Billings, William

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Billings, William (b Boston, Mass., 1746; d Boston, 1800). One of first Amer.-born composers, he abandoned tanning for mus. Wrote over 340 pieces, mostly between 1770 and 1794, including much church mus., ‘fuguing tunes’ (essays in imitative counterpoint). Comp. patriotic songs. Among his printed songbooks were The New-England Psalm-Singer (1770) and The Continental Harmony (1794). Wrote popular Christmas carol Shiloh and choral pieces.

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