Oliver Holden

Portrait, ca. 1810

Life

Born: 18 September 1765, Shirley, Massachusetts

Died: 4 September 1844, Charlestown, Massachusetts

Oliver Holden was one of the best-known and prolific American composers of psalmody of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. As a young man, he was a U. S. Marine aboard the frigate Dean, participating in the capture of five British ships. He lived most of his later life in Charlestown, Massachusetts, near Boston. Unlike many composers of his era, Holden was a well known citizen, with dealings in government, religious, and charitable affairs. Though a carpenter and real estate dealer in his professional life, he also organized many music schools, and served as legislator and pastor. When George Washington visited Boston in 1789, Holden wrote the lyrics and score and trained the choir which sang the music that greeted Washington at the Old State House.
"Holden was an early proponent of 'reform psalmody' and sought to accommodate his style to European ideals of church music, without, however, completely abandoning the forms and techniques of American psalmody. Thus, his music is an interesting amalgamation of styles and musical detail" (Music 1998).
"After 1796, Holden quit signing his name to tunebooks, except for editions of the Worcester Collection. Nevertheless, several anonymous volumes of the later eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries have been positively identified as Holden's works … These include Sacred Dirges (1800), The Modern Collection (1800), Plain Psalmody (1800), the third edition of The Union Harmony, The Charlestown Collection (1803), and Occasional Pieces (1807)" (Music 1998).

View the Wikipedia article on Oliver Holden.

NOTE. New works added to this page should be automatically placed below. Please add Listing by First Line manually.

List of choral works

• For works at CPDL sorted alphabetically by title, see Oliver Holden compositions

