Drummond, George Hay; Miller, Edward [composer]. Select Portions of the New Version of Psalms, For every Sunday throughout the Year; with the Principal Festivals and Fasts, for the Use of Parish Churches; The Words selected by the Rev. George Hay Drummond; the Music Selected, Adapted, and Composed by Edward Miller, Mus. Doct. London: Printed for W. Miller, 1791. Sixth Edition. [9818]
Tunes in manuscript, on lined leaves interspersed between the printed hymns.
Full leather binding, gilt chain border front and back, binding worn and scuffed with loss of surface leather to front, worming to spine, 16.5 x 11 cm (6 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches). Both paste-downs detached from boards, still attached to text block. Top of title page trimmed too close with loss to top line of title (Select Portions). Notes in pencil & ink on the front end papers, including "John Lawrence, His Book, 1817". Free end paper before tp cut out. (iv), (1)-129, (1), (1 adverts), rear end papers with manuscript hymn. Text complete. The leaves in this book are interspersed with manuscript tunes in four parts, each sheet cut in half to allow for two tunes per side that can be opened independently. The last several manuscript pages have prayers or hymns written on them. The book is prepared for a minister or precentor who could look at the words of the psalm and the music of the tune at the same time. Good. Leather .
An advert for the music (verso of tp) would indicate that the engraved music section was sold separately from the "Select Portions." The music in this copy is done by hand.
Rev. George Hay Drummond (1761-1807), according to Julian he was b. at Westminster, educated at Christ Church, Oxford, and in 1783 made Vicar of Brodsworth and Canon of York. John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907), at hymnary dot org.
The music composer, Edward Miller (1735-1807), for 50 years the organist of the Minster Church of Saint George, Doncaster. In his youth he was a flautist in Handel's orchestra. He taught, composed, and published music; he also wrote a history of Doncaster.