John Cole (music publisher)
Encyclopedia
John Cole was a British-born American music printer, publisher and composer based in Baltimore
.
Born in Tewkesbury
, England, he emigrated to Baltimore in 1785 with his family.
He compiled nearly thirty different collections of sacred music for various church denominations. In 1802, he became a printer; several of his publications included compositions by him. In 1822 he opened a music shop, which became the most important seller of sheet music in Baltimore, and he worked as a music publisher until 1839. He was the first publisher to include a picture on the title page of his sheet music
publications. In 1862, his firm was purchased by William Miller and Joseph R. Beacham, who renamed it Miller & Beacham
.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
Born in Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
, England, he emigrated to Baltimore in 1785 with his family.
He compiled nearly thirty different collections of sacred music for various church denominations. In 1802, he became a printer; several of his publications included compositions by him. In 1822 he opened a music shop, which became the most important seller of sheet music in Baltimore, and he worked as a music publisher until 1839. He was the first publisher to include a picture on the title page of his sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
publications. In 1862, his firm was purchased by William Miller and Joseph R. Beacham, who renamed it Miller & Beacham
Miller & Beacham
The music publishing firm of Miller & Beacham was formed by William Miller and Joseph R. Beacham in 1862 in the United States, after the pair purchased the firm of Baltimore's John Cole. Miller & Beacham was one of the most popular publishers during the American Civil War, and their catalogue...
.