Daniel Read’s Work
“CAN WE PUT A DANIEL READ QUOTE HERE???”
Over the course of his life, Daniel composed over 250 individual pieces. The Daniel Read Project endeavors to explore these works through their titles. The majority of these are titled by location, though some were named for people, concepts, or emotions.
Daniel also composed many different kinds of music. Hymn tunes, psalm tunes, and anthems, were all part of Daniel’s repertoire.
Before exploring, please visit our vocabulary guide and a brief history of the state of psalmody in the late 18th and early 19th century.
Tunes by Location
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Massachusetts & Rhode Island
Daniel Read grew up in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Many of his pieces are named for surrounding Massachusetts towns.
Adjacent to Daniel’s birthplace, there are several tunes inspired by the smallest state in the union. During his time as a soldier in the American Revolution, Daniel would find himself in The Battle of Newport. It is also likely that Providence, Rhode Island was where Daniel learned composition.
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Connecticut
After relocating to New Haven in 1782, Daniel never left the state of Connecticut. Through his connections and work as a singing teacher, the bulk of his tunes are named for Connecticut towns.
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Farther from Home
From New Jersey to Russia, some of the names for Daniel’s tunes came from places outside of New England- even places we know he never visited.
Other Hymns
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Persons
Only *** tunes were composed and named for people.
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Morals, Values, and Emotions
Morals and values are at the center of religious life. See what tunes Daniel composed and titled based on morals, values, and emotions.
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Complete List
With over two hundred tunes compiled so far, our list is a work in progress. Please check back regularly for updates