Music and Some Highly Musical People
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This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com The Basic Afro-American Reprint Library - THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LIBRARY /5, 20 M U S I C AND SOME HIGHLY MUSICAL PEOPLE: CONTAINING BRIEF CHAPTERS ON I. A DESCRIPTION OF MUSIC. II. THE MUSIC OF NATURE. III. A GLANCE AT THE HISTORY OF MUSIC. IV. THE POWER, BEAUTY, AND USES OF MUSIC. FollowING WHICH ARE GIVEN SEETCHES OF THE LIVES OF REMARKABLE MUSICIANS OF THE COLORED RACE, {#ith 49ertraitz, AND AN APPENDIX CONTAINING COPIES OF MUSIC COMPOSED BY COLORED MEN. BY JAMES M. TROTTER. “A man should hear a little music, read a little £: and see a fine picture, every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” – GoETHE. **Tis thine to merit, mine to record.”- HomER. FIFTH THOUSAND. BOSTON : LEE AND SHE PAR D, PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK: C H.A.R. L. E S T. DILLING EIA.M. 1881. JOHNSON REPRINT CORPORATION JOHNSON REPRINT COMPANY LTD. 111 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003 Berkeley Square House, London, W. 1 THE BASIC AFRO-AMERICAN REPRINT LIBRARY Books on the history, culture, and social environment of Afro-Americans Selected by Clarence L. Holte CoPYRIGHT, 1878, BY JAMES M. TROTTER. First reprinting, 1968, Johnson Reprint Corporation Printed in the United States of America *: *''' UNIVERSITY OF CH1 AGO LIBRARY PREFA CE. THE purposes of this volume will be so very apparent to even the most casual observer, as to render an extended explanation here unnecessary. The author will therefore only say, that he has endeavored faithfully to perform what he was convinced was a much-needed service, not so much, perhaps, to the cause of music itself, as to some of its noblest devotees and the race to which the latter belong. The inseparable relationship existing between music and its worthy exponents gives, it is believed, full showing of pro priety to the course hereinafter pursued, -that of mingling the praises of both. But, in truth, there was little need to speak in praise of music. Its tones of melody and harmony require only to be heard in order to awaken in the breast emotions the most delightful. And yet who can speak at all of an agency so charming in other than words of warmest praise? Again: if music be a thing of such consummate beauty, what else can be done but to tender an offering of praise, and even of gratitude, to those, who, by the invention of most pleasing combinations of tones, melodies, and harmonies, or by great skill in vocal or instrumental performance, so signally help us to the fullest understanding and enjoyment of it? As will be seen by a reference to the introductory chapters, in which the subject of music is separately considered, an attempt has been made not only to form by them a proper 3 4 Breface. setting for the personal sketches that follow, but also to render the book entertaining to lovers of the art in general. While grouping, as has here been done, the musical celeb rities of a single race; while gathering from near and far these many fragments of musical history, and recording them in one book, – the writer yet earnestly disavows all motives of a distinctively clannish nature. But the haze of complex ional prejudice has so much obscured the vision of many persons, that they cannot see (at least, there are many who affect not to see) that musical faculties, and power for their artistic development, are not in the exclusive possession of the fairer-skinned race, but are alike the beneficent gifts of the Creator to all his children. Besides, there are some well meaning persons who have formed, for lack of the informa tion which is here afforded, erroneous and unfavorable esti mates of the art-capabilities of the colored race. In the hope, then, of contributing to the formation of a more just opinion, of inducing a cheerful admission of its existence, and of aiding to establish between both races relations of mutual respect and good feeling; of inspiring the people most concerned (if that be necessary) with a greater pride in their own achievements, and confidence in their own resources, as a basis for other and even greater acquirements, as a landmark, a partial guide, for a future and better chroni cler; and, finally, as a sincere tribute to the winning power, the noble beauty, of music, a contemplation of whose own divine harmony should ever serve to promote harmony between man and man, — with these purposes in view, this humble volume is hopefully issued. THE AUTHOR, CONTENTS. IPAGE A DESCRIPTION OF MUSIC . • e e e 7–11 THE MUSIC OF NATURE • © • e • 12–21 A GLANCE AT THE HISTORY OF MUSIC . • 22–50 THE BEAUTY, PoWER, AND USES OF MUSIC . 