A CHRONOLOGICAL VIEW OF WESTERN MUSIC HISTORY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD EVENTS

Andrew Law

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March 21, 1749: Andrew Law is born in Milford, Connecticut Colony.
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July 23, 1769: Andrew Law (20) joins the Congregational Church in Cheshire, Connecticut.
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June 8, 1775: The graduating class of Rhode Island College, led by Andrew Law (26) and two others, petitions the president, faculty and trustees to hold the upcoming commencement ceremonies in accordance with the call of the Continental Congress to “discourage every species of extravagance and dissipation.”
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September 13, 1775: Andrew Law (26) graduates from Rhode Island college, in the manner requested on 8 June.
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December 8, 1778: This is the approximate date of the appearance in Cheshire, Connecticut, of Andrew Law’s (29) first publication, the Select Harmony .
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October 15, 1781: Andrew Law (32) petitions the Connecticut legislature for “an exclusive patent for printing and vending the tunes following…” Within two weeks it will be granted. Someone has been trying to pirate his Select Harmony. He is thus one of the first to receive a copyright in the United States.
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January 8, 1782: The Connecticut Courant of Hartford announces the appearance of a revised edition of Andrew Law’s (32) Select Harmony.
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September 4, 1782: Andrew Law (33) receives a Master of Arts degree from Rhode Island College.
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January 30, 1783: An announcement appears in the Pennsylvania Packet, advertising a singing school newly founded by Andrew Law (33). He arrived in Philadelphia from New England at the end of last year.
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December 10, 1783: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts awards a copyright to Andrew Law (34) for his Rudiments of Music.
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September 1, 1785: Andrew Law’s (36) new singing school opens “opposite the brick Presbyterian church” in New York City.
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January 22, 1787: The Columbian Herald of Charleston, South Carolina, announces that a new singing school has recently been opened by Andrew Law (37). Law arrived in the city at the end of last year.
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July 2, 1787: Andrew Law (38) arrives in Philadelphia, his travels to Charleston being largely a failure.
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July 16, 1787: Andrew Law (38) opens a new singing school in Philadelphia. It will fail, and Law will return to Connecticut in mid-August.
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September 8, 1787: Andrew Law (38) is ordained by a Council of Congregational ministers in Hartford. He plans to move south.
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October 18, 1791: Andrew Law (42) receives a federal copyright for the third edition of his Rudiments of Music which is actually a new collection of tunes.
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October 8, 1792: The Musical Magazine no.1 of Andrew Law (43) is copyrighted.
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August 27, 1793: Andrew Law (44) receives a US copyright for his Musical Primer.
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April 8, 1794: Andrew Law (45) receives a US copyright for the Art of Singing Part I and the Art of Singing Part II otherwise known as the Christian Harmony.
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August 4, 1795: An advertisement appears in the Salem Gazette for a new singing school run by Andrew Law (46) in Salem, Massachusetts.
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January 9, 1802: The Harmonic Society of Philadelphia is founded for the study and performance of sacred music. Its first president will be Andrew Law (52).
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May 12, 1802: A US patent is granted to Andrew Law (53) for a new system of musical notation which involves four note shapes and the elimination of the staff.
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October 6, 1802: The opening of a new singing school led by Andrew Law (53) is advertised in the Boston Columbian Centinel.
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December 24, 1803: The Boston Columbian Centinel advertises the publication of Andrew Law’s (54) Art of Singing.
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September 10, 1807: Andrew Law (58) receives a US copyright for his Harmonic Companion.
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October 8, 1807: Andrew Law (58) receives a US copyright for his Choice Collection of Church Music for the Methodist Church.
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May 19, 1809: Andrew Law (60) receives a US patent for the Art of Playing the Organ and Piano Forte.
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January 2, 1815: Writing from Newark, New Jersey, Andrew Law (65) petitions the US House of Representatives for a renewal of his patent of 12 May 1802. It will not be granted.
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May 1, 1820: Andrew Law (71) signs his will in Cheshire, Connecticut.
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July 13, 1821: Andrew Law is “taken speechless at the dinner table…[and] taken to his bed” and dies in Cheshire, Connecticut, USA, aged 72 years, three months, and 22 days. (Crawford, 246) His mortal remains will be laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery in Cheshire.