Chetham’s A Book of Psalmody (1718)

Composer

A composer as well as a compiler, John Chetham or Cheetham (b ?Newton, Ches, or Yorks 1665, d ?Skipton, N Yorks 1746) attended Duckingfield Sch; at some point he was ordained, serving at Skipton as schoolmaster (from 1723) and curate (from 1741). In 1718 he published A Book of Psalmody, containing variety of Tunes for all the Common Metres of the Psalms in the Old and New Versions, and others for Particular Measures…This proved both popular and influential, continuing to be in demand long after his death. By 1787 it had reached its 11th edn; in the 19th c, while keeping his name, it was radically revised and enlarged by Thos Stopford (1811), John Houldsworth (1832, a further 12 eds) and others. Chetham also harmonised Psalm chants for use with NT canticles, and believed that parish churches should aim musically to be minicathedrals. No.120.