Samuel Parkman Tuckerman

Samuel Parkman Tuckerman

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114351480/samuel-parkman-tuckerman
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Parkman_Tuckerman
• http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/t/u/c/k/tuckermann_sp.htm
• https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/sheetmusic/421/

Early Life and Education

He was born in Boston to Edward Francis Tuckerman (1775–1843), a merchant, and Sophia May (1784–1870), a prosperous and distinguished Boston family.

His siblings were Edward Tuckerman (1817–1886), the botanist and Amherst professor, Frederick Goddard Tuckerman (1821–1873), the poet, Sophia May (Tuckerman) Eckley, and Hannah Parkman Tuckerman.

He attended Chauncy Hall School in Boston. He studied with Charles Zeuner, and was then for several years organist at St. Paul's Church, Boston. He went to England in 1849, and the degree of Music Doctorate was conferred on him by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1853. In the preceding year he had received a diploma from the Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome.

Work

While studying with Zeuner, he published The Episcopal Harp (1844) and The National Lyre (1848), the latter with Silas A. Bancroft and Henry K. Oliver. As a composer he gave his attention chiefly to sacred music, principally services, hymns, and anthems for the Episcopal Church service. He compiled Cathedral Chants (London, 1852) and Trinity Collection of Church Music (1864).

After returning to the United States he lectured on sacred music, and gave performances of church music of the period from the 4th to the 19th centuries. He went again to England in 1856, and a third time in 1868, returning in 1879.

Personal Life

Samuel married Mary Olivia Edwards Perry on October 15, 1845.

They had a daughter: Mary Perry Tuckerman (born November 11, 1846)

He died in Newport, Rhode Island and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SAMUEL PARKMAN TUCKERMAN. Dr. S. Parkman Tuckerman, who died at Newport, Rhode Island, on Monday, June 30, was the last survivor in the generation of the eldest branch of the Tuckerman family. He was the second son of Edward and Sophia (May) Tuckerman, and was born at Boston, February 11, 1819.

He received his early training at Ingraham's classic school and subsequently, from 1828 to 1833, was a student at Chauncy Hall School.

At an early age he displayed musical talent of a high order, and before his tenth year could play the violin, pianoforte and organ. Between 1836 and 1840 he received musical Instruction from Charles Zeuner (formerly Court musician at Frankfort on the Ohet), who at that time was the leading musician in Boston.

In 1834 Mr. Tuckerman became a member of the Boston Academy of Music, and in 1837 of the Handel and Hayden Society.

In 1838 appeared his first sacred composition, in the form of an organ voluntary for use at funerals. This early production is simple in stylo and design, and pervaded by a refined taste, and is full of devotional feeling. Somewhat earlier, he composed a number of part-songs, and a few miscellaneous pieces of a secular character.

In 1840, at the age of twenty-one, he succeeded Zeuner as organist and choir director of St. Paul's Church, Boston. This office he filled with great credit to himself until 1849, when he resigned it in order to go abroad and make a thorough study of the English cathedral music.

During his connection with St. Paul's Church he published two works. The first, The Episcopal Harp, appeared in 1844, and consists of a collection of original compositions, comprising sentences, chants and hymn tunes. The second work, The National Lyre, a composition published in 1848, consisting of psalm and hymn tunes, sentences, chants and anthems, had a large sale and passed through several editions.

In 1849 Mr. Tuckerman went to England, and pursued his studies, first at Durham, and later at York, Canterbury, Windsor and London. At Windsor he studied under Sir George Elvcy of St. George's Chapel, and at London under the late Mr. Turle of Westminster Abbey, rate enough to be called a cantata) I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven.

In 1851 he was admitted to the degree of doctor of music by the Archbishop of Canterbury. At this time he wrote an anthem (long and elaborate taking his degree he travelled on the continent, passing much of his time in Italy. He visited Rossini at Florence, and while there wrote his service hi C.

In 1852 he proceeded to Rome, and was there awarded the diploma and made a fellow of the Pontifical Congregation and Academy of Saint Ceoilia. While at Rome he made the acquaintance of the Abbey Sxntini, and other noted musicians, and the same year he returned to America and resumed his position as organist of St. Paul's Church.

In 1857 he lectured, in New York and Boston, upon Church Music in the Old World and the New. From 1854 to 1857 he gave many sacred concerts in Boston and elsewhere, often with the select choir of St. Paul's Church, which at that time included Mrs. IL M. Smith, Myron W. Whitney, and other noted singers. In November, 1863, when the great organ in the Music Hall was dedicated, he was one of the six musicians chosen to officiate. He continued one of the Music Hall organists until 1867.

In 1867 Dr. Tuckerman revisited England for the purpose of study, and became a resident of the Horseshoe Cloisters, Windsor Castle. In 1868 appeared the "Collection of Cathedral Chants. This work supplied a want which had long been felt by the choirs of the Episcopal Church in America. It has reached a very large circulation, and, although published more than thirty years ago, has never been superseded.

On returning home in 1860 Dr. Tuckerman was appointed organist of Trinity Church. New York, that office having become vacant by the retirement of the venerable Dr. Hodges. The position however declined, preferring to resume his connection with St. Pauls Church, Boston. In 1864 he edited the "Trinity Collection of Church Music, which consists mainly of hymn tunes used by Jr. Hodges while organist of Trinity Church, New Jersey. In 1868 he resigned his position at St. Panls, and the same year went abroad, where he continued to live until 1879, making almost yearly visits to tne United States. Since 1886 he has lived at Newport, Rhode Island.

A critical analysis, or even enumeration, of Dr. Tuckerman's musical writings cannot be attempted here. His compositions number nearly two hundred and Include, besides tbe collections already mentioned, five services, twenty anthems, and many chants, hymn tunes, carol and part song. The more important of these compositions were published in England, being especially written and adapted for use in the cathedral and parish churches of that country. In former years he was an occasional contributor to the daily and weekly press, and also published a few papers in Dwight's Journal of Music. The late Sir George Macfarron said, in a notice of Mr. Tuckerman, written many years ago. that "lie was the only American composer whose music had found its way into our cathedrals. Today hi. music is iu general use in the cathedrals and parish churches of England.

His compositions show excellent musicianship, are melodious and rt finej in taste and highly finished. They are classic and solid without leing tedion., and are written in a thoroughly ecclesiastic style. Tuckerman did managed to elevate church music in America, and viewed a church musician and composer of sacred music he has had no superior in the country.

Boston Evening Transcript
Boston, Massachusetts
02 Jul 1890, Wed • Page 4