O ke Kumu Leomele, no na Himeni a me na Halelu e Hoolea Aku ai I Ke Akua

Rare and important: a delightful copy of this Hawaiian hymnal with extensive four-part musical scoring, the very first music to be printed in the Islands. The title translates as 'The rules of music, for hymns and psalms [with which] to praise God.' This title refers to the first section of the work (56 pp.), which is a musical instruction manual, beginning with 'names for various notes (sharps, flats, clefs, etc.) and ways of reading music; then scales and octaves (here La, Mi, Pa, Ko, Li, Ha, No, La); music notes with scores; and finally music and words.' (Forbes) The second part is a hymnal with 194 hymns. Copies were known to have been distributed before the work as a whole was completed (and some copies are known with only the first 56-page section). Following this is a second title-page for 'Na hiimeni Hawaii, me na leomele; oia ka lua o na hapa o ke kumu leomele' (Hawaiian hymns, with their music; the second part of the rules of music).

It would appear that the work was issued in a run of 10,000 - the standard figure for many issues from the zealous and active Mission Press. Such enormous original printing figures are in stark contrast to present rarity: only a minute fraction of the original printings have survived, and the few survivors are more often than not in poor condition. This is a particularly attractive example.