1856 CHRISTIAN MINSTREL. Fascinating Original & Innovative "Shape Note" Hymnal

An early imprint of Jessie B. Aikin's fascinating and innovative "shape-note" system of notation.

.Jesse Bowman Aikin (1808-1900) was born in Chester Co., PA. A farmer by trade and a member of the Church of the Brethren, he became a "singing master" and was the first person to produce a successful song book in the seven-shape note system, i.e. The Christian Minstrel. "He vigorously defended his 'invention' and his patent, which included the elimination of bass and treble clefs and the simplification of time signatures. After the influential Ruebush & Kieffer Publishing Company began using his notehead shapes around 1876 (previously they used Funk's shapes), the Aikin shapes eventually became the prevailing standard in shape note and gospel music publication, although few other compilers adopted his other innovations." 

The present is an early imprint and has included with it, as found, 15 pages of early non-authorial holographs of songs. Of special interest is the early anti-tobacco song "Tobacco!" which was originally published by J. H. Kellogg and the Seventh-Day Adventists in Kalamazoo, MI. The early owner, Hudson O. Snyder, seems to have hailed from Kalamazoo as well, so perhaps some connection. He was mustered from Michigan during the Civil War. One other song signed by Ira F. Good who is recorded has having lived in Buffalo, NY c.1864. 

Aikin, J. B. The Christian Minstrel: A New System of Musical Notation; with a Collection of Psalm Tunes, Anthems, and Chants, Selected from the Most Popular Works in Europe and America. Designed for the Use of Churches, Singing-Schools, and Societies. Philadelphia. T. K. Collins, etc. 1856. 416pp.

Fair only, though quite attractive. Quarter leather with lithographed paper boards, badly rubbed, rear with losses. Tidemark throughout; generally solid, last couple of signatures badly handled and lacking rfep and perhaps one sheet of the index.