Talk:William Tans'ur

Copies of biographical notes found in somebody else's research about William Tans'ur

Dear Friends,

I do not know the authors of the following but found them amongst my mother's relicts so I pass them on here for others : by way of my grandmother's late second marriage I am slightly related to William Tanz'ur and obviously somebody wanted to know about him.

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( A ) TYPESCRIPT ON SCRAP

William Tansur ( 1699 - 1783 )

Psalmodist, stated to have been born at Egham, Surrey, was baptised at Dunchurch in 1706.

The Parish Register describes him as ( William Tanzer ) son of Edward and Joan Tanzer of Dunchurch.

Subsequently the family setlled in South Kilworth, Leicestershire, and it was from there that he published ( aided by village subscriptions ) his first musical work in the form of a book of Psalm tunes, one of which he named the " South Kilworth " tune.

The centenary edition of the " Rugby Advertiser " quotes the following : - " The earliest known work to be printed in the town was engraved on copper plates and entitled ' The Royal Psalmist Compleat ' or ' The Universal Harmony etc.' by Wm. Tansur, A.D. 1749.

At Ware in May 1730 he married Elizabeth Butler who died there in 1767. His son David was buried at Market Harborough in 1743. Another son was a chorister at Trinity College, Cambridge and afterwards joined his father as music teacher. In later life he adopted the name and style of ' William Tanser sen. MUSICO THEORETICO ' and called himself Psalmodist Philco musica theology etc.

Groves Dictionary of Music quotes a number of his musical publications. As a teacher he was found at St. Neots ( Cambs.) where he was organist at the Parish Church and carried on a business as a book seller and publisher. He died and was buried at St. Neots in 1783 aged 83 years.

William Tansur is recorded in Grove's Dictionary of Music which also lists some books published by him. Congregational Praise, a hymn book published in 1951, contains four tunes by this man, i.e. Bangor, Colchester, Epsom and St. Andrew.

It is worthy at note that at the investiture of Prince Charles in 1959 a hymn was sung to the tune BANGOR by Wm. Tansur.

[ Please note that Prince Charles' Investiture was in 1969 ]

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( B ) faded roneo'd COPY FROM STENCIL

William Tans'ur ( 1699? - 1783 )

Psalmodist, stated to have been born at Barnes, Surry, in 1699 and at Dunchurch, Warwickshire in 1700 ( ? ), was baptised at Dunchurch on 6th November 1706. The Parish Register describes him as " William Tanzer ( sic ), son on Edward and Joan Tanzer of Dunchurch." He seems to have been a teacher of music from an early date, and to have published his psalmodies at Barnes, Surrey ( 1737 ), Cambridge ( 1754 ) and ( 1776 ), Stamford ( 1756 & 1759 ) and Boston ( 1761.) He is said to have been living subsequently at Leicester. He can be traced at Witham, Lincolnshire, as well as at Market Harborough. The last forty years of his life were spent at St. Neots, where he was a stationer, bookseller and teacher of music. He died there on 2nd ( or 7th ) October 1783 and was buried on 9th October, aged 83.

At Ware on 20th May, 1730 he married Elizabeth Butler, who died there on 9th January 1767. His son, David, was buried at Market Harborough on 8th January 1743. Another son was a chorister at Trinity College, Cambridge and afterwards joined his father as a teacher of music.

In later years Tans'ur adopted the name and style of " William Tans'ur, senior MUSICO THEORETICO." He also called himself " psalmodist, philomusic and theology, and professor, corrector and teacher of musick above fifty years." Tanz'ur's various publications contain the earliest know copies of what were formerly familiar tunes. His principle works are : -

1. A Complete Melody, or the Harmony of Sion - 1736 ( preface dated 1754.)

2. The Melody of the Heart - 1737

3. Heaven on Earth or The Beauty of Holiness - 1738

4. Sacrd Mirth or The Pious Soul's Daily Delieght - 1739

5. A New Musical Grammar or The Harmonical Spectator - 1746

6. The Royal Melody Compleat or The New Harmony of Sion - 1754-5

7. The Psalm Singer's Jewel - 1760

8. Melodia Sacra - 1772

9. The Elements of Musick Displayed - 1772

- See further : Lore " Scottish Church Music " 1891 ; Brit. Mus. Cat. ; Grove's Dictionary of Music.

NOTE :

Tate & Brady Version ( metrical ) late 17th C. Supplement of Church Hymns 1700 Sternhold & Hopkins - 1st Ed. 1548 1st Complete Version of Psalter by Daye 1562 ( by various hands )DaiSaw (talk) 12:35, 21 June 2014 (UTC)