CHESTER OVERTURE - Parts & Score

A note about CHESTER and WILLIAM BILLINGS

 

The tune on which this composition is based was born during the very time of the American Revolution, appearing in 1778 in a book of tunes and anthems

composed by William Billings called THE SINGING MASTER’S ASSISTANT. This book became known as “Billings’ best” following as it did his ?rst book

called THE NEW ENGLAND PSALM SINGER, published in 1770. CHESTER was so popular that it was sung throughout the colonies from Vermont to South

Carolina. It became the song of the American Revolution, sung around the camp?res of the Continental Army and played by ?fers on the march. The

music and words, both composed by Billings, expressed perfectly the burning desire for freedom which sustained the colonists through the difficult years of

the Revolution:

 

Let tyrants shake their iron rod,

And Slav'ry clank her gelling chains,

We fear them not, We trust in Cod,

New England’s Cod forever reigns.

The Foe comes on with haughty stride,

Our troops advance with martial noise,

Their Vet'rans ?ee, before our Youth,

And Cen'rals yield to beardless Boys.

What grateful Ofrring shall we bring?

What shall we render to this Lord?

Loud Hallelujah let us sing,

And praise His Name on Ev'ry Chord.

 

Billings himself is described by William Bentley, of Salem, a contemporary, as “the father of our New England Music. Many who have imitated have excelled

him, but none of them had better original power. He was a singular man, of moderate size, short of one leg, with one eye, without any address, and with

an uncommon negligence of person. Still he spake and sang and thought as a man above the common abilities.” Billings, born in Boston in 1746, started

his career in life as a tanner’s apprentice but soon gave up this trade for music in which he was apparently self-taught. He organized singing schools, com-

posing music ior them which was all the more welcome because relations with England had reached the breaking point and the colonists were glad to have

their own native music. Billings’ many “fuguing tunes” achieved great popularity, but by the time he died in 1800 this kind of music gradually fell into

disiavor leaving Billings poor and neglected. Today given the prospective of history we see Billings as a major ?gure in American music. His indomitable

spirit still shines through the sturdy tunes he wrote.