LISTING BY TITLE

See Listing by First Line below

1.Psalm-Tunes

• Aberdeen 1793
• Acceptance 1797
• Addison 1800
• Advent 1800
• Alibama 1800
• Alpha 17921797
• Alstead 1788
• Amiens 1803
• Andover 1800
• Anstruther 1803
• Antipatris 1793
• Arabia 1803
• Ashby 1803
• Aspiring Praise 1803
• Athens 1800
• Auspicious Morn 1800
• Avon 1806
• Beneficence 1800
• Bensalem 18061806
• Bethlehem Judah 1803
• Bethsaida 1800
• Bitter Sweet 1800
• Bourbon 1803
• Bright Reversion 1800
• Camden 1793
• Cana 1803
• Canton 1796
• Ceylon 1796
• Chosen Race 1803
• Commemoration 1793
• Compassion 18001806
• Concord 1793
• Confession 1793
• Confidence 1796
• Consecration 1792
• Constant Peace 1800
• Contentment 1796
• Contrast 1797
• Contrition 1793
• Corinth 1800
• Coronation 17931841
• Cowper 180318031806
• Creation 1803
• The Cross 1800
• Cuba 1800
• Danville 1803
• Dawning Light 1800
• Dedicatory Hymn 1800
• Deliverance 1793
• Dependence 1803
• Desertion 18061806
• Desire of Nations 1800
• Dissolution 1800
• Dix-Hills 1803
• Edenton 1800
• Emulation 1800
• Ephesus 1800
• Erie 1800
• Essex 1797
• Eternal Wisdom 1800
• Euphrates 1803
• Evening Hymn 1800
• Exultation 1800
• Fairlee 1793
• Forerunner 1803
• Fount 18061806
• Funeral Hymn (1800) 1800
• Funeral Hymn 1792
• Gift 1803
• Gilead 1806
• Good Physician 1806
• Gospel Armor 1803
• Gospel Voice 18061806
• Hanley Green 1806
• Havanna 1800
• Havre 1796
• Healing Mercy 1806
• Heavenly Theme 1800
• Hollis 1788
• Hope 1793
• Hopkinton 1796
• Hundred and Forty-Fifth Psalm 1796
• Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm 1796
• Iceland 1806
• Idumea 1793
• Immanuel 1796
• Incense 1796
• Infant Time 1800
• Interposition 1800
• Jehovah Reigns 1800
• Joy Was Our Song 1800
• Joyful Tidings 1800
• Kamalia 1800
• Lamentation 1792
• Lincoln 1792
• Lodi 1800
• Lord's Day 1796
• Louisiana 1796
• Luneville 1803
• Lynn 1793
• Lynnfield 1793
• Macedonia 1796
• Magdala 1796
• Mantua 1800
• Medina 17961806
• Mercy Seat 1803
• Miami 1803
• Middlesex 1793
• Morning 1800
• Mount Carmel 1803
• Mount Tabor 1792
• Mountain 1803
• Mysterious Grace 1800
• Neglected Harp 1803
• New Canaan 1792
• New Concord 1796
• New Salem 1793
• New-Jerusalem 1793
• New-Union 18031806
• Obedience 1803
• Olney 1803
• Omega 1793
• Opening Heavens 1800
• Oracle 1800
• Ordination Hymn 1803
• Paradise 1796
• Penetration 1800
• Persia 1800
• Philippi 1796
• Pilgrim's Song 1796
• Praise To God 1800
• Promise 1803
• Protection 1793
• Psalm 148 1800
• Radiant Seraph 1800
• Rapture 1793
• Repentant Song 1800
• Resolution 18031806
• Rest 18031806
• Retirement 1803
• Review 18061806
• Reviving Hope 18001806
• Richmond 1803
• Rising Dawn 1800
• The Rock 1804
• Romelia 1803
• Sabbath Morn 1803
• Salem (1803) 1803
• Salem 17931800
• Seclusion 1803
• See He Rises 1803
• Serepta 1800
• Shiloh 1803
• Sicily 1800
• Sincerity 17931806
• Smyrna 1796
• Solemnity 1800
• Solicitude 1796
• Solid Pleasures 1800
• Sparta 1800
• St. Alban's 1803
• St. Marc 1803
• St. Mary 1800
• Stone Chapel 1800
• Submission 1793
• Sun 1800
• Surety 1800
• Suspension 1800
• Sweet Complaint 1803
• Sweet Surprise 1800
• Temple 1800
• Tender Thoughts 1800
• Tennessee 1796
• Tis Finished 1800
• Transition 1796
• Treasure 1796
• True Devotion 1792
• Trust 1803
• Ur 1800
• Various Praise 1800
• Vergennes 1800
• Vernal Day 1803
• Verona 1796
• Vine 1803
• Weary Pilgrim 1800
• Weeping Sinner 1806
• Welcome 18061806
• Welcome Morn 1800
• Why weepest thou? 1800
• Winter-Street 1803
• Zion 1792

2. Anthems

• Christmas 1792
• Dedicatory Anthem 1800
• From heaven the loud, the angelic song 1793
• Hark! She bids all her friends adieu 1797
• Hark! What distant music 1793
• Hear my cry, hear my cry 1793
• How amiable are Thy tabernacles 1796
• I will praise Thee, O Lord my God 1797
• Jehovah speaks! 1795
• Man that is born of a woman 1796
• Messiah 1793
• Ode to Harmony 1793
• Ode to Music 1792
• Psalm for Thanksgiving Day 1803
• The sound of the harp ceaseth 1800
• West End 1793

3. Secular Songs

• Phenomena 18061806
• Ode to Music 1792
• Ode to Harmony 1793

 

