West gallery music

[1] By the 1700s, many church goers were unsatisfied by the state of congregational singing, which resulted in the formation of amateur choirs, which were initially male.

[2] In rural English churches, congregations often lacked an organ, but still needed support in order to maintain pitch in complex music.

[2] Originally, instrumentalists would double the vocal parts, but later, more complex music was added with specific instrumentation, such as small symphonies.

[2] Some additional characteristics of this music include unexpected dissonances, consecutive fifths and octaves, great originality, intensive word painting, strong melodic lines, and the prevalence of the tenor voice, often doubled an octave higher by treble voices.

English country psalmody was exported to America around the mid 18th century, where it inspired the creation of many new compositions by members of the First New England School.