduced to the genre of "songster" in 1868 with John Davis' Beehive Songster. Evan Stephens published his first edition of The School and Primary Songster in 1889. This was apparently reprinted as copies of various editions are located in libraries (oddly, there are 10th-12th editions but nothing marked 2nd-9th edition known). This edition, published by Daynes Music Co. in 1899, is the only one with a different date. It appears to be a faithful reprint of the 1889 edition in all respects. Songs are divided up into various categories like "Recreation Pieces," "Outs, Excursions and Picnic Pieces" and, more somber, "Funeral Pieces." Reflecting slightly different word usage, Stephens includes songs titled "Pussie Round the Corner" and "Gay and Happy." For Stephens, singing was no light matter—in the instructions, he mandated, "Let the School always sing standing. Rise briskly to the work." In an era when songbooks often included only text, it is interesting to not only see music in this edition but also detailed notation for the teachers. Condition: Very good. Item #37447
Price: $250.00