Archives Collection

HOLSINGER, GEORGE B. (1857-1908)                                                                89-045

            SHAPE NOTE GOSPEL MUSIC COLLECTION

 

Physical Description:

.75 linear feet

 

Dates:

Ca. 1880-1900

 

Provenance:

Purchased from Bookworm and Silverfish, Wytheville Virginia, as part of a larger collection of gospel tunebooks.

 

Biographical Sketch:

George B. Holsinger was born in Bedford County, PA in 1857, attended the Shenandoah Valley Normal School and was director of music at Bridgewater College, 1882-1898. He was associate instructor, with B.C. Unseld, in music normals at Bridgewater College, 1894-96 and taught a number of singing schools elsewhere. He was music editor for the Church of the Brethren from 1898 to 1908 and associate editor of the Church of the Brethren hymnal which was published in 1901. His songs were used in over 100 publications, and “Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs” of which he was associate editor, reached the sale of over 200,000.

 

From—A Brief History of the Musical Movement…which was started in the Mountain Valley.

 

Scope and Content:

Manuscript shape note hymnals; proof sheets of the Brethren hymnal; multiple copies of Vocal Selections,  fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh series, published by John Church Co., copies of other shape note gospel song books including Straub’s Vocal Selections, All Hail the Mighty Savior by S.A. Myers, The Voice of Praise by A.J. Showalter et. Al. and Sweet Fields of Eden by Tenny et. Al.; copies of oratorio choruses and chorales, some in multiple copies; Showalter’s Vocal Studies and Exercises in Musical Notation; a program for the 1894 Bridgewater Summer Music School; 3 issues of music magazines; and several advertisements for music publications. The materials are arranged in the order listed, with individual pieces of music filed alphabetically by title.

 

Location:

The materials are filed by accession number with other manuscript collections.

 

 

Box/Folder List:

Box #  Folder#           Description

1          1 & 2               Manuscript hymnals

1          3                      Brethren hymnal proof sheets

1          4                      Vocal selections, fourth series

2          1                      Vocal selections, fifth-seventh series

2          2                      Song books

2          3                      Sheet music, A-S

2          4                      Sheet music, T-Z

2          5                      Loose sheets/pages

2          6                      Showalter/Magazines/Program/Advertisements

 

EBG 1989