The Preliminary Issue of the American Centennial; a Collection of new and original instrumental and vocal music, adapted for the piano and organ.
New York
by LeSears, Moses.]
New York: Moore, Shissler, & Co. Book. nd. (1873.) Oblong 8vo, orig. printed boards, cloth spine. Pp. 89, with gaps in pagination. Boards rubbed to near illegibility, loose in binding. A clean copy within. A scarce and odd production, consisting of vocal songs both sacred and secular, the majority with music composed by Le Sears, as well as dance tunes, by Sears, his family relations and others. Many bear local dedications, e.g. Sears' "Trenton Waltz. Dedicated to Sarah L. Roberts of Trenton, N.J." Moore's compositions are here and there dated from 1835 on, but none of his music seems to have been heretofore published.The volume is a cheap-paper production, and the pagination jumps from 46 to 65, apparently as issued as no tunes in the index are called for on the ommitted pages. An unnumbered leaf between pages 46 and 64 contains a song not included in the index. Sears' name does not appear on the title page, but is barely discernible on the front and rear board. Despite the publisher's notice that "The author of this work has in preparation "The American Centennial," which will be published in 1876," no further volume was issued. The OCLC entry lists 4 copies, but has a variant imprint with Moore's name only.. (Inventory #: 718)