Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-08-17
WHO WRITES OUR SONGS2

1he musical composer who really FUR
nishes the great majority of our songs, and
whose productions have the widest popular
ity among the masses ofour people, is known
to very few of them, even by reputation
The new melodies that greet the public ear
month after month, and are sung, whistled
and hummed by thousands-that are
thumped ON pianoforets, thumred on ban
joes, breathcd on flutes, tortured into vari-.
ations, and enjoy wide, though after all,
evanescent popularity, are chiefly the pro-
duct of one fertile brain-and that brain,
as Mr.. Mieawber would say. is the brain
appertaining to Mr.. Stephen. G. Foster
This gentleman is native of Pittsburg.
and has spent all his days there, excepting
three years at Cincinnati, and two at New
York. He was born on the 18th of July,
1926 tho very day that john 11tIdms and
Thomas Jefferson diedD, and is, therefore,
now in his thirty third year. His father,
Mr.. William b. Foster, was a Pittsburg
merchant, member of the State Legisla-
ture, afterward Mayor of Allcghany City,
and subsequently occupied an official post
under the federal government. His eldest
sister is the wife of Rev. Z. Y. Buchanan,
only brother of the president of the L. So
Stephen c. Foster is the youngest of his
family.
He enjoyed bnt limited opportunities for
musical instruction, and took but few les
sons. When nineteen years old he COM
posed for social quartette club, of which
he was member, his first successful song,
the popular favorite, Uncle Ned" 1t was
shortly aftcrward sung at public conce.t
in Cincinnati, and received such applause
that Mr. Wm. c. Peters, the music publish
er in that city, requested the privilege of
publishing it, which was at once granted |
Mr.. Foster next composed Susanna, which
was more simple in its style, and became
even more popular. In private letter, I
Mr.. Foster writes: Il had up to this time
neither received nor thought of any pecu-
MARY remuneration for my efforts i'll the mu-
steal line. Imagine my delight, therefore,
on receiving for my next song one hundred
dollars in cash. Though this song was not
successful, yet the two fifty dollars which [
received for it had the effect of starting me
in my present vocation as song writer
It would render this article too much
like catalogue of popular and standard
music, to give list of Mr.. Foster songs.
'.Massa' in the Cold Ground" ..Old Ken
tucky Home, "'.Hi Boys, Carry Ne Long"
Nelly was a Lady," and "Old Folks at
Home may be mentioned as among the
most popular. His Susanna melody has
been seized by many pianists (among whom
may be mentioned Herr and Thalberg) as
A melodic theme peculiarly suited for treat
nent with variations, and some Of the other
negro melodies have obtained an equal pop
llarity. Nor is this popularity merely
ocal one. In many of the Southern States
Mr.. Fosters songs have been adopted by Il,
he slaves to cnliven them in their corn
and field labors. Their fame has
llso crossed the ocean. In private letter
rom one who has recently returned from
III extended pedestrian tour through the I
border land of Scotland, where the songs of
Burns and the older oral Scotch ballads are
Known to and sung by every one, occurs tie
ollowing passage: Il spent several weeks
mid the poetic hills of Ettricb, along the
,raes of Yarrow, so famed in Scottish bor-
Ter minstrelsy, and here l found some of
'oster's earlier melodies were almost dis +
,lacing. in the estimation of the shepherd t,
'oys and cottage girls, the songs of Burns
nd Ramsay. Often, in the Scottish Gotta
es, after the bagpipes have droncd out their \
compartment to Scots wha hae, and
Kord Athol Courtship,' voice will take fC
p one of these American melodies, and all
ather around the inglesidc and join in the
nipple refrain; and thus the plaintivc,
ouching strains that are first sung in the Il
.Mrs Jesse Thornton, of this place, is also a
ster Of Nc. Fvstcc.