Singing by Number in Mid-Nineteenth-Century America

Recognizing the broad potential of singing as a facilitator of moral instruction, academic learning, and societal participation, New Hampshire native Asa Fitz (1810–1878) was committed to advancing music and music education. A prolific publisher, editor, and author, he was involved in the production of dozens of works filled with songs and music, designed to further everything from reform movements to congregational singing, spiritualism to family life. As a singing master and music teacher, he instructed both children and other teachers, promoting his song books, his instructional techniques, his personal principles, and his overriding belief that everyone could, and should, learn to sing. Yet, for all that he was well known during his lifetime, little scholarly attention has been paid to the man, his philosophical underpinnings, or his disparate publications. This article focuses on the development of his “new system of figured music,” culminating with the publication of School Songs for the Million! in 1850. It briefly reviews the concept and expressions of alternate systems of musical notation in early to mid-nineteenth-century America and then places Fitz within that context, as he created, developed, and promoted his system to children and teachers. Though School Songs for the Million! was not as commercially successful as some of his other titles, it serves to demonstrate Fitz’s willingness to experiment with unconventional and controversial ideas in an effort to advance participation in music.