LISTING BY FIRST LINE

A blooming paradise of joy Again the Lord of life and light All hail the power of Jesus' name Angels are lost in sweet surprise Angels, roll the rock away Another six days' work is done Arise, my soul, my joyful powers Arise, my tender thoughts, arise Arise, my tenderest thoughts, arise Around the bloody tree As Jesus stood on Tabor's mound As lost in lonely grief I tread As pants the hart for cooling streams Attend, ye saints, and hear me tell Awake, my heart; arise, my tongue Awake, our souls, away, our fears Begin, my soul, th' exalted lay Begin, my tongue, some heavenly theme Behold, the grace appears Behold the rising dawn appear Behold the rose of Sharon here Beside the gospel pool Bless God, O my soul, rejoice in His name Come, all ye lovers of the Lamb Come, dearest Lord, descend and dwell Come, happy souls, approach your God Come, said Jesus' sacred voice Come, thou fount of every blessing Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched Dearest of all the names above Dear fountain of delight unknown Death, 'tis a melancholy day Death will dissolve the tenderest tie Deep in a cold, a joyless cell Descend from heaven, immortal Dove Descend, Holy Spirit, the Dove Did Christ for sinners weep Early, my God, without delay Earth has detained me prisoner long Eternal Wisdom, Thee we praise Eternal wisdom was prepared Fair as a blooming, tender flower Far, far beyond these lower skies Far from the world, O Lord, I flee Father divine, before Thy view Father, I bless Thy gentle hand Father of mercies! In Thy word Father of our feeble race Fairest of all the lights above Forgive the song that falls so low From heaven the loud, the angelic song From my sad prison set me free From the first dawning light Give me the wings of faith to rise Go, worship at Immanuel's feet God of eternity, from Thee God of mercy, God of love God of my life, look gently down Great Father of mankind Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised Great King in Zion, Lord of all Had I the tongue of Greeks and Jews Hail! hail music Happy the church, thou sacred place Hark! the herald angels sing Hark! 'Tis the trumpet's piercing sound Hark! what distant music Hear my cry, hear my cry He spake, and heaven's high arches rang

Hosanna to the Prince of light How amiable are Thy tabernacles How did my heart rejoice to hear How doth Thy word my heart engage How full of anguish is the thought How oft have sin and Satan strove How sweet and aweful is the place I am confined to earth no more I am the Savior, the Almighty God I hear the voice of woe I'll praise my Maker with my breath I'll praise my Maker with my breath I love Thy habitation, Lord I'm not ashamed to own my Lord In the soft season of thy youth I sing my Savior's wondrous death It cost Him cries and tears It grieves me, Lord, it grieves me sore I will praise Thee, O Lord my God Jehovah reigns! Let every nation hear Jehovah speaks Jehovah, with amazing noise Jesus! and shall it ever be Jesus, my Savior and my Lord Jesus shall reign where-e'er the sun Jesus, where-e'er Thy people meet Joy to the world, the Lord is come Keep silence, all created things King of Salem, bless my soul Let every creature join Let flowing numbers sweetly rise Life has a soft and silver thread Light of those whose dreary dwelling Lo, I am with you, saith the Lord Lord of the worlds above Lord, I'm ashamed to say Lord, 'tis against Thy face Lord, when my raptured thoughts survey Lo, what an entertaining sight Man has a soul of vast desires Man that is born of a woman My God, my King, Thy various praise My God, my King, Thy various praise My God, my life, my love My God, permit me not to be My God, the steps of pious men My God, when-e'er my longing heart My harp untuned, and laid aside My heart and soul cry out for Thee My Savior, my almighty friend My song shall bless the Lord of all My soul, come meditate the day My soul lies cleaving to the dust My soul, now arise, My passions, take wing Nature, with all her powers, shall sing Not from the dust afflictions grow No war or battles' sound Now can my soul in God rejoice Now let our voices join Now let the Lord my savior smile Now let us raise our cheerful strains Now may soft slumbers close my eyes Now shall my inward joys arise Now to the Lord, who makes us know Now to the shining realms above Now to Thy altar, O my God O bless the Lord, my soul O praise ye the Lord, prepare a new song O, the delights, the heavenly joys