51-65 ELIZABETH TAYLOR GREENFIELD (the “Black Swan”) 66–87 THE LUCA FAMILY © • • • e • • 88–105 HENRY F. WILLIAMS . o e e e • 106-113 JUSTIN HOLLAND . • • • o • 114-130 THOMAs J. BowFRs (the “American Mario.”) 131-137 JAMES GLOUCESTER DEMAREST . • • 138–140 THOMAS GREENE BETHUNE (“Blind Tom ”) 141-159 THE HYERS SISTERS . • • • e • 160-179 FREDERICK ELLIOT LEWIS . o • • o 180-191 NELLIE E. BROWN . • • e • • e e 192–208 SAMUEL W. JAMIESON . • © e e • © 209-218 JosFPH WHITE (preceded by a brief account of t h Violin, pp. 219–223) . 224-240 THE COLORED AMERICAN OPERA COMPANY . • 241–252 THE JUBILEE SINGERS OF FISK UNIVERSITY . • 253-269 THE GEORGIA MINSTRELS . • • • • e 270–282 P A R T SE COND. INTRODUCTION. • • 285-288 RACHEL M. WASHINGTON 288-290 JAMES CASERAs . JOHN T. DOUGLASS 301 WALTER F. CRAIG 301 W LLIAM APPO e 302 WILLIAM BRADY . 802-303 PETER P. O’FAKE . 304-306 FRANK JoHNSON, AND HIS FAMOUS MILITARY BAND AND ORCHESTRA . • 306–309 JOSEPH G. ANDERSON . • 308-309 MADAM BROWN . • • SARAH SEDGEWICK BOWERS 309-310 JOHN MOORE . e e © 310-311 6 Contents. IPAGEl SAMUEL LUCAS • 312-313 WILLIAM H. STARR 314 G. H. W. STEWART THE LAMBERT FAMILY 338-340 EDMUND DEDf: • 340-341 BASILE BARÉS • SAMUEL SNAER . 341–343 PROF. A. P. WILLIAMS. 343 E. V. MACARTY . • 343-344 MAURICE J. B. DOUBLET 344–345 DENNIS AUGUSTE . • 345 THE DUPR£ FAMILY . 347–348 CHARLES MARTINEZ . 348 THOMAS MARTIN . • 349 OTHER MUSICAL PEOPLE OF PoRTLAND (ME.) 300 BOSTON . e 288-298 WORCESTER . 300 NEW YORK . 301-304 NEWARK . • 806 PHILADELPHIA 306–311 PITTSBURGH . CLEVELAND . 311-312 WASHINGTON (O. 312-313 CHILLICOTHE (O. 313–316 CINCINNATI . 316–321 CHICAGO . o 321-323 THE MUSIC OF THE SOUTH 324-329 BALTIMORE 329–330 LOUISVILLE 330 ST. LOUIS • 330 HELENA . 380 MEMPHIS . 331 NASHVILLE 331 NEW ORLEANs ILL U S T R ATION S. 1. ELIZABETH TAYLOR GREENFIELD. 2. THE LUCA FAMILY. 3. HENRY F. WILLIAMS. 4. JUSTIN HOLLAND. 5. THOMAS J. BOWERS. 6. THOMAS GREENE BETHUNE. 7. THE HYERS SISTERS. 8. FREDERICK ELLIOT LEWIS. 9. NELLIE E. BROWN. 10. SAMUEL W. JAMIESON. 11. JosFPH WHITE. 12. FISK UNIVERSITY. MUSIC AND SOME HIGHLY MUSICAL PEOPLE. I. A DESCRIPTION OF MUSIC. *In the storm, in the smoke, in the fight, I come To help thee, dear, with my fife and my drum. My name is Music: and, when the bell Rings for the dead men, I rule the knell; And, whenever the mariner wrecked through the blast Hears the fog-bell sound, it was I who passed. The poet hath told you how I, a young maid, Came fresh from the gods to the myrtle shade; And thence, by a power divine, I stole To where the waters of the Mincius roll; Then down by Clitumnus and Arno's vale I wandered, passionate and pale, Until I found me at sacred Rome, Where one of the Medici gave me a home. Leo-great Leo!—he worshipped me, And the Vatican stairs for my feet were free. And, now I am come to your glorious land, Give me good greeting with open hand. Remember Beethoven, -I gave him his art, - And Sebastian Bach, and superb Mozart: Join those in my worship; and, when you go Wherever their mighty organs blow, Hear in them heaven's trumpets to men below.” T. W. PARSONs. HAT is music? Quite easy is it to answer after the manner of the dictionaries, and say, “Music is (1) a number of sounds following each other in a 7 8 Music and Some Highly Musical People. natural, pleasing manner; (2) the science of harmoni. ous sounds; and (3) the art of so combining them as to please the ear.” These are, however, only brief, cold, and arbitrary definitions: music is far more than as thus defined. Indeed, to go no farther in the descrip tion of this really sublime manifestation of the beau tiful would be to very inadequately express its mani fold meanings, its helpful, delightful uses. And yet the impressions made upon the mind and the depth of feeling awakened in the heart by music are such as to render only a partial (a far from satisfying one) de scription of the same possible, even to those most skil ful and eloquent in the use of language; for, in fact, ordinary language, after exhausting all of its many re sources in portraying the mind's conceptions, in depict ing the heart's finer, deeper feelings, reveals, after all, its poverty, when sought to describe effects so entran cing, and emotions so deep-reaching, as those produced by music.