Philip Antony Corri / Arthur Clifton:
My desire to introduce to the lovers of Sacred Music, some of the most beautiful themes of the Classical Musical Composers, has induced me to offer to the public this little work.
To please every one, is impossible; I therefore began by--pleasing myself; Hence, amongst the following pages, are subjects, which, although necessarily abridged, and new modell'd, bring to my recollection, the stupendous structures, from which I have stolen my little relics, and which I trust will not be found, unworthy of a share in the holy service of God's workshop.
Many of the subjects are reduced from memory, others are extracted from works in my possession, in the collating of which, I have been studious to avoid, frivolity or profane writings, having taken them from Oratorios Sacred Songs, and Instrumental Music.
My only error, perhaps, is in presuming to mix with those great composers, works of my own; but as my simple tunes are added for the sake of variety of style, or as foil to gems, I hope I may be excused in securing a corner in this superstructure.
I have arranged these tunes for three voices, instead of four, for the accommodation of choirs in general; as from experience, I find none are supplied with more than that number, and indeed with scarcely any more than Treble and Bass.
Should these extracts prove gratifying to the refined lovers of Sacred Music--I am satisfied.