William Gifford

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Life

Born: Unknown

Died: Unknown

Biography

William Gifford is known as the composer of one book of psalmody, Twelve New Psalm Tunes In Three Four Five, and Six Parts; with Symphonies and a Thorough Bass, for the Organ, Piano Forte &c. With Two Favorite Christmas Hymns. The book is dated 'Peck Engraver London. 1805.' at the foot of p19 (the penultimate page, and the last page of music, as p20 consists of the texts of the two Christmas hymns).

The twelve psalm tunes in this book are all settings of texts from the 'New Version' metrical psalms of Tate and Brady, while the hymns are 'Come, thou long-expected Jesus' (by Charles Wesley) and 'Rejoice, ye tenants of the earth' (a text written by Gifford himself, and mentioned by Thomas HardyLink to the English Wikipedia article in Chapter 4 of his novel Under the Greenwood TreeLink to the English Wikipedia article).

The title page of Twelve New Psalm Tunes describes Gifford as 'of South PethertonLink to the English Wikipedia article, Somersetshire': 'Mr. William Gifford, South Petherton' also appears among the subscribers to Twenty-Four Psalm Tunes, the second book of psalmody by the composer Thomas Shoel (of nearby MontacuteLink to the English Wikipedia article), published in 1800.

List of choral works

 
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Publications

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