O, the sweet wonders of that cross Of all the gifts Thine hand bestows Of all the joys that mortals know Once more, my soul, the rising day Out of the deeps of long distress O what a happy, happy day Pale sorrow folds me in her arms Praise to God, immortal praise Praise to God, the great Creator Say, radiant seraph, throned in light See the noon-day clothed in darkness Send comforts down from Thy right hand Shepherds, rejoice, lift up your eyes Sing to the Lord a new-made song Some seraph, lend your heavenly tongue Soon shall I quit this mortal shore Stand up, my soul, shake off thy fears Sweet is the work, my God, my King Take down thy long neglected harp The Almighty spake, and Gabriel sped The fountain of Christ The God of glory sends His summons forth The hill of Zion yields The Lord Jehovah reigns The Lord of glory reigns, he reigns on high The opening heavens around me shine There is a land of pure delight The saints should never be dismayed The Savior calls, let every ear The sound of the harp ceaseth The uplifted eye, and bended knee Think, mighty God, on feeble man This is the glorious day This life's a dream, an empty show Thy mercy sweetens every soil 'Tis a point I long to know 'Tis thine, sweet power To bless Thy chosen race To keep the lamp alive Too many, Lord, abuse Thy grace To this dear Surety's hand Up to Thy throne, almighty King Welcome, sweet day of rest We've found the rock, the travelers cried What is the world, with all its toys What mighty man, or mighty God When conscious grief laments sincere When faith presents the Savior's death When first the God of boundless might When gladness wings my favored hour When God restored our captive state When God revealed His gracious name When midnight darkness veils the skies When some kind shepherd from his fold When verdure clothes the fertile vale When with my mind devoutly pressed While of Thy absence we complain While some on me with wonder gaze Why do we mourn departing friends Why is my heart so far from Thee Why, O my soul, why weepest thou Why should the children of a King Winter has a joy for me With pleasing grief and mournful joy Worthy the Lamb that died, they cry Ye dying sons of men Ye heavenly gates, loose all your chains Ye nymphs of Solima

Publications

• Holden, Oliver. 1792. American Harmony. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews.
• Holden, Oliver, Compiler. 1793a. The Union Harmony, or Universal Collection of Sacred Music, Volume 1. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. xv + 120 pp.
• Holden, Oliver, Compiler. 1793b. The Union Harmony, or Universal Collection of Sacred Music, Volume 2. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. ii + 176 pp.
• Gram, Hans, Oliver Holden, and Samuel Holyoke. 1795. The Massachusetts Compiler of Theoretical and Practical Elements of Sacred Vocal Music. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews.
• Holden, Oliver, Compiler. 1796. The Union Harmony, or Universal Collection of Sacred Music. Edition 2. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. Volume 1, 119 pp.
• Holden, Oliver, Compiler. 1797. Laus Deo! The Worcester Collection of Sacred Harmony. Edition 6, 1797. Edition 7, 1800. Edition 8, 1803. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews.
• Holden, Oliver. 1800. Sacred Dirges, Hymns, and Anthems, commemorative of the death of General George Washington. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews.
• Holden, Oliver. 1800. Plain Psalmody, or Supplementary Music. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. November 1800.
• Holden, Oliver, Compiler. 1800. The Modern Collection of Sacred Music. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. 254 pp. ("Positively identified as Holden's work" by David Music 1998). December 1800.
• Holden, Oliver, Compiler. 1803. The Charlestown Collection of Sacred Songs, Adapted to Public and Private Devotion. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. 80 pp.
• Holden, Oliver. 1806. The Young Convert's Companion. Boston: E. Lincoln.
• Holden, Oliver. 1807. The Suffolk Selection of Church Musick. Boston: Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews.

References

• Kroeger, Karl. 1977. Isaiah Thomas as a music publisher. Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society 86:321-341.
• Music, David W., Editor. 1998. Oliver Holden (1765-1844): Selected Works. New York, New York: Routledge. 258 pp.

External sites

• Find-a-Grave.com

Click here to search for this composer on CPDL